With all to play for heading into their final Africa Cup of Nations group-stage clash, Sudan and Burkina Faso lock horns at Stade Mohammed V on Wednesday afternoon.
Level on three points after the opening two matches, both teams have a strong chance of reaching the knockout rounds, setting the scene for a thrilling affair in Casablanca.
Contents
- 1 Sudan vs Burkina Faso prediction: Les Etalons to edge nervy contest
- 2 Most recent H2Hs: Sides reconvene 13 years on from maiden matchup
- 3 Sudan preview: Abuaagla Abdalla to miss out once again
- 4 Burkina Faso preview: Steeve Yago to move within single digits of all-time appearances record
- 5 Player to watch – Bertand Traore
Sudan vs Burkina Faso prediction: Les Etalons to edge nervy contest
Key stats
- Sudan will be looking to pick up consecutive wins for the first time this year after recently ending a four-match winless run.
- Burkina Faso, meanwhile, will seek to bounce back from a first defeat in eight matches last time out.
- Four of the last five games involving the West African outfit have yielded fewer than 11 corners, and the same can be said for their East African counterparts.
Correct score prediction: Sudan 0-1 Burkina Faso
Scoring goals has remained a niggling concern for Sudan, who have netted just twice across their last five matches, drawing three blanks.
Going up against an opposing side with four clean sheets from the last seven outings, we can see Sudan misfiring in front of goal once again en route to a narrow defeat.
Pre-game odds and win probability: Sudan aiming to put the cat among the pigeons
- HOME: 9/2 (5.50) – 18.2%
- DRAW: 17/10 (2.70) – 37%
- AWAY: 3/4 (1.75) – 57.1%
*Odds from Ladbrokes, subject to change
A victory for either Sudan or Burkina Faso on Wednesday would take them into the last 16, and neither team needs any added incentive to come out firing on all cylinders.
With a win probability of 57.1%, Burkina Faso are the bookies' frontrunners to claim maximum points here off the back of a narrow 1-0 defeat to Algeria last time out.
However, currently just 90 minutes away from a place in the knockouts, Sudan will not want to go down without a whimper in their Group E finale, although an 18.2% win probability suggests very little chance of success.
James Kwesi Appiah's men will still be feeling the elation from their 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea, where Saul Coco's own goal 15 minutes from time proved to be decisive.
For more from the upcoming matches, today’s free football betting tips look at some of the best picks.
Most recent H2Hs: Sides reconvene 13 years on from maiden matchup
Wednesday's encounter will see Sudan and Burkina Faso lock horns for the second time in history, following their first meeting at the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
Sudan emerged victorious in the aforementioned game to progress into the quarter-final before bowing out to eventual champions Zambia.
Sudan preview: Abuaagla Abdalla to miss out once again
With 76 appearances under his belt, Abdalla is Sudan's most experienced player at the ongoing AFCON but is set to miss out on Wednesday's crunch affair with an injury which kept him sidelined against Equatorial Guinea.
Walieldin Khidir profited from Abdalla's absence last time out and will be expected to pair Ammar Taifour in the heart of the midfield.
Predicted lineup: Elneel (GK), Barglan, Ahmed, Karshoum, Khamis, Khidir, Taifour, Abdallah, Omer, Rahman & Eisa
Sudan's last five matches:
- Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Sudan (Africa Cup of Nations)
- Algeria 3-0 Sudan (Africa Cup of Nations)
- Bahrain 3-1 Sudan (Arab Cup)
- Sudan 0-2 Iraq (Arab Cup)
- Algeria 0-0 Sudan (Arab Cup)
Burkina Faso preview: Steeve Yago to move within single digits of all-time appearances record
Veteran defender Steeve Yago has been a trusted lieutenant for Burkina Faso since making his debut in March 2013, racking up 92 caps.
This has left him 10 shy of Charles Kabore's tally of 102, but that margin should be down to single digits after proceedings on Wednesday.
Predicted lineup: Koffi (GK), Kouassi, Tapsoba, Dayo, Yago, Zougrana, Ouedraogo, Sangare, Ouatarra, Kabore & Traore
Burkina Faso's last five matches:
- Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso (Africa Cup of Nations)
- Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea (Africa Cup of Nations)
- Burkina Faso 3-0 Benin (International Friendly)
- Burkina Faso 3-2 Niger (International Friendly)
- Burkina Faso 3-1 Ethiopia (World Cup Qualifier)
Player to watch – Bertand Traore
Traore's 22 goals are the most of any active Burkina Faso player, and while the winger is yet to register at the AFCON, he has remained a source of attacking threat.
Alongside fellow Premier League contingent Dango Ouatarra, Traore has created a team-high five chances, while his shot tally of four is only bettered by Ouatarra and Pierre Kabore.
The 30-year-old scored three goals during his last Nations Cup campaign and will feel he is already due a goal in Morocco.