The odds would be with the home side but the visitors could turn the tables on the Zebras and spoil what would be a day of national festivities. Mauritania began the AFCON qualifiers phase with a win over Zebras but things have gone downhill since as they recorded three straight losses to take them out of contention. The Zebras remain the only team to gift Mauritania three points in the four-team group that also features Egypt and Cape Verde.
The visitors have, however, made it to the last three editions of the AFCON finals under the leadership of Amir Abdou and have more success than the home team in the qualification phase. Adbou's technical team has recently been boosted by the inclusion of respected goalkeeper, Ilyes Mzoughi who plays for South African giants, Kaizer Chiefs. The Zebras, however, look better on paper ahead of the crucial tie. In the last six games, the Zebras have had two wins and three losses whilst they have played a single draw. The visitors have won only once and that was against the Zebras, as they recorded five losses.
The two teams have nonetheless struggled to find the net and a nervy and tight affair could be in the offing in Francistown this afternoon. The Lions of Chinguetti are at par with the Zebras in terms of quality of playing staff. Morena Ramoreboli's squad features four players abroad but all are based in Africa. The visitors have six based in Europe. Former France youth international, Aboubakar Kamara, formerly with English side, Fulham, is expected to lead the visitors' front line. The forward is enjoying a good season in Greece alongside Aboubakary Koita, who plays as a winger for Greece side AEK Athens. Attacking midfielder, Sidi Bouna Amar, is seen as a potential threat and key to the team's attack.
He scored the only goal that separated the Lions and Zebras in the first round. The visitors have a more offensive approach as compared to the defensive approach used by the Zebras thus far in the qualifying phase. Abdou has over the past few games relied on the 4-2-3-1 formation. The approach allows his full-backs to overlap with the wingers tucking inside while the holding midfielder drops to make a three-man defence line. It requires speedy wingers, which Mauritania is blessed with, as they play a wider field than a narrow point of attack. Whilst out of possession, Mauritania press higher up the field looking to recover the ball as soon as possible. The approach could allow the Zebras to play their best football where they sit back and absorb whilst looking to catch their opponents on the break. The home side would need to be prolific as they might have limited goal-scoring opportunities.
