Our football props column turns to a World Cup qualifier in Africa for an 11/5 shot on Friday.
“Mozambique are also goal-shy. They’ve failed to score in six of 11 since the pandemic’s arrival, but they haven’t taken many real beatings with nine of those games having seen two goals or fewer.”
Mozambique v Ivory Coast
Friday 3 September, 14:00
Like most of African football’s giants, Ivory Coast head into their opening World Cup qualifier having to deal with a COVID-related headache.
Several of their key men play their football in England and with Mozambique on the UK’s pandemic ‘red list’ of countries, those players will not be involved in this game – thus avoiding the need to quarantine on their return.
That’s led to Eric Bailly, Willy Boly and Burnley new-boy Maxwel Cornet all withdrawing from the squad, one which was already without Premier League stars Nicolas Pepe, Wilfred Zaha and Amad Diallo.
Fortunately for them, the Elephants still have a number of stars playing in continental Europe, such as former West Ham striker Sebastien Haller and PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare.
Still, it’s not hard to imagine there will be something of a disjointed look to the XI which lines up in Maputo on Friday.
They should still have enough to get the job done but it may be a bit of a struggle.
Ivory Coast haven’t been full of goals recently with five of their nine games since lockdown featuring under 2.5 goals.
In November, when they did have more available, they could only draw 1-1 in Madagascar.
Mozambique, whose players are primarily play in their homeland, are also goal-shy. They’ve failed to score in six of 11 since the pandemic’s arrival, but they haven’t taken many real beatings with nine of those games having seen two goals or fewer.
They restricted Cameroon to a 2-0 win here in November in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying event and something similar looks worth backing here.
An Ivory Coast win and under 2.5 goals in the game is offered at 11/5 and looks reasonable.
Source: BetFair Tips
