Mauritania up for recovery against Sudan

by Thando Mpembe

Wednesday Jun 05, 2024. 12:34

Mauritania will go up against Sudan at the Stade de la Capital on Thursday evening, 6 June in the third Group B match of their 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Kick-off is at 18:00 CAT.

While the visitors will be hoping to keep up the momentum from their first two games, the hosts are still looking for their first victory in this qualifying series.

After losing 2-0 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to start the World Cup qualifiers, Mauritania had to settle with a goalless draw away to South Sudan.

With one point thus far, the Lions of Chinguetti are tied for last position with South Sudan. But when they take on Sudan on Thursday in their first home game, they’ll be looking to raise their ranking.

Amir Abdou’s team has played seven games since their previous World Cup qualifying matches, four of which were in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), when they advanced to the Round of 16.

Mauritania hasn’t exactly shown signs of improvement having lost four times, drawn twice, and won just one in those games. They will, nevertheless, be going up against opponents they beat en route to the most recent AFCON.

The Secretarybirds are tied with Senegal at the top of Group B with four points from their first two games. After assuming the position, James Kwesi Appiah went on a five-game winning streak that ended in a draw and three victories between October and May.

But against Tanzania in their final game, this run came to a stop. Senegal in their group may make it unlikely that the visitors will top the standings and earn an automatic ticket to the World Cup, but their primary goal on Thursday will be to take each game as it comes and secure three points.