September 05, (THEWILL) – Guinea-Bissau began their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification campaign with a 1-0 victory over Eswatini at the Estádio Nacional 24 de Setembro on Thursday night. The match, part of Group I qualifiers, saw the home team dominate possession from the start.
The decisive moment came in the 14th minute when Carlos Mane set up Bura, who scored to give Guinea-Bissau the lead. Despite Eswatini’s efforts to equalise after the 30-minute mark, the hosts’ defence remained solid throughout the first half.
In the second half, Guinea-Bissau maintained control of the game. Coach Luis Boa Morte brought on Sambinha in the 64th minute to reinforce the defence. Eswatini’s coach Zdravko Logarusic responded by introducing attacking players Andy Magagula and Mthokozisi Gwebu in the 70th minute, but the home team’s defence held firm.
The victory puts Guinea-Bissau in a strong position in Group I. They will aim to build on this result when they face Mozambique in Maputo on Tuesday. Eswatini, meanwhile, will look to bounce back from this narrow defeat when they host Mali in Mbombela, South Africa, also on Tuesday.
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
