In the 9th round of the African World Cup qualifiers, Djibouti will face Egypt on Tuesday, October 8, with the match starting at 18:00 Central European Time. Here’s a look at both teams and a goal prediction for this matchup.
Djibouti
Djibouti’s national team is known as one of the weaker teams in Africa, currently placed 191st in the FIFA rankings. They have had disappointing performances in qualification tournaments and did not qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations, losing to Liberia with an aggregate score of 2-0. They also missed the chance to compete in the African Nations Championship, despite winning the first leg against Rwanda 1-0; they lost 0-3 in the second leg. Djibouti has not won since then, suffering five consecutive losses.
In World Cup qualifying, Djibouti has struggled, earning just one point from eight matches, with a draw against Ethiopia. They have scored only 4 goals while conceding 28. In their first match against Egypt, Djibouti lost heavily, with a score of 0-6.
Egypt
Egypt’s national team is a powerhouse in African football and has been performing well. They are currently on a six-match unbeaten streak, with five wins and one draw, showcasing a strong defense that hasn’t conceded any goals in that time. Although Egypt did not qualify for the African Nations Championship after losing to South Africa, they have dominated in other competitions and have already secured their place in the Africa Cup of Nations set for December.
In World Cup qualification, Egypt has been impressive and is nearly assured of a top position in their group, amassing 20 points from eight matches, five ahead of second place with two games remaining. Their goal difference stands at 16 goals scored and only 2 conceded, having triumphed in all three previous encounters against Djibouti, scoring 14 goals and maintaining clean sheets in those matches.
Probable lineups
- Djibouti: Mahamoud, Mohamed, Abdi, Khaire, Ben-Osman, Ali, Jama, Gohar, Mahamed, Omar, Wais.
- Egypt: El-Shenawy, Hany, Rabia, Sobhi, Hamdi, Ateya, Kouka, Eid, Trezeguet, Salah, Marmoush.
Interesting facts and head-to-head
- Djibouti has lost its last 5 matches.
- 4 of Djibouti’s last 5 matches featured over 2.5 goals.
- Egypt has won 5 of its last 6 matches.
- 10 of Egypt’s last 12 games finished with under 2.5 goals.
- Egypt has scored first in 5 of its last 6 matches.
Djibouti vs Egypt match prediction
The difference in quality between these two teams is evident—Egypt is a clear favorite not just for this match, but for the group overall. The Pharaohs excel in quality, experience, and squad depth, playing without pressure. A win in this match will secure Egypt’s place in the World Cup, adding motivation for them. Expect a confident performance and a high-scoring win from Egypt. My prediction for this match is over 3.5 goals at odds of 1.43.