The race to the 2026 World Cup kicks off in Africa on Wednesday, as two sides that will be looking to upset the odds will lock horns. Ethiopia and Sierra Leone will both be among the outsiders to top the group, but a victory for either could be massive for their chances in Group A this week.
World Cup Qualifier Preview
The World Cup may still be just under three years away, but the road to reach the competition in the Americas kicks off in Africa on Wednesday. Ethiopia will have home field advantage for their first match in Group A, and their home form will be crucial if they are to finish in one of the top two spots that could ensure their progression to the next round.
However, they will be looking to achieve something that they haven’t previously managed by reaching the World Cup. In fact, they have only won two qualifiers across the previous two qualification campaigns. The closest that they came to reaching the tournament came in 2014, as they won five of their ten qualification matches. They come into this match after winning two of their previous three.
Sierra Leone will also rank among the massive outsiders to reach the World Cup in just under three years’ time. They will be looking to get off to the best possible start in Group A, as they look to reach the tournament for the first time. However, they have landed just ten victories in 42 qualification matches for the FIFA World Cup.
But, positives will be taken from their recent performances on the field, as they have lost just twice across five internationals this term. However, they are without a win in their previous three, with their most recent fixture ending in a 1-1 draw against Benin.
Ethiopia vs Sierra Leone Head to Head
This will only be the second meeting between these two nations. The only previous fixture between the sides saw Ethiopia land a victory, but they will need to be at their very best to land a second straight win on Wednesday.
Ethiopia vs Sierra Leone Prediction
This will be a close encounter between these two African nations. However, the narrow preference is for the visitors to continue their fine recent form this year by landing a shock victory on the road.
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