Ivory Coast vs Ghana LIVE: AFCON qualifier match stream, latest team news, lineups, TV, prediction

Rivalry renewed: Ivory Coast face Ghana in AFCON 2027 qualification tonightLondon StandardIvory Coast face Ghana in Bouake as action from Group C of Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualification begins tonight. These two nations, ranked 31st and 65th in the world respectively, are expected to seal a place at next summer's finals - hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania - so this showdown is likely to go a long way in determining who tops the group.As the home side, Cote D'Ivoire will start the game as slight favourites in their first competitive outing since losing a World Cup last-32 clash against Norway in the summer. Herve Renard has returned for a second spell as head coach, naming a squad packed with a mixture of youth and experience.Ghana, meanwhile, have been dealt a double blow ahead of tonight's showdown with captain Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo forced to withdraw from the squad because of injury. This means head coach Carlos Queiroz will be without three of the Black Stars' best attackers as Mohammed Kudus has not been called up despite a return to fitness. Follow Ivory Coast vs Ghana LIVE below with Standard Sport's dedicated match blog!Ivory Coast vs Ghana latest newsScore predictionIn his short spell as head coach, Carlos Queiroz has made Ghana a lot more difficult to beat. During the summer, they kept two clean sheets - one against England - and narrowly lost to Colombia in the round of 32.Problem is, the Black Stars don't score much - netting just twice at the World Cup. The absences of Antoine Semenyo and Mohammed Kudus is unlikely to provide any optimism of that changing.Ivory Coast, on the other hand, are blessed with attacking options and we think their firepower will prove decisive tonight.Ghana team news: No SemenyoAntoine Semenyo has been forced to withdraw from the Ghana squad through injury, joining Mohammed Kudus on the sidelines.GettyIvory Coast team news: Major omissionsEvann Guessand and Omar Diakite are notable omissions from the 25-man Ivory Coast squad.Manchester United winger Amad Diallo is also absent as he recovers from injury that has forced him to miss the start of the season.How to watch Ivory Coast vs GhanaTV channel: No UK broadcaster has been announced for Ivory Coast vs Ghana, which kicks off at 8pm BST, which is 7pm local time.Live stream: But have no fear. According to popular TV listings website LiveOnSat, the match is being shown on free-to-air channels GTV Sports+, based in Ghana, RTi La 3, which is an Ivory Coast outlet. You can watch La 3 live for free on their website, by clicking here.GTV Sports+ is part of the GBC (Ghana Broadcasting Company), which broadcasts live coverage on their YouTube channel.London StandardIvory Coast vs Ghana LIVEHello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of Ivory Coast vs Ghana!It's the second game from Group C for Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualification as the favourites to progress meet in a blockbuster showdown. We’ll have all the latest updates, build-up and team news right here ahead of kick-off, which comes at 8pm BST from the Bouake Stadium. Stick with us!London Standard