Yobo Predicts Who Will Win AFCON 2019 And Golden Boot Award

Former Nigeria captain Joseph Yobo has predicted that Algeria will beat Senegal in the final of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday evening.

A number of factors are in favour of the North Africans; the West Africans are without one of the best defenders in the European Leagues, Kalidou Koulibaly and they lost to the Desert Foxes in the group stage.

Speaking as a pundit on SuperSport, Yobo said : ''It is a difficult when two big nations play, Koulibaly is a factor for me. If Senegal can put it together, then I'd like to say Senegal will win but him being missing is really important.

''Looking at how Algeria have played, very difficult,  I'd like to say Senegal will win but I'll say on the balance of play Algeria will win 2-1.''

In the race for the AFCON Golden Boot, Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo leads the way with five goals, two more than Sadio Mane and Riyad Mahrez who started for their respective teams in the final.

Yobo is backing Ighalo to win the top scorer award because his main rivals are not chasing personal glory.

''For those two great players we have in Africa, Mane and Mahrez, they will rather swap their personal trophy and win this AFCON.

''It's only few players that are privileged to win the AFCON, you don't know the next time you might get to the final.

''For them it is all to play for, winning the AFCON is more important than having a personal accolade,'' Yobo concluded.

Ifeanyi Emmanuel