Prediction Mozambique vs Botswana 2026 – Betting Tips for the CAF World Cup Qualifiers on 08/09/2025

Match preview: a balancing act in Group Stage drama

Mozambique welcome Botswana in what promises to be a combustible Group Stage encounter in the CAF World Cup Qualifiers on 08/09/2025. On paper this is a tight scrap: Mozambique occupy third place with 12 points from seven matches while Botswana sit two spots lower on nine points. Recent results have been bruising for both nations — Mozambique arriving off a heavy 4-0 loss to Uganda on 05/09/2025, and Botswana coming off a 3-1 reverse away to Algeria just a day earlier. Those scorelines paint a picture of two teams capable of scoring but also vulnerable at the back, and that duality is central to how this one is likely to unfold.

Form, numbers and style of play

Mozambique’s home numbers are a touch more convincing than their overall record. At home they have scored five and conceded four, and their over-2.5 rate stands out at 71.43 percent — a clear signal that matches involving Mozambique frequently produce multiple goals. Their recent sequence contains highs and lows, with four wins and five losses reflected in the latest summary; inconsistency has been their enemy this campaign.

Botswana arrive with a more drawn-out recent form featuring several stalemates and narrow results. They have produced ten goals across the group and conceded eleven, with an away concession tally of five suggesting they can be breached on the road. Statistically Botswana have been the more prolific shooting side, registering 65 total shots and 29 on target across the competition so far, which indicates an attacking intent that can punish lapses.

The head-to-head history gives a little extra spice: the last competitive meeting produced a 3-1 victory for Mozambique in the 2024 Cosafa Cup, showing that high-scoring encounters between these two are far from unusual. Clean sheets are rare for both; Mozambique have managed only one while Botswana have two, reinforcing the likelihood of both defenses being tested.

How this game will play out

Expect an open contest driven by transition and attacking intent from both sides. Mozambique will lean on home comforts and past success against Botswana, but confidence will be fragile after the recent heavy loss. Botswana, meanwhile, have the firepower and willingness to probe — their shot volume and accuracy suggest they won’t sit back. Given the recent high-scoring head-to-head, the tendencies toward matches with multiple goals, and the defensive frailties shown in the latest fixtures, this game looks primed for goals rather than a low-scoring stalemate.

Betting suggestion: Over 2.5 goals. Based on home and away scoring trends, recent scorelines, h2h history and both teams’ attacking statistics, the safer market here is the goals market — expect at least three goals in an open, end-to-end Group Stage tussle.