Guinea coach Paulo Duarte has expressed concerns over the AFCON 2027 qualifying draw, questioning its fairness. His team, Guinea, is in Group D with Kenya, South Africa, and Eritrea. Duarte's frustration stems from the fact that Kenya, as a co-host, has already secured a spot in the tournament, leaving only one qualifying spot for the other teams in the group. This format puts additional pressure on Guinea, especially after their 2-1 loss to South Africa in their opening match.
Duarte suggested that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) should have placed Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, the three co-hosts, in the same group. This would have contained the automatic qualification issue within one section, rather than affecting multiple groups. His concerns were echoed after Guinea's loss to South Africa, where he emphasized the unfairness of the current group arrangement. Duarte's team now faces a crucial match against Kenya, with a second consecutive poor result potentially ending their qualification hopes.
In the Group D standings after matchday one, South Africa leads with three points, while Kenya and Eritrea are level on points but Kenya is behind on goal difference. Guinea sits at the bottom with no points and a negative goal difference. The Harambee Stars, Kenya's national team, opened their campaign with a 1-1 draw against Eritrea in Nairobi. Their coach, Benni McCarthy, cited disrupted preparations, including zero training sessions with the full squad, as a challenge.
McCarthy, however, remains optimistic about Kenya's chances, backing them to challenge South Africa and Guinea for a spot in the finals. The upcoming match against Guinea in Conakry will be a significant test for both teams. For Guinea, a win is crucial to keep their qualification hopes alive, while Kenya aims to build on their draw against Eritrea. The match is expected to be closely watched by Kenyan fans, given the pressure on both teams.
The AFCON 2027 qualifying format has 48 teams spread across 12 groups of four. Normally, the top two finishers in each group advance to the 24-team tournament. However, for groups containing any of the co-hosts, only the top-ranked non-host side earns a berth in the finals. This unique format has raised concerns among coaches and teams, with Duarte being vocal about its shortcomings.
Duarte's concerns are not new; he had floated the idea of rearranging the groups before the qualifiers kicked off. His team now faces a tough challenge in their match against Kenya, with the outcome potentially determining their fate in the qualifiers. A win for Guinea would keep their hopes alive, while a loss could make it difficult for them to advance.
The match between Guinea and Kenya is set to take place on Thursday in Conakry. Both teams are eager to secure a positive result, with Guinea looking to bounce back from their loss to South Africa and Kenya seeking to build on their draw against Eritrea. The outcome will have significant implications for the Group D standings and the teams' chances of advancing to the AFCON 2027 finals.
Key points
- Guinea coach Paulo Duarte criticizes the AFCON 2027 qualifying draw, citing unfairness in Group D.
- Kenya, as a co-host, has already secured a spot in the tournament, leaving only one qualifying spot for other teams in Group D.
- The match between Guinea and Kenya will have significant implications for the Group D standings and the teams' chances of advancing to the AFCON 2027 finals.
