Serhou Guirassy’s winner handed Guinea their first points of the qualifiers and put them back in the hunt for Group D’s only open AFCON 2027 place.
Bafana Bafana lead Group D, but Thursday evening’s result in Conakry has given them a rival to watch. Guinea beat Kenya 1-0, with Serhou Guirassy scoring the only goal, to get off the mark after their opening 2-1 defeat to South Africa.
Why a Kenya loss doesn’t help Bafana
Normally, a group rival dropping points is good news. This time it is more complicated. Kenya are co-hosts of AFCON 2027 alongside Uganda and Tanzania, so they have already qualified. Their results still count in the Group D table, but they are not chasing the one remaining ticket.
That leaves South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea competing for a single place. Guinea’s three points mean they have gained ground on Bafana without Kenya being a factor in the race.
Group D table after two rounds
| Team | Played | Points |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | 2 | 6 |
| Guinea | 2 | 3 |
| Kenya | 2 | 1 |
| Eritrea | 2 | 1 |
Bafana still in control, for now
Pitso Mosimane’s side followed their 2-1 win over Guinea with a 5-0 victory over Eritrea, a perfect start that leaves them three points clear. Guinea, however, have momentum, and with four qualifiers still to play, Bafana cannot afford to slip. Eritrea sit on one point after their heavy loss to South Africa.
What’s next
The next round is in November: Guinea face Eritrea, and South Africa take on Kenya.
