David Flower
Dailysports's expert
One of the fifth-round matches in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will take place on Thursday, with Burundi facing Malawi in Abidjan. Here’s a betting recommendation with solid odds for this encounter.
Match Preview
Burundi has been performing well in their quest to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, currently sitting third in their group standings. Côte d'Ivoire leads the group by three points, with Gabon just one point ahead of Burundi. In their AFCON qualification opener, Burundi clinched a 3-2 away victory over Malawi.
However, facing stronger opponents in the following matches, Burundi struggled and suffered defeats in their next three games. They gave a strong effort against Senegal at home, losing narrowly 0-1. Against Burkina Faso, however, they faced heavier defeats, losing 1-4 away and 0-2 at home. As a result, Burundi sits third in the group, unable to advance further.
Malawi, a modest team in the FIFA rankings, has appeared in the Africa Cup of Nations three times, reaching the round of 16 in 2021. Despite this, Malawi has faltered in AFCON qualifiers, unlike their better performance in World Cup qualifiers.
In the World Cup qualifiers, Malawi currently holds fourth in their group with six points from four matches, only two points behind the second-place team. However, in their AFCON group, Malawi has lost all four of their matches so far. They sit in fourth place, and this fixture against Burundi serves as a battle for third place.
Probable Lineups
- Burundi: Nagimana; Nsabiyumva, Mossi, Hordie, Muderi; Madaliva, Ntibazonkiza, Kanakimana, Eldinho, Irishura, Claude
- Malawi: Chikuka; Sanudi, Mwase, Chembezi, Chirwa; Chester, Idana, Aaron, Nkhoma; Kaonga, Mfazi
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- Burundi enters this match with two recent victories over Somalia in African Nations Championship qualifiers.
- "Over 2.5 Goals" has been a winning bet in three of Burundi’s last five matches.
- "Over 2.5 Goals" has also landed in three of Malawi’s last five games.
Prediction
We expect Burundi to avoid defeat here. The odds for both teams are closely matched, but our recommendation is "Burundi to Win with a Draw No Bet" at 1.90.
