LIVE UPDATES: Ivory Coast vs South Africa (2019 AFCON, Group D)

Good afternoon and welcome to our coverage of the 2019 AFCON Group D opener between Ivory Coast and South Africa.

Two-time champions Ivory Coast have their sights set on the trophy and a win today will set them on the right path to success.

South Africa have made it past the quarter final of the AFCON once in the last eight editions and a quarter final target has been set for coach Stuart Baxter.

At the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo this afternoon, the two side will clash and battle it out for their first three points of the tournament.

Nicolas Pepe and Wilfred Zaha are the stars of this team and how well the full backs of South Africa deal with their pace could be the difference in the game.

Ivory Coast have looked disjointed and incoherent in their last few matches and that’ where South Africa could hit them hard.

Belgium-based Tau has scored nine times for South Africa and is coming off the back of a good campaign with Royale Union Saint-Gilloise and will be South Africa’s goal threat in this game.

Ivory Coast and South Africa's only previous encounter in the Africa Cup of Nations was in 1998. The game ended 1-1 in the group stages, with both teams going through to the knockout stages.

Ivory Coast have lost only one of their last 17 AFCON group games, with their last defeat in an opening match coming against Ghana back in 1996. Stay here for live text commentary at 2:30