Senegal vs Ivory Coast LIVE: Latest Afcon updates

There is an argument that no team will be so badly affected by the midseason international tournaments as Tottenham. Captain Son Heung-min and midfielders Pape Matar Sarr and Yves Bissouma are all key starting players under Ange Postecoglou, and were instrumental in the team’s fast start to the season, which briefly saw them on top of the Premier League.

The Asian Cup and Africa Cup of Nations have weakened other clubs, of course. But Liverpool’s squad depth has allowed them to cope without Mohamed Salah and Wataru Endo to some degree. Manchester United and Andre Onana might even benefit from some time apart. Whereas Spurs look like a different team without their first-choice midfield.

The statistics are compelling. Tottenham have played 12 games this season with both Bissouma and Sarr in the starting XI, and won nine of those. They’ve played five games without either of the duo, and only won once.

It is a small sample size but enough to back up what is obvious to the eye, glaringly so on Friday night against Manchester City. In fairness, it was a scrappy late goal from a corner which knocked Spurs out of the FA Cup. But City created vatfuls of chances, and they found it easy to glide through Tottenham’s soft centre, a midfield made of mush.

Lawrence Ostlere on why Tottenham’s midfield will not click until their Afcon stars return:

The starting lineups are in!

Senegal XI – Mendy, Koulibaly, Niakhate, A Diallo, Jakobs, Diatta, Camara, PM Sarr, Mane, H Diallo, I Sarr

Ivory Coast XI – Y Fofana, Konan, Seri, S Fofana, Kossounou, Krasso, Diakite, Gradel, Aurier, Sangare, Ndicka

All four of the Pharaohs’ knockout games in the 2021 tournament required additional time, culminating in a spot-kick defeat to Senegal in the final.

And, after a 1-1 draw following extra-time, they went the same way in San Pedro with an 8-7 loss on penalties.

Mostafa Mohamed continued to step up in the absence of the injured Mohamed Salah with his fourth goal in as many matches from the spot, cancelling out Meschack Elia’s opener, with Egypt hanging on in extra time following Mohamed Hamdy’s 97th-minute red card.

Mohamed missed from 12 yards the second time around and keeper Mohamed Abou Gabal also fluffed his lines, leaving opposite number Mpasi to hold his nerve and set up a last-eight clash with Guinea.

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The tournament is officially Afcon 2023, despite taking place in 2024, after it was pushed back several months due to concerns over the Senegalese heat in the summer months.

Here is the full schedule of fixtures, dates and kick-off times, and get all the latest football betting sites offers here.

Welcome to the Independent’s live coverage of the Africa Cup of Nations last 16 clash, as Senegal take on hosts Ivory Coast.

The winners will play either Mali or Burkina Faso in the last eight.

Eaerlier in the evening, Cabo Verde and Mauritania are also playing and we’ll have goal updates from the second half of that fixture too.