Seychelles take on the visitors Gabon in the round 7 match of World Cup qualification in Africa. The match will be played on Wednesday, September 3rd at Cote d'Or National Sports Complex (St Pierre).
Seychelles remain one of the weakest outsiders. The “Pirates” have always been one of the minnows of African football, never managing to qualify for a major tournament. Not only have they consistently missed out on World Cups, but even at continental level they have repeatedly fallen short in AFCON qualifiers. Their only real participation comes in the regional COSAFA Cup, where last year they once again failed to get out of the group, finishing with one draw and two defeats. In the current qualification campaign, the story is the same — six matches, six defeats, with a humiliating goal difference of 2-30. That comes as no surprise, since the squad is mostly made up of domestic players or semi-professionals based in England. Their recent defensive record has been catastrophic, often conceding three or more goals per game. With no signs of improvement, they remain one of the easiest opponents in African football.
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Gabon have far greater squad depth and individual quality. The standout name is, of course, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, though the striker is clearly past his peak. Still, players like Guelor Kanga, Mario Lemina, and Denis Bouanga provide enough top-level experience, mostly from Ligue 1, to make this side competitive. While Gabon have yet to reach a World Cup, they did reach the Round of 16 at AFCON 2021. They missed the following edition, but this year they have already secured their return to the continental stage. In the current qualifiers they look strong, winning five of their six games — the only setback being a loss to group favorites Ivory Coast. With consistency against the underdogs, they can still challenge for top spot if they manage to beat Ivory Coast in the reverse fixture. Their attack has been reliable, with Bouanga in particular delivering decisive goals. The balance between their experienced stars and younger talents makes them dangerous even away from home.
The sides met for the first time in March. Gabon completely dominated, winning 3-0 thanks to a Bouanga brace. The visitors are on a different level and should have no problems proving it on the pitch. Expect Aubameyang and company to win comfortably — our bet: Gabon to cover the -3.0 handicap.
Prediction for the match: Gabon to win with -3.0 handicap.
