Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

Guinea beat Somalia to strengthen its qualifying chances
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Guinea beat Somalia to strengthen its qualifying chances

Guinea’s national football team, the Syli National, triumphed over Somalia with a convincing 2-0 victory in a crucial Group G World Cup qualification match held at the picturesque Namboole Mandela National Stadium in Namboole.

The match saw Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy break the deadlock, scoring a well-placed opener for the West African side as they headed into the second half with a crucial one-goal advantage.

As the match approached its conclusion, Ousmane Camara sealed the victory for Guinea with a deft strike during extra time. This impressive win propelled the Guinean squad up to third place in the group standings, reigniting their hopes for World Cup qualification.

Algeria have reasserted control with 18 points, but Mozambique remain close enough to keep pressure high with 12 points. Botswana and Uganda are level and dangerous, while the win for Guinea was a statement win to re-join the top-two conversation.

With Algeria facing Botswana before travelling to Conakry, the leaders cannot afford any dip in intensity.

Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Cape Verde and Libya all register wins
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Equatorial Guinea, Madagascar, Cape Verde and Libya register wins

Roundup of the ongoing 2026 CAF World Cup qualifiers as Equatorial Guinea made a stunning comeback to win 3–2 against São Tomé and Príncipe after trailing 2–0 at halftime. Sierra Leone drew 1-1 in Bissau, leading to key developments in Groups H, I, A, and D of the 2026 CAF World Cup qualifiers.

Group A – Guinea-Bissau 1–1 Sierra Leone

Guinea-Bissau managed to earn a draw against Sierra Leone after falling behind just before halftime. Sierra Leone scored in the 45+1 minute when K. Kamara finished a quick attack.

Guinea-Bissau made three changes in the second half, and Mama Baldé equalised in the 73rd minute after sustained pressure. Both teams sought a late winner, but the draw leaves Sierra Leone with eight points and Guinea-Bissau with seven, while Egypt leads the group with 16 points.

Group H – São Tomé and Príncipe 2–3 Equatorial Guinea

São Tomé started strong, scoring two goals in the first half. Lumungo converted a penalty in the 8th minute and scored another one in the 42nd minute, with Reis Tavares Semedo adding a goal in the 37th minute, making it 2–0.

However, Equatorial Guinea turned things around after halftime. Pablo Ganet scored in the 53rd minute to cut the deficit, Iban Salvador equalized in the 62nd minute, and Nabil completed the comeback with a goal in the 70th minute.

This victory puts Equatorial Guinea in a good position for the runners-up spot, trailing only leaders Tunisia and second-place Namibia, while São Tomé remains at the bottom without any points.

Group I – Madagascar 2–0 Central African Republic

Madagascar secured a solid win that boosts their chances in Group I. Caddy scored just before halftime in the 45+2 minute, and Randrianantenaina added another goal in the 59th minute.

Both goals came from good plays by Raheriniaina, who assisted both scores. Madagascar played strong defensively and managed their lead comfortably. This win brings Madagascar to 13 points, closing in on leaders Ghana, who have 16 points.

Group D – Angola 0–1 Libya; Mauritius 0–2 Cape Verde

Libya achieved an important away win against Angola, scoring right after halftime. Ezo El Mariamy found the net in the 48th minute from a low cross. Despite making substitutions to improve their attack, Angola struggled to create clear chances against Libya’s disciplined defense.

A late yellow card for Saleh in the 90+7 minute highlighted the match’s intensity as Libya secured their three points. Meanwhile, Cape Verde defeated Mauritius 2–0, maintaining their top position in the group ahead of an upcoming match against Cameroon. This result tightens the competition for qualification in the group.

Group A: Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone divide the points; Egypt and Burkina Faso maintain a solid lead at the top.  

Group D: Cape Verde stays in the lead following their victory in Mauritius, whereas Libya’s win in Angola keeps their hopes alive.  

Group H: Equatorial Guinea’s resurgence brings them to 10 points, providing a timely boost to their campaign behind Tunisia (19) and Namibia (12).  

Group I: Madagascar advances to 13 points, positioned between Ghana (16) and Comoros (12), while Mali (9) remains a potential threat.  

With one more match day remaining in this window, narrow margins—especially among the runners-up—could ultimately determine who stays in contention for North America.

Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone share points in World Cup qualifier
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Guinea-Bissau and Sierra Leone share points in World Cup qualifier

Sierra Leone and Guinea-Bissau battled to a tense 1-1 draw in their quest for a coveted spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, held at the vibrant Estadio Nacional 24 de Setembro on Thursday.

The opening half was charged with intensity as both teams sought to establish dominance, with the home side employing a relentless high press that set the tone for the match.

OCG Nice’s defender Abdulai Juma Bah had to be substituted early in the second half after picking up an injury. The first significant opportunity of the match came from Mama Balde, whose powerful strike was expertly saved by Sierra Leone’s goalkeeper, Alhaji Sesay, signalling a bright start for the home team.

As the match neared halftime, Sierra Leone began to find their groove. The crowd was stunned when veteran striker Kei Kamara leapt above the defenders to deliver a brilliant header from a distance, sending the ball crashing into the net and lifting the spirits of their fans just before the break.

The second half saw Guinea-Bissau come back with renewed vigour. After a series of missed chances, Mama Balde struck the equaliser in the 74th minute, firing a powerful shot from inside the box that bulged the net, sparking wild celebrations among the travelling supporters and levelling the score at 1-1.

As the game progressed, both teams made strategic substitutions; Kamara and Augustus Kargbo made way for Mohamed Buya Turay and Momoh Kamara. Emmanuel Samsadi’s well-taken free kick was skillfully parried away by the agile home goalkeeper. Ultimately, neither side could find a breakthrough.

In the group stage, Egypt leads the table with 16 points and will host fifth-placed Ethiopia on Friday at the Cairo Stadium, while Burkina Faso, sitting in second with 11 points, will head to Djibouti, who are at the bottom of the group.

Kei, Alhassan and Augustus to spearhead Sierra Leone's attack
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kei, Alhassan and Augustus to spearhead Sierra Leone’s attack

Veteran forward Kei Kamara, Blackburn Rovers winger Augustus Kargbo, and Qatar-based striker Alhassan Koroma will spearhead Sierra Leone’s attack as they face Guinea-Bissau in Group A of the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.  

Coach Kallon retains his midfield duo of Tyrese Fornah and Abu Dumbuya. In the defence, Osman Kakay is making his debut with the current coaching staff, accompanied by Abdulai Juma Bah, Alpha Turay, and Salliue as Keeper Alhaji Sesay continues in goal.

At present, the visitors sit third in the group with eight points, two points ahead of their opponents.  

Both teams are eager to enhance their qualification prospects for a chance to participate in the 2026 World Cup. In their last meeting, Sierra Leone claimed victory with a score of 3-1 in the Liberian capital back in March.

Sierra Leone listed team for Guinea Bissau
Sierra Leone listed team for Guinea Bissau
Algeria's Desert Warriors eye Group G win against Bostwana
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Algeria’s Desert Warriors eye Group G win against Bostwana

Algeria aims to improve its chances of automatically qualifying for the 2026 World Cup when it hosts Botswana at the Hocine Ait Ahmed Stadium on Thursday.

Algeria leads Group G, having collected 15 points from its first six matches, three points ahead of Mozambique, which sits second before today’s kickoff.

Under coach Vladimir Petkovic, the team has scored the most goals (16) but has only kept one clean sheet. Their biggest win was 5-1 against Mozambique on March 25. They won their last three matches after Guinea broke their perfect record in qualifying with a 2-1 win in Algiers on June 6, 2024.

Ismael Bennacer has played only once for Algeria in the qualifiers due to injury issues and was left out of the current squad because he is not fit. The AC Milan midfielder missed the first two games of the new Serie A season.

Petkovic emphasized Bennacer’s importance to the team, saying, “Bennacer is struggling physically with zero preparation; he trained with Milan B and immediately suffered more physical issues. I hope he returns to his best because Ismael is very important for our national team.”

Botswana is still in the race as they sit in third place, three points behind Algeria. They recently won 2-0 against Somalia on March 25.

This victory was their third win in the group, following a 3-1 loss to Algeria on March 21, their biggest defeat.

They also lost to Mozambique (3-2) and Uganda (1-0), and need to win the return matches to have a chance to finish in the top two.