Gabon make changes as Niger visit Franceville in CAN 2027 qualifier

Gabon will host Niger in Franceville on Tuesday, 29 September 2026, in the second round of CAN 2027 qualifying in Group A.

The Pantheres are looking to recover from a 2-0 defeat by Morocco in their opening fixture, while Niger arrive with greater confidence after beating Lesotho 2-1. Both teams are targeting a result that would strengthen their position in the group.

Gabon

Gabon manager Sebastien Migne is expected to make changes to his starting XI as his side attempt to respond on home soil. The French coach is likely to use a 4-4-2 formation.

Aaron Appindangoye will miss the match after suffering an injury in a training-ground collision. He is expected to be replaced by Chris Obiang.

The probable Gabon XI is:

Goalkeeper: Jean-Noel Amonome

Defenders: Jonathan Do Marcolino, Michel Mboula, Anthony Oyono, Jacques Ekomie

Midfielders: Andre Biyogo Poko, Didier Ndong, Shavy Babicka, Denis Bouanga

Forwards: Rody Junior Effaghe, Guelor Kanga

Gabon’s defeat against Morocco leaves them seeking their first points of the campaign, with the match against Niger offering an immediate opportunity to respond.

Niger

Niger travel to Franceville in a more settled mood following their victory over Lesotho. Coach Nabil Neghiz has a fully available squad, with no injury or suspension concerns reported before the game.

The Algerian manager is expected to retain his 4-2-3-1 system and name a side close to the team he considers his first-choice line-up.

The probable Niger XI is:

Goalkeeper: Djibrilla Kassali

Defenders: Oumar Sako, Mohamed Abdouramane, Rahim Alhassane, Aboubacar Camara

Midfielders: Ali Mohamed, Youssouf Oumarou, Amadou Wonkoye, Kairou Amoustapha

Forwards: Ousseini Badamassi, Daniel Sosah

The fixture will be Niger’s second match in the CAN 2027 qualifying campaign. Their win over Lesotho gives them a platform to build on, while Gabon must avoid another result without points.

The pre-match odds listed by 1xbet make Gabon favourites at 1.60 to win. A draw is priced at 3.39, while a Niger victory is listed at 3.85.