Preview: Cape Verde vs. Guyana - prediction, team news, lineups

The fixture is part of the pilot phase of the FIFA Series, seeing teams from different confederations square up in exhibition games keen to unlock technical development opportunities previously unavailable to many of them.

Match preview

Bubista's men are in action in this week's FIFA Series, keen to pick up where they left off in the Africa Cup of Nations.

The Blue Sharks ended top of a group containing Egypt and Ghana, showing battling qualities and a fondness for scoring late goals in the 2-2 draw with the Pharaohs and 2-1 success against the Black Stars.

While Thursday's game does not carry the importance of those AFCON 2023 group-stage matches, it presents the African side an opportunity to secure a victory against a side from another confederation.

However, Bubista's men must halt the run of defeats in friendlies that have seen the Blue Sharks lose three on the trot, fail to win in four and fall to defeats in four of their last six non-competitive games.

That win came in a 2-1 success over Bahrain in September 2022, a winless run in non-competitive games that the AFCON quarterfinalists seek to halt this week.

Their opponents were ranked 157th in February's FIFA Men's Ranking, 92 positions behind the African side, pointing to being underdogs against the Blue Sharks.

However, the Golden Jaguars are no pushovers, underscored by their five straight wins under Jamaal Shabazz, including a 6-0 beatdown of Antigua and Barbuda in November.

Those victories came in the CONCACAF Nations League B, thus seeing the nation earn promotion to League A after their performances and results against nations in the second division in that confederation.

Whether triumphs over the relatively weaker countries in CONCACAF move the needle remains to be seen, but Shabazz hopes that experience helps his players against high-ranked nations in the confederation.

While Cape Verde may not be one of Africa's leading sides, they pose a decent threat for the Golden Jaguars in a different test outside competitive action.

Cape Verde friendly form:

Cape Verde form (all competitions):

L

W

W

D

W

L

Guyana friendly form:

Guyana form (all competitions):

L

W

W

W

W

W

Team News

Most of Bubista's squad consists of players who thrived at the Cup of Nations at the turn of the year.

Vozinha should return between the sticks for the Blue Sharks, Roberto Lopes and Logan Costa should start at the heart of the defence, while Bebe could lead the attack, flanked by Ryan Mendes and Jovane Cabral.

Kelsey Benjamin, scorer of seven in their successful Nations League promotion, is not part of the squad, leaving Guyana short up top.

Nevertheless, the Golden have Omari Glasgow (four goals) in the group, somewhat mitigating their top striker's absence.

Cape Verde possible starting lineup:

Vozinha; Pina, Costa, Lopes, Paulo; Duarte, Pina, Andrade; Mendes, Bebe, Cabral

Guyana possible starting lineup:

Roberts; Lovell, Jones, Nelson, Kellman, Gordon; Glasgow, Ferguson, Duke-McKenna, Wilson; Moore

We say: Cape Verde 2-1 Guyana

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