With a place in the knockout stage of the 2023 African Nations Championship on the line, Sudan and Madagascar face off at the Olympic Stadium on Monday.
The teams are currently separated by just three points heading into their final group-stage outing in Oran, which promises to be an enthralling affair.
Match preview
Sudan got their CHAN campaign off to a bad start following a 3-1 defeat against the Black Stars of Ghana at the Stade Chahid-Hamlaoui on Thursday.
Burhan Tia's men opened the scoring just past the half-hour mark through Al-Gozoli Nooh before strikes from Konadu Yiadom, Daniel Afriyie and Seidu Suraj turned the game on its head.
Consequently, the Secretary Birds have now been beaten in each of their last three matches and are without a victory in seven games across all competitions.
Next up is the challenge of an opposing outfit with little to choose between them, as the previous two meetings have yielded one win apiece for either team.
Ahead of a what is now a must-win clash given their current position in Group C, Sudan will be aiming to get themselves back on track with all three points here to avoid suffering an early exit as this level for the first time ever.
Picking up where they left off last year, Madagascar emerged victorious in their first involvement of 2023 courtesy of a narrow 2-1 triumph against Ghana on Sunday.
Goals from Koloina Razafidranaivo and Tsiry Randriantsiferana put Romuald Rakotondrabe's men in cruise control before Augustine Agyapong pulled one back midway through the second half.
That was a fifth win in seven matches either side of the New Year for the Barea, who sit top of their CHAN group, albeit only on head-to-head.
Despite needing just a point to secure safe passage into the next round of this year's African Nations Championship, Madagascar will back themselves to come away with all three in keeping with their recent upturn in form.
Team News
Sudan's Salaheldin Alhassan was subbed off in the first half of the defeat to Ghana last time out, making him a major doubt for Monday's contest.
Twenty-nine-year-old Awad Zaid replaced Alhassan in the aforementioned game, and he is the favourite to come into the starting XI for this one.
Tsiry Randriantsiferana has found the back of the net in each of his last two international outings, making the attacker one to keep an eye on here.
Arohasina Andrianarimanana was unsurprisingly named in the lineup against Ghana given his experience at this level, and he will expect to feature right from the off once again.
Sudan possible starting lineup:
Abu-Eshrein; Ahmed, Nemer, Dawood, Mwafag; Safour, Taifour, Omer, Zaid; Nooh, Raman
Madagascar possible starting lineup:
Rakotohasimbola; Rabarijaona, Rakotonirina, Razafindraibeharimihanta, Randrianiaina; Rafanomezantosa, Andriamanjato, Andrianarimanana; Razafidranaivo, Razafindrakoto, Randriantsiferana
We say: Sudan 0-1 Madagascar
Madagascar are on the better run of results heading into this one, and they will feel confident of getting the job done. While we expect Sudan to put up a fight, we also fancy their East African opponents to come out on top at the end of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Top tip
Adepoju Marvellous
