Ghana will finally have a taste of match action at the African Nations Cup on Friday when they meet the Ivory Coast in a Group B match in Cabinda.

It is the first at the tournament for Ghana, who did not play as scheduled on Monday after the departure ahead of the start of the Nations Cup by Togo following a deadly attack on their bus in the Angolan enclave.

Togo's withdrawal, has left Ghana, Ivory Coast and Burkina Faso fighting for two quarter-finals places.

For the Ivory Coast, it is their final group game, where they will be seeking a much improved performance to the goalless draw they played out against the group’s other team, Burkina Faso, at the start of the week.

The Black Stars are already missing some key players as Milovan Rajevac makes a late decision on the fitness of Michael Essien. Another key player, Anthony Annan is the latest to be ruled out after picking up a hamstring injury in training.

Essien only arrived in Cabinda on Wednesday, his trip first delayed by hamstring injury and then poor flight connections out of Europe.

However, Rajevac's position has been strengthened by the availability of a youthful side which includes eight members of the squad that won the Under-20 World Cup in Egypt in October.

“We have a very young team and we are going to play an experienced team,” said Rajevac.

“It will be a young side out to prove themselves against Ivory Coast. It is going to be a very difficult game for us tomorrow but I promise we are going to beat Ivory Coast.”

If the opener against Burkina Faso did expose the Ivorians, then the Elephants know they will need an improved performance today with the prospect of Ghana halting their progression to the next stage of the African Cup of Nations.

“I hope we will play better football and that my team will prove more efficient,” Ivorian coach Vahid Halilhodzic told a media conference on the eve of the game.

The match is likely to be dominated by the clash between Chelsea team mates Didier Drogba and Michael Essien.