Both teams are looking to open their accounts in World Cup qualifying as Sao Tome & Principe face Namibia on Tuesday.
Match preview:
Sao Tome suffered a 4-0 defeat against Tunisia, putting them in a challenging position early in Group H. Despite being the fourth-lowest ranked African nation, they aim to capitalize on the home advantage against Namibia. While they have a history of limited success in World Cup qualifying, this match presents an opportunity to improve their record.
Namibia, on the other hand, has shown progress in recent years, making their third appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations in 2019. Although they faced challenges in winning matches at major tournaments, their competitive spirit was evident in a narrow loss to Equatorial Guinea. To secure a chance in Group H, they must secure a victory against Sao Tome.
Team News:
Sao Tome, with limited squad depth, might stick with the same players despite their loss to Tunisia. Notably, Luis Leal, their record goalscorer, is not part of the current squad.
Namibia may opt for an unchanged starting XI to overturn the narrow margin from their defeat to Equatorial Guinea. Elmo Kambindu is expected to lead the line after scoring nine goals for his country.
Sao Tome & Principe possible starting lineup:
Mateus; Fernandes, Oliveira, Ramos, Neves; Da Silva, Varela, Afonso, Cardoso; Viegas, Semedo
Namibia possible starting lineup:
Kazapua; Kamberipa, Amutenya, Gebhardt, Hanamub; Muzeu, Shitembi, Petrus, Iimbondi, Hotto; Kambindu