The Syli national, Guinea's national team, suffered a 2-1 defeat at the hands of South Africa on September 26, 2026, at the Orlando Stadium. This match marked the beginning of the CAN 2027 qualifiers for both teams. The game started intensely, with Guinea creating an early scoring opportunity through Aliou Badara Baldé's powerful shot, which was saved by the South African goalkeeper.
As the match progressed, South Africa increased the pressure on Guinea's defense. Despite Baldé's impressive dribbling skills, which often left the South African defenders struggling, Guinea's defense was breached in the 31st minute. Ime Okon scored for South Africa, giving them a 1-0 lead. Guinea attempted to respond towards the end of the first half, with Serhou Guirassy's powerful free kick narrowly missing the target.
In the second half, Guinea came out with renewed determination, applying more pressure on the South African defense. At the 56th minute, Abdoul Karim Traoré had a chance to equalize but his header from a well-placed cross by Baldé went off target. However, Guinea's persistence paid off in the 68th minute when Seydouba Cissé scored on a rebound from a Guirassy free kick that was blocked by the South African wall, leveling the score at 1-1.
The equalizer was short-lived, as South Africa regained the lead in the 77th minute through Samukelo Kabini's goal, making it 2-1 in their favor. Despite Guinea's efforts to find an equalizer in the remaining minutes, the score did not change. This win puts South Africa in a favorable position in Group D of the CAN 2027 qualifiers.
With this loss, Guinea will look to bounce back in their next match against Kenya on October 1, 2026, at the Stade 28 Septembre in Conakry. This will be an opportunity for the team, under coach Paulo Duarte, to secure their first points in the qualifiers. The team will need to regroup and focus on the upcoming match to keep their chances of qualifying for the CAN 2027 alive.
On the other hand, South Africa will look to build on this momentum when they face Eritrea on September 30, 2026. A win for either team could significantly impact their standings in Group D, where only one team will qualify for the CAN 2027.
The match was part of the CAN 2027 qualifiers, a crucial competition for African national teams. The next matches for both teams will be critical in determining their progression in the qualifiers.
Key points
- Guinea lost 2-1 to South Africa in their CAN 2027 qualifier on September 26, 2026.
- The match was a significant setback for Guinea in their quest to qualify for CAN 2027.
- Guinea's next match is against Kenya on October 1, 2026, at the Stade 28 Septembre in Conakry.
