November 19, (THEWILL) – Mozambique clinched their berth in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations following a 2-1 triumph over Guinea-Bissau in their final Group I qualifier.
The match played at Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau, witnessed a thrilling contest that ultimately confirmed the Mambas’ international tournament participation.
Bruno Langa opened the scoring early, netting in the ninth minute to give Mozambique a promising start.
Guinea-Bissau responded effectively, with Beto equalising just before half-time through a powerful header, momentarily levelling the competitive encounter and intensifying the match’s tension.
Stanley Ratifo emerged as the decisive player, restoring Mozambique’s advantage shortly after the restart.
His well-placed header from Geny Catamo’s cross not only reinstated his team’s lead but also proved to be the winning goal that won their qualification for the continental tournament.
The final stages of the match were intense, with Guinea-Bissau mounting significant pressure to find an equaliser.
Beto came close with a fierce shot that forced a remarkable save from goalkeeper Ernan Siluane, while Mama Balde’s header was also expertly stopped, maintaining Mozambique’s slender advantage.
With this victory, Mozambique completed their qualification campaign as runners-up in Group I, joining Mali in representing their region at the upcoming AFCON.
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.