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Seychelles and Lesotho will clash at the Stade Linite in Victoria on Wednesday in the first leg of their 2023 African Cup of Nations qualification preliminary round. Neither team has participated in the continental tournament before.
The Pirates, ranked a lowly 196th in the world, played out a drab goalless draw with Mauritius last weekend in what was a disappointing preparation for this crucial tie. Their last victory in the AFCON qualifiers came way back in March 2016, ironically against Lesotho, whom they beat 2-0 at home.
The Crocodiles, meanwhile, participated in the COSAFA Cup last year but were knocked out in the group stage after just one win and three defeats. While the island side were knocked out in the preliminary round of the 2021 AFCON qualifiers, Lesotho made it to the first round. However, they finished bottom of Group L after losing against Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Benin.
Seychelles vs Lesotho Head-To-Head and Key Numbers
- The sides have clashed only twice in history with one win for each
- The Seychelles won their first-ever encounter 2-0 in March 2016 in an AFCON qualifier, but four days later, Lesotho got revenge with a 2-1 reverse
- Barring their results in the Four Nations Football Tournament last year, the Pirates haven't won their last three games
- Lesotho have failed to score in their last two AFCON qualifiers
Seychelles vs Lesotho Prediction
Neither side come into the clash on the back of a dominant run of form, making it an open affair. Moroever, given that these teams rarely meet, they're still relatively unknown to each other.
It's tricky to predict a winner here, so a low-scoring draw could ensue in the first leg, with all to play for in the return next week.
Prediction: Seychelles 1-1 Lesotho.
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Seychelles vs Lesotho Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Draw.
Tip 2 - Goals over/under 2.5: under 2.5 (Neither team is known for their scoring prowess).
Tip 3 - Both teams to score: Yes (Weak defences on both sides mean each team could find the net once).
