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A place in the Unity Cup final will be at stake when Nigeria and Zimbabwe go toe-to-toe with each other at The Valley Stadium on Tuesday.
The Super Eagles are unbeaten in three consecutive matches and are on a quest to defend their title.
Debutants Zimbabwe, on the other hand, are coming off back-to-back wins and will be eyeing their first victory over Nigeria in 45 years.
Read our Nigeria vs Zimbabwe prediction, preview and betting tips below, and make sure to check out our today's betting tips page for more of our expert predictions.
Nigeria vs Zimbabwe key stats
- Nigeria are unbeaten in their last eight encounters with Zimbabwe.
- Five of Zimbabwe's last seven games went above the 2.5-goal threshold.
- Both teams were on the scoresheet in five of Zimbabwe's last seven matches.
Nigeria vs Zimbabwe preview: Business as usual for the Super Eagles?
| Nigeria | vs | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | FIFA Ranking | 130 |
| Moses Simon (96) | Most Caps | Marshall Munetsi, Marvelous Nakamba & Gerald Takwara (38) |
| Moses Simon (12) | Most Goals | Prince Dube (9) |
| 318 | Total Caps | 291 |
| 26 | Total Goals | 18 |
| 11 | Uncapped Players | 2 |
Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle named a 27-man squad for the Unity Cup, which is a separate squad from the one scheduled to take on Poland and Portugal in June’s international friendlies that includes star forwards Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
Among the notable names selected for this competition are captain Wilfred Ndidi, Francis Uzoho, Akor Adams, Moses Simon, and Terem Moffi. There are 11 uncapped players on the team, including Wrexham goalkeeper Arthur Okonkwo, who recently switched his allegiance to Nigeria.
Interestingly, Nigeria have been the most successful team in the Unity Cup, as there have been three previous editions and they won all of them.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe head coach Tembo named a 23-man squad for this competition. Unlike their opponents, the Warriors will appear in this four-team tournament for the first time.
Headlining the list of players called up for the mini-tournament are Marshall Munetsi, Marvelous Nakamba, and Gerald Takwara. Each of these players has earned 38 caps for Zimbabwe.
The winner of this match will face India or Jamaica in Saturday’s final, with the loser contesting the third-place play-off on the same day. All matches in this mini-tournament will be played at the Valley Stadium in London.
It is worth mentioning that Zimbabwe defeated Nigeria in their first-ever encounter in August 1981. However, they have failed to beat the Super Eagles in eight clashes since then (D4, L4).
Interestingly, while both teams failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, it is worth mentioning that they were paired in the same qualifying group, and their last three H2Hs have all ended in stalemates.
Nigeria vs Zimbabwe form guide & betting tips
| Nigeria | vs | Zimbabwe |
|---|---|---|
W
L
W
W
D
|
Form |
L
D
L
W
W
|
| 6 | Goals For | 8 |
| 3 | Goals Against | 6 |
W
D
L
W
D
|
Unity Cup Form |
D
L
W
W
W
|
Whispers Predicts: Nigeria 3-1 Zimbabwe
At 1.38, Nigeria are considered favourites by the bookmakers.
Zimbabwe's most recent victories were in friendlies, and they have not won any of their last seven competitive fixtures. Considering their recent struggles against Nigeria, we are confident that the Super Eagles will emerge victorious.
Moreover, the last two H2Hs and five of Zimbabwe's last seven outings featured goals at both ends, so we fancy BTTS – Yes at 2.35.
We should also fancy over 2.5 total goals at 1.82. This pick landed in seven of Nigeria's last 10 matches and in five of the Warriors' last seven fixtures.
> Over 2.5 total goals at 1.82 | Likelihood: Probable
> BTTS – Yes at 2.35 | Likelihood: Probable
> HT result: Nigeria at 1.88 | Likelihood: Probable
> Nigeria & BTTS – Yes at Odds TBA | Likelihood: Possible
> Correct Score: 3-1 at Odds TBA | Likelihood: Outsider