As we head into Saturday evening, Guinea is set to host Ethiopia at the Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro for a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying clash. Both teams are eager to turn their fortunes around, with Guinea seeking their first point in the campaign and Ethiopia looking to secure a vital first win.
Match Preview
Guinea enters this fixture off the back of a frustrating AFCON qualifying start. In their opening match, the National Elephants fell 1-0 to the Democratic Republic of Congo, followed by a heartbreaking 2-1 defeat to Tanzania. Despite taking the lead through Mohamed Bayo in the 57th minute, Guinea conceded twice, losing all three points.
This recent string of defeats—three consecutive losses, including a World Cup qualifier against Mozambique—has Guinea struggling at the bottom of Group H. Having made it to eight of the last 11 AFCON tournaments, Guinea’s hopes for another appearance are beginning to fade. However, they will take confidence from their perfect record against Ethiopia, having won all four previous meetings between the sides in AFCON qualifiers.
For Ethiopia, the challenge has been their lack of cutting edge in attack. Their opening match was a goalless draw against Tanzania, where they failed to register a single shot on target. This was followed by a 2-0 loss to Congo DR, in which they managed just one shot on target. Ethiopia has now failed to score in six of their last nine outings, highlighting their attacking struggles. Yet, despite their offensive woes, the Walia Ibex remain third in Group H with one point, ahead of Guinea.
Team News
Guinea will welcome the return of Borussia Dortmund forward Serhou Guirassy, who missed the first two qualifiers with a knee injury. Mohamed Bayo, who netted in the last game, will be aiming to score again, bolstering Guinea’s hopes of a much-needed victory.
Defensive reinforcements include KAA Gent’s Mohamed Soumah, who replaces the injured Mohamed Ali Camara. Ousmane Camara of Flamme Olympique has stepped in for goalkeeper Kemo Toure, who was dropped due to administrative reasons.
Ethiopia is hopeful that Wogene Gezahegn, who was sidelined with an injury in their previous match, will be fit to return. Canaan Markneh, their leading attacker with three goals in 28 appearances, is expected to lead the line once more.
Predicted Lineups
Guinea:
Kone; I Sylla, Jeanvier, Sow, Diakite, Balde; Diawara, Toure, A. Camara; M Sylla, Guirassy
Ethiopia:
Aregawi; Moges, Zegeye, Belay, Hamid; Wolde, Panom; Gugsa, Dagnachew, Bekele; Markneh
Softfootball Prediction
Despite Guinea’s recent struggles, their superior quality and perfect record against Ethiopia make them favorites in this clash. While Ethiopia is likely to put up a determined fight, the home side is expected to come out on top.
Final score prediction: Guinea 2-0 Ethiopia
