Our prediction for this World Cup 2026 match:
Zambia and Mauritania, the two teams who failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup finals, face each other at National Heroes Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Zambians aim to put an end to their three-match winless run in Group B, and they are likely to adopt an attack-minded approach this time out. A man to keep an eye on in the home team will be in-form Leicester City attacker Patson Daka, who is likely to prove a handful for the opposition defenders.
Mauritania, on the other hand, are stuck at the bottom of Group B, with only one point in total from the first four group games. The rock-bottom side are eager to record their first triumph of the process, and seeing that they will go for a win in the National Heroes Stadium clash as well, we are tempted to put our money on both teams to score.
Highlighted Player (Hacen El Ide):
Moctar Sidi el Hacen is a Mauritania international, who started his youth career at ASAC Concorde. In 2014 he moved to Spanish side Levante, but it has to be noted that he made no more than two appearances for los Levantinos in La Liga.
El Hacen joined fellow Spanish team Real Valladolid in 2018, but at the start of his spell with la Pucela he played for the reserve team. The Mauritanian footballer made his La Liga debut for the senior team in the 2018/2019 season in a 1-0 win over Girona. Moctar Sidi el Hacen started pretty early with his international career, making seven appearances for the Mauritania national team before the age of 16.
El Hacen made his Mauritania debut in a goalless draw with Gambia on March 2, 2013. The Real Valladolid player was born in Nouakchott (Mauritania) on December 31, 1997 and his main position is central midfield.
Highlighted Team (Mauritania):
Affiliated to both CAF (Africa) and WAFU (West Africa) confederations, Mauritania are the national team that qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history. The Lions of Chinguetti were grouped with the likes of Angola, Burkina Faso and Botswana in the qualifiers for the 2019 tournament, with the team finishing the team collecting 12 points from possible 18.
Mauritania, though, have yet to book their place at the FIFA World Cup finals. The Lions of Chinguetti suffered a heavy 5-1 loss to Malagasy Republic on their international debut (25 December, 1961) and they registered their biggest win 45 years later, with the team crushing Somalia 8-2 in Beirut, Lebanon.
Back in 1972 Mauritania suffered the biggest lost in the history of the national team as they were beaten 14-0 by Guinea. Stade Olympique, which can hold up to 20,000 people, is considered the team’s home ground.