Niger vs Togo Prediction: Both teams seeking redemption

Niger and Togo are set to face off in an international friendly at the Stade El Bachir in Mohammedia, Morocco on Friday, marking an important fixture in the 2024 FIFA Series. Following their setbacks in the early stages of the year, both nations are eager to rebound and gain momentum as they prepare for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers in June. 

Niger faced disappointment in their first match of the year, suffering a 1-0 defeat against Senegal in a friendly at the Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade on January 8th. With the game seemingly heading for a draw, Lorient defender Formose Mendy secured the victory for Senegal with a goal in the ninth minute of stoppage time. Prior to this, Zaki Badou's team began their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign on November 18th with a 1-0 loss against Tanzania in the Group E opener at the Stade de Marrakech. However, they bounced back three days later with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Zambia, thanks to first-half goals from Amadou Moutari and 23-year-old Boubacar Goumey. Having won just one of their last eight competitive matches, Niger enters Friday's match seeking a morale-boosting result ahead of their return to the World Cup qualifiers, where they will face Congo in June.

Togo faced a tough challenge against a clinical Algeria team, succumbing to a 3-0 defeat against the Desert Warriors in their first match of the year on January 5th. It was a one-sided affair, with Ramy Bensebaini of Borussia Dortmund scoring on both ends of Islam Slimani's 55th-minute strike, securing a comfortable friendly victory for Algeria and marking their third consecutive win. Before this defeat, Togo had been on an unbeaten streak of six games across various competitions, with three wins and three draws, including two consecutive draws in their opening World Cup qualifier matches.

Togo holds a higher ranking in this matchup but has been experiencing a recent decline in quality. On the other hand, Niger maintains a decent attacking prowess, capable of posing significant challenges to their opponents. We predict that Niger, also known as the Menas, will emerge victorious here, although it may be a close win. Additionally, while this match is expected to be closely contested and offensive-minded, both teams are anticipated to score, similar to their previous encounter.