The Sunday Mail
GUINEA bagged maximum points in their latest 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier following their 2-0 win over Ethiopia at Stade Mohammed V on Friday night.
Ethiopia got the game off to a positive start and saw most of the ball during the opening stages of the game.
Guinea, however, sat back and looked to soak up the early pressure from the visiting outfit.
In what was a pattern of the entire encounter, Ethiopia dominated the ball possession count, while the hosts employed a counter-attacking approach.
Against the run of play, Guinea took the lead in the 39th minute, courtesy of a strike from Francois Kamano, as they headed into the break with a slender advantage.
Much like that of the first half, Ethiopia continued to dominate on the ball as the second half whistle was blown. However, it was Guinea who looked more threatening going forward.
The home side doubled their advantage 15 minutes from time, as Mohamed Bayo gave Guinea their assurance goal in the tie.
As far as the statistics are concerned, Guinea produced 26 shots, while Ethiopia had eight shots at goal.
While Ethiopia had the majority of the ball in the encounter (58 percent), the travelling outfit also completed more passes (555) than Guinea (400).
The result sees Guinea gain six points after three matches played to get level with Egypt, who lead the way in Group D.
Egypt put on a dominant display against Malawi to emerge 2-0 victors in their 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier at the 30 June Stadium in Cairo.
Rui Vitoria’s side looked comfortable after Mohamed Salah opened the scoring midway, through the first half and an own-goal from Charles Petro on the stroke of halftime sealed the win.
Meanwhile, continental champions Senegal moved to within touching distance of qualification for the next Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) after they racked up an emphatic 5-1 triumph over Mozambique at the Diamniadio Olympic Stadium in Dakar.
The Teranga Lions made it three wins from as many games in Group L, thanks to goals from Youssouf Sabaly, Sadio Mane, Iliman Ndiaye, Boulaye Dia and Habib Diallo, and a victory in their next match away to the Mambas (second on the log with four points compared to the leaders’ nine) will seal qualification for the Nations Cup finals in Cote d’Ivoire next year.
Senegal got off to a flying start and claimed the lead in just the ninth minute.
A sustained attack concluded with Boulaye Dia dummying Iliman Ndiaye’s square ball, allowing Youssouf Sabaly to crack home a drive from the edge of the penalty area for 1-0.
And it was soon 2-0, with Sadio Mane netting in the 15th minute.
Sabaly went from scorer to provider, clipping in a teasing ball from the right, which allowed Mane to sneak between goalkeeper and defender, before providing just enough of a touch to help the ball into the back of the net.
The Teranga Lions effectively killed off the game with a third goal just after the half-hour mark, as Abdallah Ndour whipped in a cross from the left that was beautifully finished off by Ndiaye, who clipped a shot past the right hand of goalkeeper Gion Chande.
On 39 minutes, Senegal continued their relentless attack and were rewarded with a fourth goal as Dia picked up a loose ball and fired off a shot from the edge of the box — his effort was well saved by Chande, but Dia followed up to sweep home the loose ball and make it 4-0.
The Mambas, having offered almost nothing in attack through the first half, pulled a goal back three minutes into the second, as Lourenco Vilanculos acrobatically headed home on the rebound after Alfred Gomis had saved an initial shot on target from a free kick by Elias Pelembe.
This sparked a period of dominance for the visitors, who looked to capitalise on their momentum by introducing Luis Miquissone, Shaquille Nangy and Domingos Macandza on the hour mark, while Senegal responded by bringing on Krepin Diatta, Pathe Ciss and Habib Diallo.
The Teranga Lions reclaimed control of the game and were mostly content to sit on their three-goal lead, controlling the game and efficiently ensuring that the Mambas had no path to a comeback.
The teams will meet in the return Group L match at Estadio do Zimpeto in Maputo on Tuesday. — Supersport.
