Guinea-Bissau’s preparations for AFCON 2023 suffered a huge setback following a 6-2 loss to Mali in a friendly game in Bamako on Saturday.
The defeat is coming just one week before Guinea-Bissau face Côte d’Ivoire in the opening game of this year’s AFCON.
The Ivorians gave their preparations for the competition a big boost with a resounding 5-1 win against Sierra Leone on Saturday in Abidjan.
For Mali it is a fourth win in their last five games, recording one draw.
Also Read: AFCON: Can Osimhen bring home the Golden Boot?
Aside Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau will also face Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Equatorial Guinea in Group A.
This is the fourth time Guinea-Bissau will qualify for AFCON since making their debut in 2017.
In all their three previous outings, they have never made it out of the group stage.
6 Comments
Set up for eagles to come out . tortoise brain . If eagles fall for this result .. dey wil fall into the trap.
This is the Guinea-Bissau that is tipped as one of the AFCON favourites?? In history, they have never made it out of the AFCON group stages. What’s all this fuss and panic over Guinea-Bissau??
Guinea Bissau have lately proven to be strong team, but getting trounced by Mali? Not really surprised. I remember while we played 2-2 against Saudi Arabia in the last friendly, Mali dispatched same team with ease 3-1. That’s telling.
I personally feel Mali are one of the dark horses of this tournament and they’ve been consistent over the years at both the senior and age grade levels, although without a trophy yet. They have a very good chance to win their group ticket and qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Interestingly, both teams that had respectable results against us in the qualifiers (Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau with a draw and shock win in Nigeria) were brutally exposed yesterday 5-2 and 6-2. Hopefully, the SE rises to the occasion next week.
Suffered big loss or win big doesn’t concern SUPER EAGLES. All I now is our boys are coming out with 9 points from that group.
9 point? I can say with nine point from our group Nigeria stands a great chance of winning AFCON, but that’s a tall dream for now.
Have always known Mali to perform well at friendly matches only to fall at the tournament proper . Soon men will be separated from boys