Niger and Tanzania will go on Saturday head to head in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying curtain-raiser at Stade de l'Amitie.
The teams have been placed in Group F of the qualifiers, where they are joined by Uganda and former AFCON champions Algeria.
Match preview
Niger fell to a 2-1 defeat against the Mediterranean Knights of Libya in their last outing on March 26 at Stade de la Capitale.
Strikes from Soulah Mohamed and Muaid Ellafi left Jean-Michel Cavalli's men with a mountain to climb before Victorien Adebayor pulled one back for his side late on.
This came off the back of a 1-1 stalemate against Mozambique, and the Dama gazelle still await their first win in 2022.
Next up is a first-ever meeting against an opposing side who currently rank 18 places below in the national-team ranking done by the world's football governing body.
Nine years on from their most recent appearance on a continental level, Saturday's hosts will be keen to get their qualifying journey off and running with all three points.
Tanzania had to settle for a share of the spoils against the Secretary birds of Sudan at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on March 29.
Kim Poulsen's men fell behind to Siddig Gahdia's early opener before drawing level through Simon Msuva midway through the second period.
The Taifa Stars are still yet to taste defeat since the turn of the year heading into this weekend's crucial contest in Cotonou.
Saturday's visitors are also unbeaten in their last three competitive matches away from home, and extending that run would be a positive start in their quest to be in the hat for next year's continental showpiece in Ivory Coast.
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Team News
Having scored five goals scored across his last three international outings, Victorien Adebayor is one to keep an eye on having recently claimed top spot in his nation's all-time scoring chart.
Despite not featuring at club level since March, Kassaly Daouda retains his place in the hosts' squad and is in line for his 89th cap.
Sitting just three goals shy of becoming Tanzania's record goalscorer, Mbwana Samatta will be looking to come up trumps for this weekend's visitors.
Metacha Mnata has been preferred to Aishi Manula between the sticks of late, and the former is expected to keep his spot in the starting XI.
With 81 national-team games under his belt, the highly-experienced Shomari Kapombe misses out through injury which could see Shomari Kibwana deputise at left-back.
Niger possible starting lineup:
Daouda; Adamou, Diabate, Ibrahim, Doudou; Oumarou, Moumouni; Abdoul, Lambo, Moutari; Adebayor
Tanzania possible starting lineup:
Mnata; Hussein, Mwamnyeto, Job, Kibwana; Starkie, Yassin, Dismas, Salum; Msuva, Samatta
We say: Niger 1-1 Tanzania
Both teams boast a similar record over their last five games apiece, indicating that there is little to choose between them. We are expecting an open and end-to-end contest with the sides matching each other stride for stride over the course of the 90 minutes.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
