Friday September 5, 2025
Mogadishu (HOL) — Guinea kept their 2026 World Cup qualifying hopes alive with a 3–0 win over Somalia on Friday at Kampala's Mandela National Stadium, a result that moves the Syli National to 10 points and within sight of the group’s top two as the campaign heads into its decisive phase.
Serhou Guirassy put Guinea ahead in 21 minutes, turning in from close range after a corner was recycled. The advantage doubled midway through the second half when a low cross forced Somalia defender Faysal Abubakar Osman Omar to divert into his own net under pressure from Guirassy. Ousmane Camara added a late third in stoppage time to seal a comfortable victory.
The win lifts Guinea to third in Group G on 10 points from seven matches, behind Mozambique (12) and leaders Algeria (18). For Somalia, which remains winless and bottom with one point, the defeat extends a difficult run in which goals and results have been scarce.
Guinea controlled the early phases without finding fluency, but the breakthrough came from a set piece: a corner driven back into the six-yard area and nudged in by Guirassy. Before the interval, Guirassy volleyed over from close range and Somalia survived a goalmouth scramble, with goalkeeper Mohamud Jama Abdirahman also pushing a Seydouba Cissé curler wide on 45 minutes.
Somalia’s best spell arrived around the hour. An apparent equalizer for Yasir Abdiqadir Saad was waved off after an earlier whistle, and Adem Musse Ali bent a free kick just wide on 61 minutes. Moments later, Guinea reasserted control: a driven ball across the box ricocheted off Faysal Abubakar for the second. With Somalia chasing, Guinea managed the closing stages and, deep into stoppage time, Camara arrived unmarked to tap in the third.
There were few controversies beyond the disallowed effort, but cautions to Mouctar Diakhaby (83′) for Guinea and Abdulle Abdullahi (90′) for Somalia punctuated a second half that otherwise tilted steadily toward the visitors.
This was a pragmatic, job-done performance from Paulo Duarte in his first competitive match since taking over as Guinea coach in August. His side were compact between the lines, pressed in short bursts, and relied on Guirassy’s penalty-area instincts rather than elaborate construction. The late introduction of Ousmane Camara freshened the front line and brought the final gloss.
Somalia again defended bravely in phases and briefly threatened a response after halftime, but the margins remain thin. The Ocean Stars have scored three goals in seven qualifiers and have not won a World Cup qualifier since 2019. Head coach Yusuf Ali Nur shuffled his attacking options in the final 20 minutes, yet the lack of creativity through midfield persisted, and turnovers in defensive transition proved costly.
Somalia’s “home” venue in Kampala continues to blunt any crowd advantage, although efforts to return top-level football to Mogadishu have gathered pace, most notably May’s FIFA- and CAF-backed “Legends Peace Tour” exhibition at a refurbished Mogadishu Stadium.
The defeat will sting, but the program’s reach continues to broaden. Players such as Sakariya Abdi Hassan — a National League forward who speaks often about the pride of playing for Somalia and the surge of support from a global Somali community — underscore how the Ocean Stars’ story resonates beyond results. In Kampala on Friday, that passion was visible in pockets of light-blue shirts scattered across the grandstands, even as Guinea’s quality told.
CAF qualifying tightened across the continent on Friday. Morocco became the first African nation to book a place at the 2026 World Cup with a 5–0 win over Niger, while Egypt and South Africa moved closer with victories that kept them atop Groups A and C. There were major results elsewhere for Congo DR, Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Uganda and The Gambia, accentuating the late-window scramble that now defines this phase.
The pathway is unforgiving: the nine group winners qualify automatically, and the four best runners-up advance to a CAF playoff for one intercontinental berth. In Group G specifically, Uganda’s 4–0 defeat of Mozambique vaulted the Cranes into second on goal difference behind Algeria, compressing the chase for the playoff route and framing Guinea’s win in Kampala as necessary rather than transformative.
- Guinea: Up to third on 10 points; still chasing Mozambique (12) and Algeria (18). Momentum, at last, and a clean path: win, and keep pressure on the top two.
- Somalia: Bottom on 1 point. The search for a first win of the campaign goes on, with the next window an opportunity to salvage pride and minutes for emerging internationals.
Scoring: Guirassy 21′; F. Abubakar (OG) ~63′; Camara 90′+.
Bookings: Guinea — Diakhaby 83′. Somalia — Abdulle 90′.
Venue: