Botswana will be determined to get their 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign back on track when they host Somalia at the Obed Itani Chilume Stadium in Francistown on Tuesday.
Kick-off is at 3pm CAT.
CURRENT FORM
The Zebras are winless in their last three matches across all competitions, after succumbing to a 3-1 defeat to Algeria at home in a World Cup qualifier on 21 March and prior to that, they had registered two successive draws.
Botswana slipped down to the fourth spot in the Group G standings and they are one point behind third-placed Guinea. The Southern African side will be desperate to secure a win over Somalia in order to revive their ambitions of qualifying for the global tournament.
Meanwhile, Somalia are winless in their last 16 matches across all competitions, having impressively drawn 0-0 with Guinea away in a World Cup qualifier on 21 March and prior to that, they recorded two consecutive defeats.
The Ocean Stars remain sixth in the Group G standings and having earned their first-ever point in World Cup qualifying against Guinea, Somalia will now be hoping to secure their maiden victory in this stage of the qualifiers when they face the Zebras.
TEAM NEWS
Botswana captain Thatayaone Ditlhokwe missed the game against Algeria amid a captaincy controversy involving Botswana Football Association (BFA) vice-president Tebogo Tico Kamati.
The BFA issued a letter of apology to Ditlhokwe over the captaincy controversy after the Zebras' defeat against Algeria.
It remains to be seen whether the Al-Ittihad defender will feature against Somalia.
WHAT WAS SAID?
Botswana head coach Morena Ramoreboli
“Every player played today [against Algeria]. It is just unfortunate that in football, you will always be judged on results but if you look at the performance, we did well,” Ramoreboli told reporters.
“I know that we are not going to be proud but if you are honest enough with the team, you will give them credit that they played well. It is just unfortunate that if you play well and you don't get results, you don't look at those things positively.”
Somalia head coach Yusuf Ali Nur
"We have two matches against Guinea and Botswana," Ali Nur said in a press conference.
"We're going to try to make changes and adjustments that will allow us to improve the team and win the next matches. It's true that Guinea has top players, but we don't have an individual plan because we're playing against a team, not an individual."
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Botswana and Somalia have met once across all competitions.
Their only meeting ended in a 3-1 win in favour of the Zebras in the 2026 World Cup qualifier played in Maputo, Mozambique in June 2024.