This afternoon at 3pm, the Zebras will take on Group G leaders, Algeria in a potentially campaign-defining match to be played at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium. The Desert Foxes arrived in Botswana complaining about the 3pm kick-off and the heat, with the Zebras looking to pounce. A win for the local lads will take the Zebras level on points with Algeria and their group would be further defined by the results of an encounter between Mozambique and Uganda played yesterday evening.
The Zebras are having the best start in this phase in more than a decade with two wins and two losses in the first four games of the qualifiers. It is a tight battle as from the six teams, only one will secure a World Cup berth. The team is closing in on the 12-point high in the World Cup qualifiers last achieved during the Stan Tshosane era. Head Coach, Morena Ramoreboli, would hope to shift the 2025 AFCON qualifiers' form to the battle for the World Cup places. The team is unbeaten and also winless in the two games under Ramoreboli. The South Africa native is eyeing his first win this afternoon but it is a mountain high task against group favourites, Algeria. The Zebras have not won against a North African opponent in the World Cup qualification phase. The team lost 1-0 to Morocco and a heavy 3-1 defeat to Tunisia between 2004 and 2005. Two decades later, the team has transitioned from the 'Whipping Boys' to a team to reckon with. The Zebras boast an incredible home run in recent times as they have lost once in the last five encounters.
