An interesting fixture is on the cards as Cape Verde and Mozambique clash at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024). Which of these outfits will be left standing at the end of this match?
Cape Verde vs Mozambique overview
This Group B game will be played at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium on Friday January 19. Kick-off time is 3 pm WAT.
Cape Verde
Cape Verde kicked off their AFCON campaign with an impressive victory over the Black Stars of Ghana, despite being the clear underdogs. They are currently leading the Group B standings, even though they've played fewer games than Egypt and Ghana.
Interestingly, Cape Verde will not only be the first country to book a round of 16 spot if they win this match, they'll also clinch the top spot in the group with one game left to play.
Mozambique
On the other hand, Mozambique held their own against the Pharaohs of Egypt in their opening game, as they played out a 2-2 draw with the seven-time AFCON champions.
Chiquinho Conde's men will fancy their chances of taking all three points against Cape Verde.
Cape Verde vs Mozambique head to head
This will be the fourth encounter between these teams. Cape Verde and Mozambique first met in 2014, in the qualifying rounds of AFCON 2015.
As it stands, these teams clashed on four occasions, and all four meetings were in AFCON qualifying games. Cape Verde have two wins, Mozambique have one, while one of their skirmishes ended in a stalemate.
It's also worth mentioning that Cape Verde have no losses in the last three encounters between these outfits.
Cape Verde vs Mozambique potential lineups
The 4-3-3 formation worked for Bubista against Ghana, he's expected to adopt the same formation on Friday, with AS Trencin's Vozinha starting between the sticks.
Meanwhile Mozambique are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with former Cologne forward Stanley Ratifio leading the attack.
These are our probable Cape Verde vs Mozambique lineups:
Cape Verde
Goalkeeper: Vozinha.
Defenders: Steven Moreira, Logan Costa, Roberto Lopes, João Paulo.
Midfielders: Deroy Duarte, Kevin Pina, Jamiro Monteiro.
Forwards: Ryan Mendes, Bebé, Jovane Cabral.
Mozambique
Goalkeeper: Ernani.
Defenders: Reinildo Mandava, Edmilson Gabriel Dove, Edson Mexer, Domingos Macandza.
Midfielders: Ricardo Guimarães Guima, Alfons Amade, Witi, Clésio Baùque, Gildo.
Forwards: Stanley Ratifio.
Cape Verde vs Mozambique tactical analysis
Cape Verde showed their resilience in their victory against four-time champions Ghana. They have had a fairly decent run of results (W2, D1, L2) in their last five matches.
Interestingly, Bubista's troops kept two clean sheets in their last two matches, whilst failing to score in two of those games.
Mozambique, on the other hand, managed one win in their last six games, with three draws and two losses. They've been very consistent when it comes to scoring and conceding goals.
While Chiquinho Conde's side found the net in seven of their last eight matches in all competitions, they have conceded in seven consecutive games.
Cape Verde vs Mozambique prediction
These teams have performed really well as underdogs, so it's tough to root against them. With that being said, Cape Verde look like the better team at the moment.
Not only have they fared better than Mozambique in recent months, Bubista's men also have the head to head advantage. In the last three skirmishes between these outfits, Cape Verde have no losses, with two wins and a draw.
On that note, we are leaning towards the Blue Sharks for the victory.
Where to watch Cape Verde vs Mozambique live
AfroSport TV and Canal+ CAN will broadcast this match on TV for fans who reside in Cape Verde.
On the other hand, Mozambicans can catch all the action live on Supersport and StarTimes Sports Premium.
