Somalia vs Eswatini Match Analysis and Prediction

Somalia vs Eswatini Match Analysis & Prediction

Somalia

20/03/2024 7:00 pm

Eswatini

by Vincent

10 months ago 0 114

DISCLAIMER: All odds are quoted at time the prediction went live. Check the sports book for updated odds

Just over a month from the previous edition, qualification for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations gets underway this week, with Somalia facing Eswatini in the first leg of the preliminary round on Wednesday.

Goals Under 2.5: Yes

Best Odds: 1.69

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These two teams also met in the preliminary round of 2023 AFCON, which Eswatini won 5-1 on aggregate to secure their spot in the Group B of the competition alongside Burkina Faso, Cape Verde and Togo.

Unfortunately, despite a spirited effort, Dominic Kunene’s side were unable to progress to the main draw as they ended bottom of their qualification group with three points, failing to win any of their six matches.

While Eswatini did reach the COSAFA Cup quarter-finals last year, their overall record remains relatively poor, with just one win in their last 15 matches across all competitions, including defeats in both of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers in November last year.

Meanwhile, Somalia head into these qualifiers as the 13-lowest-ranked side in the world and the second-lowest in the CAF region, only ahead of Seychelled, who have been excluded from the competition, and unranked Eritrea.

Somalia have yet to qualify for the AFCON or the FIFA World Cup, but they have participated in numerous qualifying matches in both tournaments, with their first-ever victory in a World Cup qualifiers coming in September 2019, when they beate Zimbabwe 1-0 in the first leg tie.

The Ocean Stars have had limited game time in recent years, and their performances in the few matches played have been underwhelming, suffering defeats in all four games in 2023, including losses in their World Cup qualifiers – losing 3-1 to Algeria and 1-0 to Uganda last November.

Somalia vs. Eswatini Head to head

Eswatini have won each of the two previous matches between these two teams, scoring five goals while conceding just one.

23/03/2022

Somalia

0

Eswatini

3

AFCON Qualifiers
27/03/2022

Eswatini

2

Somalia

1

AFCON Qualifiers
20/03/2024

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A
20/03/2024

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A
20/03/2024

Somalia

N/A

Eswatini

N/A

AFCON Qualifiers

Somalia Team News

Greenville Triumph defender Hassan Gabo will be in line to receive his first taste of AFCON qualification following his call-up to the senior side ahead of their Wolrd Cup qualifiers back in November.

Cavalry’s Ali Musse and Orlando City defender Abdi Salim also received call-ups and are expected to be in contention for spots in the starting XI.

Somalia's Last 5 Matches

30/07/2022

Tanzania

2

Somalia

1

African Nations Championship Qualification
14/10/2023

Niger

3

Somalia

0

Friendlies
17/10/2023

Somalia

0

Sierra Leone

2

Friendlies
16/11/2023

Algeria

3

Somalia

1

CAF World Cup Qualifiers
21/11/2023

Somalia

0

Uganda

1

CAF World Cup Qualifiers

Eswatini Team News

Four new players were included in the senior side selection by Kunene, including Innocent, Xolani Dlamini, Nkosingiphile Shongwe and Joseph Kibongi, all of whom are in contention for a spot in the matchday squad.

Mthokozisi Gwebu, Mzwandile Mabelesa, Samkelo Ginindza and Xolani Gama have been left out of the travelling squad, alongside Sandile Gamedze, who was dropped due to criminal allegations against him.