African international qualifiers rarely offer easy games, but South Sudan will be incredibly confident heading into this home fixture against Djibouti. For a nation steadily trying to build its footballing pedigree, fixtures against the lowest-ranked teams on the continent are an absolute must-win. Form watchers keeping an eye on South Sudan will note that they have become a much more organized unit over the last two years. They rely heavily on their physical superiority, winning the majority of aerial duels and 50-50 challenges in the middle of the park. Playing at home gives them a massive boost in energy, and they use that momentum to press high up the pitch early in the game.

Djibouti, respectfully, remains one of the weakest national teams in world football. Their away record is torrid, characterized by heavy defeats and a severe lack of attacking output. They struggle to retain the ball under pressure and often look totally disjointed when playing outside their borders. Defensively, they leave massive gaps between their midfield and backline, which South Sudan’s attackers will easily exploit. In terms of head-to-head, South Sudan has completely dominated Djibouti in recent years, holding a 100 percent winning record in their competitive matchups. The gap in physicality, tactical awareness, and overall quality is just too wide for the visitors to bridge. Expect South Sudan to control the game from the kickoff and easily secure the victory in front of their home supporters.