GOOD AFTERNOON! Hello and welcome along to live minute-by-minute commentary of Nigeria versus Guinea in the Africa Cup of Nations. The Super Eagles left it late to pick up three points in their opening group game as Odion Ighalo scored the only goal in their 1-0 win over Burundi. Guinea, meanwhile, were held to a surprise 2-2 draw by Madagascar, so they'll be keen to kick-start their campaign.Team news and all the build up to the 3.30pm kick-off UK time is on its way.
TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations / Group Stage
Alexandria Stadium / 26.06.2019
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Live
Live Updates
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Updated 26/06/2019 at 16:22 GMT
23'
FOUL! Sylla is taken out by Simon. Guinea claim this is inside the area, but I'm not even sutre it's a foul. Here's a chance though.
Remember that VAR will come into force at AFCON from the quarter-final stage onwards...
OVER! Francois Kamano strikes it over the wall but the ball drifts just over the bar and Akpeyi had it ocvered!
18'
OVER! Moses Simon uses the overlapping run of full-back Awaziem to cut inside onto his left foot from 25 yards out but he skies his shot, failing to trouble Kone. Again, there's searing temperatures here in Egypt today.
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Image credit: Getty Images
17'
Good ball played in behind by Ndidi in behind for Olaoluwa Aina but Guinea captain Ibrahima Traoré sticks with him, the cross deflecting into the gloves of Kone.
FOUL! Kamano is taken out by Chidozie Awaziem, he knew he was beaten and Kamano makes the most of the sharp kick to the shin.
14'
Aina, Musa and Alex Iwobi combine down the left but the Guinea defender Seka is allowed to get back at him after a moment's hesitation.
CHANCE! The corner is fizzed in from Etebo, and it's half a chance for Ndidi as he leaps in front of Ibrahima Koné but glances his header a yard wide!
12'
Guinea
SAVE! Francois Kamano is the third Guinea player to test the gloves of Akpeyi in this opening 12 minutes from distance but it's straight down the Nigeria goalkeeper's throat from the edge of the box.
11'
Guinea
Because this is a slightly smaller stadium, and because it is Nigeria vs Guinea, this feels like an AFCON game of old. The stadiujm is still far from full, but this feels like a proper game.
Guinea in their red shirts, yellow socks and white socks are nearly through as Keita finds Kaba but Leon Balogun scampers across to make the challenge before he can get his shot away!
10'
Guinea
Sory Kaba has a shoot-on-sight policy that sometimes serves you well, but on this occasion the ball gets stuck under his feet from distance, and that's not troubling Daniel Akpeyi.
9'
Guinea
This is a promising start for the neutral as Ibrahima Traoré cuts in from the right and finds Issiaga Sylla down the left, but the cross is poor. Soly Kaba needs better service than that.
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Image credit: Getty Images
7'
Nigeria
The looping throw is towards Ighalo at the near post but Guinea manage to get the ball away. There's top quality all the way though this Nigeria side and when you consider the players Guinea have this is one of the glamour fixtures of the group stages.
CHANCE! Musa does well to get to the byline but Ighalo can't sort out his feet. Instinctive finishes are his stock in trade but he was unable to adjust his feet in time!
4'
CHANCE! Both sides have made bright starts as Alex Iwobi is found by the cut-back from Balogun, but the Guinea defence scramble the ball clear after a decent first touch from the Arsenal man.
2'
Guinea
SAVE! It's a good start from Guinea as Daniel Akpeyi has to watch this shot from Ibrahima Cissé all the way. It's full of power but straight at him!
1st Half
KICK OFF!
FIRST HALF!
So Guinea get us off and running at the Alexandria Stadium. And the players aren't quite happy with the ball, 30 seconds in.That's a good start...
15:29
OUT COME THE TEAMS!
So, Nigeria ultimately just about got the job done in their AFCON opener, but they will have to be better this afternoon if they are to preserve their 100 per cent record.
Nigeria have won five AFCON games in a row - their longest streak in the competition - and they have not conceded more than one goal in any of those victories.
Guinea were shocked by Madagascar in their opener, but they will be desperate to bounce back with Keita in their side. Nigeria will have to be wary when defending set pieces with five of Guinea's last 10 goals scored from such situations.
Out come the two teams!
15:21
WILL WE SEE MORE FINISHES LIKE THIS?
We are under 10 minutes away from kick-off at the Alexandria Stadium...
15:19
MATCH STATS!
- Guinea are making their 12th AFCON appearance in Egypt, but they are yet to win the coveted continental trophy, having made their debut appearance in 1970.
- Nigeria and Guinea have only met once before at the Africa Cup of Nations - a 1-1 group-stage draw in March 1976.
- The Super Eagles are winless in their last four meetings with Guinea in all competitions after losing none of the previous eight.
- Not since October 2011 have the sides met, with Victor Obinna and Ikechukwu Uche scoring for Nigeria in a 2-2 draw.
15:16
Guinea
KEITA STARTS FOR GUINEA
The big news for Guinea is that Naby Keita starts after the Liverpool midfielder came through 28 minutes during the 2-2 draw with Madagascar unscathed.
Paul Put's men will look to make amends for those two dropped points, but Samuel Katu has failed to recover from a bout of dehydration.
Guinea make a switch in goal as Aly Keita is replaced by Ibrahim Kone, Ernest Seka replaces Julian Jeanvier at the back while Mady Camara is replaced by Keita in three changes from the 2-2 with Madagascar.
15:05
Nigeria
IGHALO STARTS FOR SUPER EAGLES
After emerging from the substitutes' bench to rescue Nigeria, Gernot Rohr selects Shanghai Shenhua attacker Odion Ighalo from the start as he replaces Paul Onuachu alongside Ahmed Musa.
Rohr makes four changes from the side that beat Burundi as John Obi Mikel, Samuel Chukwueze, William Troost-Ekong are replaced by Chidozie Awaziem, Leon Balogun and Moses Simon.
14:56
Nigeria
HOW DID NIGERIA FARE IN ROUND ONE?
Odion Ighalo's classy finish from an audacious Ola Aina through-ball was enough to give Nigeria victory over Burundi in their Africa Cup of Nations opener.
Nigeria had produced little of any merit before the goal which was harsh on a Burundi side playing it's first ever AFCON finals match.
Left back Aina drifted in from the left flank and backheeled a through-ball, wrong-footing the Burundi defence, finding the former Watford striker who calmly opened up his body before clipping past Jonathan Nahimana.
Read the full match report below...
14:50
Guinea
Today marks the first day of the second round of fixtures, which means that teams can book their place in the knockout stages.
Nigeria are in that position as they take to the field for their warm-up at the Alexandria Stadium.
But Guinea provide their stiffest test of the group stage, with the Syli Nationale tipped to top the standings.
They booked their place in Egypt with an unbeaten record of three wins and three draws, finishing above Ivory Coast in their qualifying group.
14:40
Guinea
GUINEA TEAM NEWS
Starting line-up: Kone, Sylla, Falette, Seka, Dyrestam, Diawara, Cisse, Traore, Keita, Kamano, Kaba.
Subs: F. Camara, M. Kamara, Fofana, Jeanvier, Kante, A. Keita, Koita, Lass, Sidibe, Sylla, N. Yattara, M. Yattara.
14:37
Nigeria
NIGERIA TEAM NEWS
Starting line-up: Akpeyi, Awaziem, Omeruo, Balogun, Aina, Ndidi, Etebo, Simon, Iwobi, Musa, Ighalo.
Subs: Ezenwa, Uzoho, Mikel, Chukwueze, Onuachu, Osimhen, Ekong, Ogu, Onyekuru, Kalu.