Somalia vs Ivory Coast: F. Kessié gives Côte d’Ivoire the edge in September 29 clash

Somalia face Ivory Coast on September 29 at 19:00 GMT, with both sides looking to strengthen their position in the group and build momentum in the competition. Ivory Coast arrive with the stronger attacking reference, with F. Kessié having scored once this season, while Somalia are still waiting for a comparable scoring contribution.

The match is expected to be decided by Ivory Coast’s greater experience and ability to control important moments. Somalia’s recent form includes a draw, a win and a loss, while Ivory Coast’s available form record is marked by a win. That gives the Ivorians a more positive outlook before kick-off, although Somalia’s home advantage could make the contest closer than the difference in reputation suggests.

The key statistics of the players of both teams this season:

• Assists: (Somalia) — 0 assists, F. Kessié (Ivory Coast) — 1 assists.
• Goalkeepers saves: (Somalia) — 0, E. Agbadou (Ivory Coast) — 0
• Tackles: (Somalia) — 0, A. Bonny (Ivory Coast) — 2.
• Most encounters won: (Somalia) — 0, Y. Diomande (Ivory Coast) — 10.

Top 5 scorers this season:

1. N. Dorgeles (2, Mali)
2. L. Mickels (1, Rwanda)
3. I. Maza (1, Algeria)
4. M. Diallo (1, Mauritania)
5. A. Hadj-Moussa (1, Algeria)

Team statistics:

The fixture begins at 19:00 GMT on September 29. Supporters can expect a match in which Ivory Coast seek to impose themselves through possession and midfield pressure, while Somalia are likely to focus on organisation, defensive discipline and quick breaks.

The five previous matches played by the teams:

• Somalia — DWL
• Ivory Coast — W

Somalia looking for an attacking response

Somalia’s main challenge is to turn periods of disciplined play into clear chances. The side have not had a leading scorer registered for the season, leaving the attacking responsibility likely to be shared across the team. Against an Ivory Coast side with proven international players, Somalia will need to be efficient whenever opportunities appear.

According to home statistics this season, Somalia scores more goals and concedes more in the following intervals:

Intervals	Goal Scored, %	Goals conceded, %
0-15	20.00%	25.00%
16-30	80.00%	25.00%
31-45		50.00%
46-60
61-75
76-90
91-105

Ivory Coast has the following time frames of scoring and conceding goals:

Intervals	Goal Scored, %	Goals conceded, %
0-15	50.00%
16-30	50.00%
31-45
46-60
61-75
76-90
91-105

Head-to-head stats:

Teams	Games	Win		Draws		Losses
		H	A	H	A	H	A
Somalia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ivory Coast		0	0	0	0	0	0

Probabilities before the match:

Somalia		Ivory Coast
53.5%	Winning the game	53.5%
50%	Attack potential	50%
0%	Potential in defense	0%
0%	Strength against each other	0%
0%	Goal Potential	0%

Summary: the probability of Ivory Coast winning – 45%, draw – 45%, loss – 10%. Thus Somalia, most likely, loss (loss or draw)

Goal Forecast:Somalia, is likely to score -1.5 goals, Ivory Coast is likely to score no more than -2.5.

The bookmaker odds for this match:

Home win	Draw	Away win
0	0	0

Save the date

The match between the teams Somalia and Ivory Coast will take place on September 29 at 19:00 (GMT) at the stadium Accra Sports Stadium.