Cape Verde vs Egypt Prediction and Betting Tips: Both teams to score in Monday night's clash

Winless Egypt face an early elimination from AFCON should they fail to navigate the trickly challenge of a game with high-flying Cape Verde on Monday night.

An alarming hamstring injury will see Mohamed Salah return to Liverpool for rehab, but only after he watches his side's final group fixture play out against Cape Verde on Monday. Egypt hope their talisman will play a part later in the tournament, possibly as late as the semi-finals stage, which can only happen if the Pharaohs shake this substandard form which has seen them draw their initial two matches at the tournament.

Ghana and Mozambique have both fallen victim to losses against minnows, who will be hoping to upset favourites Egypt (11/20) as the match's 6/1 underdogs. A draw has been racked up at 16/5, which depending on the other two's result, could be enough for this pair to both qualify to the knockout stages.

Given the pair's current form and the presence of upsets at this tournament already we won't be dabbling in the match result market. We do, however, like the look of both teams to score at above even money during this final Group B fixture.

Half of Cape Verde's qualifiers saw BTTS, with the Blue Sharks breaching their opponent's goal in four of the six matches to progress to the finals of this competition in the Ivory Coast. Egypt themselves had clean sheets snatched in two of their qualifying fixtures versus Guinea and Ethiopia, adding to that by shipping four in their opening two group matches on the big stage - Mozambique's two a particular surprise in their first outing.

The Pharaohs can't rely on a draw on matchday 3, especially since Cape Verde have top spot locked off due to securing maximum points from their first two matches. That desperation to win the game could expose them to dangerous Cape Verde attacks; a weapon they've masterfully deployed so far in West Africa.

In the absence of Salah, Nantes forward Mostafa Mohamed becomes even more vital to his team's success, establishing himself as the man to lead the line for Rui Vitoria's side with 10 international goals since being handed his debut by Javier Aguirre.

The 26-year-old has netted six times from 15 appearances for his French employers this campaign, putting away a goal in both fixtures at this competition so far, which leaves him on three in his last five for Egypt. Cape Verde have conceded in matches against Burkina Faso, Algeria, Tunisia and Ghana - all somewhat comparable to Egypt's level - and whether they can pull off the necessary or not we believe Egypt's form man can breach the home side's defence at least once.