Guinea’s national team has suffered a setback ahead of their upcoming World Cup qualifiers, as midfielder Ibrahima Sory Bangoura has been forced to withdraw from his first international call-up due to an ankle injury.
The KRC Genk player had been named in Michel Dussuyer’s squad for crucial matches against Somalia and Uganda but will now miss the opportunity to make his debut.
Injury setback for Bangoura
Bangoura sustained the injury during Genk’s Belgian Pro League clash with Union Saint-Gilloise on Saturday.
Having come on as a substitute, he lasted just 20 minutes before being forced off, visibly in discomfort.
The injury has since ruled him out of Guinea’s upcoming fixtures, a blow for both player and country as he had been expected to strengthen the midfield.
Coach’s confirmation
Genk manager Thorsten Fink confirmed the midfielder had been dealing with the issue for some time.
He’s been suffering from his ankle for two weeks. We saw that clearly today.
We had to replace him. His injury isn’t too serious, but he won’t be joining his national team, Fink stated.
Replacement yet to be named
With Bangoura unavailable, Guinea will now need to find a replacement before their qualifiers.
The Guinean Football Federation has yet to announce a substitute for the midfielder, but an update is expected soon.
Guinea faces Somalia and Uganda in their bid to secure a spot at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and losing a promising talent like Bangoura will be a challenge for coach Dussuyer as he finalizes his squad preparations.
