David Flower
Dailysports's expert
In one of the fifth-round matches of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Niger will host Sudan on Thursday at Stade de Kégué in Lomé. Here’s a betting prediction with solid odds for success.
Match Preview
The Niger national team remains in contention for a World Cup spot, currently sitting in second place in Group E, three points behind Morocco. After three rounds, Niger has collected six points, securing victories against Zambia (2-1) and Congo (3-0) in the second and third rounds. However, they stumbled in their opener, losing narrowly to Tanzania 0-1 at home.
In contrast, Niger’s campaign in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has been less successful, with three losses in their first four matches. Their only point came in a 1-1 draw with Ghana at home. In October, Niger faced Angola twice, managing to put up a fight but ultimately losing 0-2 away and 0-1 at home.
Led by James Kwesi Appiah, Sudan started their 2026 World Cup qualifiers impressively. After four rounds, Sudan leads Group B with 10 points, having opened with a 1-1 home draw against Togo, followed by wins over DR Congo (1-0), Mauritania (2-0), and South Sudan (3-0).
In the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Sudan is currently second in Group F with seven points after four rounds. They trail Angola by five points but importantly hold a five-point lead over Ghana, a strong competitor. Their crucial 2-0 home win over Ghana in the last round has boosted their qualification hopes significantly.
Probable Lineups
- Niger: Haikinou, Sosa, Garba, Soumana, Yakubu, Alhassan, Umaru, Diabate, Bouei, Badamassi, Abdurahman
- Sudan: Mustafa; Agab, Koko, Karshoum, Yousif; Khidir, Al-Rashid, Said; Eisa, Abdelrahman, Thierry
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- Sudan has won their last two encounters with Niger, including a 1-0 home victory in the current qualifiers.
- The "Total Over 2.5" bet has been successful in two of their last four meetings.
- The "Total Under 2.5" bet has hit in each team’s last four games.
Prediction
Bookmakers are giving a slight edge to the visitors, with Sudan’s win priced at 2.46. A victory here would secure Sudan’s spot in the Africa Cup of Nations. We believe Sudan will aim to settle matters in this game without waiting for the sixth round. Our bet is "Sudan to Win with Handicap (0)" at odds of 1.69.
