South Sudan vs Puerto Rico prediction and betting tips - July 28, 2024
Dillan George
Dailysports's expert
Translated by the editors
South Sudan
Puerto Rico
On Sunday, July 28, in the first round of the group stage of the Olympic basketball tournament, South Sudan will play against Puerto Rico. The match starts at 11:00 Central European Time.
South Sudan
South Sudan's qualification for the Olympics is nothing short of a miracle. In 2023, they unexpectedly qualified for the World Cup, where they became the best African team, surpassing Angola. This is an incredible achievement for a team that played its first match only in 2011.
The players of this extremely poor country primarily compete in China, Australia, Israel, and other foreign leagues, and have never lived in South Sudan. However, they all have roots in this country, and within a very short period, they have managed to form a highly competitive team.
It would be a mistake to think that South Sudan will lose to everyone. In the friendly matches leading up to the Olympics, South Sudan was very impressive. This team faced the USA, losing only in the final seconds by one point – 100:101. They also defeated Portugal and Great Britain.
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico had to go through a special mini-tournament qualification held this month in Puerto Rico. There, they topped the group stage by beating Italy and Bahrain, eliminated Mexico in the semifinals, and in the decisive match for the Olympic spot, they surprisingly defeated Lithuania – 78:69.
However, after this, Puerto Rico played four friendly matches and lost all four. Nonetheless, the opponents were very strong: Greece, Australia, Canada, and Spain.
Interesting Facts and Head-to-Head History
- For Puerto Rico, this will be their tenth Olympics, but their first since 2004.
- At the 2023 World Cup, South Sudan and Puerto Rico played against each other. The African team lost 96:101.
South Sudan vs Puerto Rico prediction
We are definitely in for an interesting match where it's hard to predict the winner. However, I dare to suggest that South Sudan is in excellent form right now and might be able to secure the victory.
