David Flower
Dailysports's expert
Sierra Leone
Guinea-Bissau
One of the matches of the fifth round of African qualification for the 2026 World Cup will take place on Thursday in Monrovia, where Sierra Leone will host Guinea-Bissau. I suggest betting on the total number of goals in this match with a good chance of success.
Match Preview
Sierra Leone started their Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualification with a goalless draw against Chad but then two defeats to Zambia and Ivory Coast significantly decreased the team's chances. A glimmer of hope appeared in the 4th round when the "Leopards" unexpectedly defeated the Ivorians at home (1-0). However, in the next match, they stumbled again, drawing with Chad (1-1), which ultimately dashed their qualification hopes. In the final qualifying match, the team lost at home to Zambia – 0-2.
World Cup qualification is also proving difficult. Sierra Leone is in fourth place in the group after four rounds, trailing Egypt by five points. Their only victory came against Djibouti – the clear underdogs, highlighting the challenges the team faces.
Guinea-Bissau, although not boasting stars in their lineup, is renowned for their fighting spirit. The key figure in the team is their new coach, Luis Boa Morte, a former English Premier League player, who is trying to make the most of the available resources. In the 2026 World Cup qualification, the team is showing decent results and is in second place in the group after four rounds, with six points.
The team has not lost a match, securing an away victory over Djibouti – 1-0. However, the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 qualification was less successful. In six matches, Guinea-Bissau managed only one victory against three defeats. As a result, with 5 points, the team finished third, missing out on spots to Mali and Mozambique.
Probable Lineups
- Sierra Leone: Kamara, Kakay, Kabia, Colker, Samadia, Sillah, Koroma, Conte, Kaikai, Kargbo, Kamara
- Guinea-Bissau: Embaló; Cande, Sambinha, Sangante, Encada; Semedo, Bikel, Banjaqui, Nogueira; Betu, Balde
Match Facts and Head-to-Head
- In the African Nations Championship qualification, Guinea-Bissau lost twice to Guinea
- Sierra Leone lost in the semifinals of the African Nations Championship qualification to Liberia
- In two out of four matches in this pair, the bet on "Both Teams to Score" was successful
Prediction
Bookmakers are very cautious about this match and offer equal odds for a win. We believe that goals from both teams are to be expected here, and our bet is "Total over 2.0" with odds of 1.87.
