Rwanda - Zimbabwe predictions and free betting tips [15/11/2023]

On Wednesday, Rwanda is set to host Zimbabwe for the 1st round of the CAF group stage qualifier with a chance to compete in the World Cup. The match is slated to kick-off at the “Huye” stadium in Butare.

Rwanda

A FIFA member since 1978, Rwanda has never made it to the finals in the World Cup's history. The team is considered a lion of East African football with a reasonably successful national tournament by local standards. However, the squad's highest feat was making it to the main grid of the Africa Cup in 2004. Rwanda has yet to score a victory this year after 4 matches. The team finished last in the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers group, earning just 3 points. In September, the “Wasps” faced off with Senegal and drew 1:1. Head coach Torsten Spittler employs a 4-2-3-1 formation. The German took over the East African squad on November 1. The Rwandan line-up lacks any standout European legionnaires, as many players represent local clubs.

Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe's FIFA membership was temporarily suspended in 2022 due to government officials intervening in football federation affairs. Unsurprisingly, the team didn't participate in the Africa Nations Cup qualifiers and played a friendly match against Botswana in September – resulting in a 1:1 draw and a penalty shootout defeat. The Zimbabwe team has repeatedly got involved in scandals, leading to mass disqualifications of players engaged in match fixing. The team has never played in the World Cup. Currently, the “Warriors” are led by a Brazilian coach, Baltémar Brito, who was appointed in September this year. The expert favours a 4-1-4-1 formation. Among the Zimbabwe line-up, several renowned footballers represent European clubs. Tino Kadewere plays for “Lyon” and Jordan Zemura for “Udinese”. However, “Reims” midfielder Marshall Munetsi will miss play due to injury.

Head-to-Head

The teams have played 3 games against each other, with Rwanda securing 1 win and suffering 2 losses. The last time they met was in 2005 for a World Cup qualifying match, with Zimbabwe clinching a 3:1 victory.

Prediction

Rwanda should prevail on their home pitch, with the advantage of playing on home soil potentially playing a determinative role in this competition. All in all, it is unlikely that either team will escape from the group to make the World Cup.

Goal Total Prediction

High-scoring football is a rare sight in Africa; thus, this clash is anticipated to be low-scoring.