Mauritania target strong start against Botswana
09/06/2024 06:00 AM
Mauritania will square off with Botswana in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier on Saturday.
Kick-off is at 6:00 pm CAT.
The Group C encounter is scheduled to be played at the Cheikha Ould Boïdiya Stadium in the capital and largest city of Mauritania, Nouakchott.
The last time the Lions of Chinguetti were in action was against Senegal on 9 June as they succumbed to a 1-0 defeat in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier played in Nouakchott.
Therefore, Mauritania are winless in their last five matches across all competitions having registered four defeats and one draw which came against Morocco in a friendly match.
"Quite a complicated draw. Egypt will be the big contender for qualification. They have a good track record that speaks volumes. Seven times African champions – that's no small thing," Mauritania head coach Amir Abdou told the CAF website.
"We also have Cape Verde who eliminated us during the last AFCON. This team is made up of many quality players. We have Botswana, they are having a good qualifying campaign for the World Cup.
"We have a pretty strong group. It's up to us to believe in ourselves. We will do everything we can to achieve our fourth participation in the AFCON."
Meanwhile, Botswana succumbed to a 3-1 defeat to Mozambique in their last match which was the 2024 COSAFA Cup Group A encounter played in South Africa on 2 July.
As a result, the Zebras are also winless in their last three games across all competitions having recorded one defeat and two draws which came against Eswatini and South Africa.
“You need to understand each country’s particular features and be highly adaptable,” Botswana head coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa said on the FIFA website.
“I have a very mature and experienced squad of players with Botswana, who know how to handle situations and have high expectations of their coach.]
“I think we’re on the way to creating something meaningful.”
Mauritania and Botswana have met four times across all competitions and the Lions of Chinguetti have the upper hand in this rivalry having won three matches compared to the Zebras’ one win.
Their last meeting ended in a 2-1 win in favour of Mauritania in the 2019 AFCON qualifier played at the Stade Olympique de Nouakchott in November 2018.
