Somalia vs Algeria: Expert Score Prediction & Preview

Somalia have little to play for except pride heading into their penultimate World Cup 2026 qualifying match against Algeria at Miloud Hadefi Olympic Complex on Thursday.

On the other hand, the North African giants need just one more point to secure their fifth appearance in the finals, after their setbacks in 2018 and 2022.

Match preview

Somalia’s wait for World Cup participation continues, but the Ocean Stars aim for a major scalp on Thursday when they face the Group G leaders.

Yusuf Ali Nur’s team are the lowest-ranked nation in the section, having lost seven of their eight matches in qualification.

The sixth-placed team’s three goals emphasise their struggles in attack, while conceding 16 highlights their defensive fragility.

With the Somalians’ final ‘home’ game in World Cup qualifying scheduled to be played in Algeria, that heightens fans’ pessimism for the Ocean Stars.

They hope to take positives from a 3-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in matchday one, when they fell to the Desert Foxes.

Algeria do not suffer from such issues in their qualification section, losing just once in eight games and needing only one more positive result to secure an automatic ticket to the United States.

A shock 2-1 defeat on home soil by Guinea remains the Fennecs’ only loss so far, and Vladimir Petkovic’s team have not allowed that reverse on the third matchday to disrupt their march towards a fifth appearance at the global tournament.

Since then, the Desert Warriors have collected 13 points out of 15, dropping points only in the previous round against Guinea, who held the Group G leaders to a goalless draw.

Despite the possibility of finishing as runners-up, with Algeria four points ahead of Uganda and Mozambique, the chasing pair have realistically run out of games to catch the North African giants.

Indeed, it is expected that Petkovic’s team will join Morocco, Tunisia and possibly Egypt as the fourth North African nation to secure a ticket to the USA next year.

Somalia World Cup Qualifying – Africa form:

Somalia form (all competitions):

Algeria World Cup Qualifying – Africa form:

Algeria form (all competitions):

Team News

Abel Gigli rejoins the Somalia squad, while Abdi Nour of Minnesota United 2 could make his debut.

Somalia have had different goalscorers throughout qualifying — Yusuf Ahmed, Sak Hassan and Ismail Shirwa — highlighting the lack of a consistent goal threat for Nur’s team.

Luca Zidane, son of French football legend Zinedine Zidane, might make his Algeria debut on Thursday after being called up to the squad.

Although Riyad Mahrez is arguably the North African team’s most popular player, Mohamed El Amine Amoura is their most productive, with six goals and four assists.

Baghdad Bounedjah has scored three goals for the Desert Warriors in qualifying, making him the second player after Amoura to score more than once for the North African giants, and the Al Shamal striker could increase his overall tally.

Somalia possible starting lineup:

Mohamud; Abdirizak, Osman, Abdullahi, Abdulle; Musse, Omar, Sharif, Saad; Ahmed, Nour

Algeria possible starting lineup:

Zidane; Mandi, Tougai, Hadjam, Dorval; Bentaleb, Boudaoui, Chaibi; Mahrez, Amoura, Belaili

We say: Somalia 0-3 Algeria

Somalia were always going to face an uphill battle under normal circumstances, but Thursday’s match in Oran makes it twice as difficult for the Ocean Stars.

Algeria might only require a point to secure their World Cup qualification, but they should comfortably earn all three to join other North African giants in securing a place at the tournament.

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.

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