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Yemen host Sri Lanka in the first leg of their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Thursday (October 12).
The hosts have not been in action since a harrowing 5-0 defeat to Iraq in the Gulf Cup in January. Aymen Hussein scored a second-half brace and provided an assist to help his nation finish top of their group en route winning the tournament.
Sri Lanka, meanwhile, were last in action in June 2022 in a 1-0 defeat to Maldives in an Asian Cup qualifier. Hamza Mohamed's 63rd-minute strike proved to be the difference between the two sides.
Thursday's fixture will be the first of two legs in the first round of the World Cup qualifiers in Asia. The winner will advance to the second round of the qualifiers.
Yemen vs Sri Lanka Head-to-Head and Key Numbers
- The two sides have clashed seven times. Sri Lanka have four wins and two losses.
- Their sole draw came in their most recent meeting, a 1-1 draw in August 2019 in the WAFF Championship.
- Yemen are without a win since November 2019, losing 12 of 14 games played since then.
- Four of Sri Lanka's last five games have seen at least one team fail to score.
- Yemen have conceded at least twice in their last five games.
- Yemen have not scored in 12 of their last 13 games.
Yemen vs Sri Lanka Prediction
Neither team have much pedigree on the international stage, and having never qualified for the World Cup, they will take the qualification series one game at a time.
The first step will be to qualify for the second round. Yemen were the side in action most recently, having participated in the Gulf Cup. Sri Lanka, by contrast, have not played in over a year, which could affect their output.
Considering both sides' pedigree, the game could be a cagey affair with few goalscoring opportunities. Expect the spoils to be shared in a goalless stalemate.
Prediction: Yemen 0-0 Sri Lanka
Yemen vs Sri Lanka Betting Tips
Tip 1 - Result: Draw
Tip 2 - Both teams to score: No
Tip 3 - Under 2.5 goals
Tip 4 - First half result: Draw
