Guinea has taken a significant step towards securing qualification for the 2024 CHAN tournament with an emphatic 4-1 win over Guinea-Bissau in the first leg of their second-round qualifiers.
The match, played on Friday, saw the local Syli National team dominate from start to finish, leaving their opponents with a mountain to climb ahead of the return leg in Bissau.
The Guineans wasted no time in asserting their dominance. Kabinet Kouyaté opened the scoring in the 26th minute, giving Guinea a well-deserved lead.
The advantage was doubled early in the second half, as Mohamed Saliou Bangoura found the back of the net in the 53rd minute.
Guinea’s attacking power continued to shine as Ousmane Dramé extended their lead to 3-0 in the 64th minute.
A fourth goal in the 80th minute, brilliantly scored by Mohamed Bangoura, sealed the victory for the home side, leaving Guinea-Bissau with little hope of a comeback.
Though Guinea-Bissau showed some resilience and managed to pull one goal back in the 43rd minute, the team was unable to break through Guinea’s well-organized defense and potent attack.
The goal came from a spirited effort but proved to be merely a consolation.
With a commanding 4-1 lead, Guinea now heads into the second leg on December 28 in Bissau with a strong advantage.
While Guinea-Bissau will undoubtedly fight to overturn the deficit on home soil, Guinea’s impressive performance means they can approach the return match with a sense of confidence, knowing that a draw or even a narrow defeat will be enough to secure their spot in the 2024 CHAN tournament.
