Prediction Africa Cup of Nations - Sao Tome Principe vs South Sudan

Africa Cup of Nations - Sao Tome Principe vs South Sudan
Match Time: 23-03-2024 03:00 Saturday (GMT+8)
Football Livescore | Match Prediction & Tips
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Sao Tome Principe

Sao Tome & Principe will be hoping that this is the year that they make their first-ever AFCON main draw, having got through the preliminary rounds in each of the last two qualifiers but bowing out in the group stage qualifiers.

In the previous edition of qualifying, STP faced Mauritius and clinched a 4-3 aggregate win over the two legs but were initially disqualified by CAF for not following COVID protocols for one of their players.

The Sao Tomean Football Federation appealed the decision, and following an initial unsuccessful ruling, they were reinstated by CAF just one week before the group stage qualifiers got underway.

Unfortunately, they ended the qualifiers at the bottom of Group A with one draw and five defeats in their six games, including a 10-0 thumping by Nigeria in their second match of the competition.

Since 2016, Sao Tome & Principe have played a total of 26 games but have only won three in that time, with all three of those victories coming against the same opponent - Mauritius.

South Sudan

Meanwhile, despite being relatively new to international football, South Sudan have shown progress in recent years and are now looking to reach the group stage of AFCON qualifying for a fifth consecutive time.

While they have never got past the qualifiers, the Bright Stars have managed a few notable results over the years, including earning their first-ever away victory, beating Seychelles in 2019, as well as overcoming Congo 2-1 in the 2023 qualifiers.

Since the last AFCON qualifiers, South Sudan have played three games and have maintained a decent record, beating Kenya 1-0 in a friendly last September before losing to Senegal and drawing goalless against Mauritania in their World Cup qualifiers last November.

Ranked 25 places above their opponents in this match and carrying better form, it is fairly unsurprising that the Bright Stars are the favourites heading into this crucial first-leg encounter.

Prediction: Sao Tome & Principe 0-1 South Sudan