Guinea unperturbed of their more fancied AFCON 2023 Group C opponents Senegal and Cameroon

* Silver medalists in 1976, Guinea hopes to reconnect with its glorious past

* Open group qualifying campaign against 6th AFCON gold medalists Cameroon on January 15 and finish against reigning champions Senegal on January 23

Maravi Express

After doing well to get to the quarterfinals during the 2021 edition in Cameroon, Guinea are looking at going a step further in CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire 2023 that kicks of on January 13 and undisturbed of their more fancied Group C opponentsSenegal and Cameroon.

They open their group qualifying campaign against 6th AFCON gold medalists Cameroon on January 15 before dating The Gambia on January 23 and finish against reigning champions Senegal on January 23.

Despite being drawn in what is considered as a very tough group, the Guineans remain ambitious about doing well and will be looking at advancing beyond the group stages.

Guinea were in the same qualifying group with Malawi and had to wait for the last day of qualifiers to secure their ticket to Cote d’Ivoire and were gifted qualification after Ethiopia drew 0-0 with the Flames to finish second behind Egypt. 

Mohamed Bayo, Aguibou Camara, Serhou Guirassy are some of the key players that Guinea’s coach Kaba Diawara will be looking to for some individual brilliance.

Serhou Guirassy is a goal poacher of note and certainly one to look to when in search for goals. He has 19 goals from 16 matches with Vfb Stuttgart in Germany.

Despite playing his very first AFCON at 27-years, Guirassy is high in confidence and will be looking to be a serious threat to defenders in Cote d’Ivoire. 

One of his key attributes is his unique ability of finishing with both feet, which will be a great asset against some of the continent’s best defenders and goalkeepers.

Appointed as head coach of the team in 2021, coach Diawara will be guiding Guinea for the second consecutive AFCON and he is considered as a student of the game that was evident during his time as an analyst for major TV channels dissecting the game.

Well known for his great motivation and ability to calm his players, Diawara is a fan of the 4-3-3 formation and will be hoping his players adapt and master the system well against some of the best players next month. 

Guinea have been to the AFCON finals 11 times in which they earned the silver medal in 1976 and have reached the quarterfinals three times (2006, 2008, 2015); Round of 16 twice (2019,2021) and have bowed out of groups stages five times (1970, 1974, 1994, 1998, 2015).

Meanwhile, The Gambia also cannot be ruled out as they reached the quarterfinals of the competition in Cameroon in their maiden appearance and will be aiming to replicate their impressive run.

The Scorpions kick off their campaign on January 15 against their neighbors Senegal before facing Guinea and the Indomitable Lions  which will be a rematch of the quarterfinal from the 2021 AFCON.

They scripted a new chapter in its history on September 10, 2023, securing a crucial 2-2 draw against Congo-Brazzaville in a thrilling encounter to clinch their ticket to Côte d’Ivoire.

Their coach Tom Saintfiet, former Flames’ mentor, is regarded as a tactician close to his players who instills confidence in the core of his squad — and the results speak for themselves.

Steering the ship once again for Côte d’Ivoire 2023, the Belgian is determined to guide his team beyond the quarter-final stage.

On the field, Saintfiet employs a 4-3-3 formation that transforms into a 4-5-1 during defensive phases, emphasizing on pressing and sustained activity, translating into extended runs.

Following his feat at Cameroon 2021, Saintfiet was nominated for the 2023 CAF Coach of the Year alongside nine others, that include hot contender, Aliou Cisse who guided Senegal to their first-ever Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) triumph.

However, the accolade went to Morocco’s Walid Regragui — recognised for guiding the Atlas Lions to a historic World Cup semi-final run in Qatar.

Saintfiet, who is coaching The Gambia since July 2018, was appointed Flames mentor in July 2013, on a three-month deal with the goal to qualify Malawi for the first time in history for the FIFA World Cup but did not succeed.

The Belgian has coached in several countries, including Belgium, Qatar, Germany, Faroe Islands, Finland, Jordan, the Netherlands and in Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi and Togo.

At the 2021 AFCON, The Gambia defied the odds by defeating favourites Tunisia in the group stage, finishing unbeaten in 2nd place in the group and a further win against Guinea in the Round of 16 saw them reach the quarter-finals at their first attempt — eventually going out to tournament hosts Cameroun.

The Gambia were also nominated for CAF National Team of the Year award alongside Cape Verde, Guinea Bissau, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania, Morocco, Senegal, Tanzania and COSAFA’s Mozambique and Namibia.

Their player to watch out for is Assan Ceesay, who is known for his ability to exploit wide spaces and is a speedy player who actively contributes to the team’s gameplay.

Frequently dropping back from his midfield position to recover balls, he consistently delivers numerous decisive passes and his versatile playing style, coupled with finishing prowess, allowed him to shine in the Swiss league during the early stages of his professional career.

With an endearing and spontaneous approach, the Gambian gives his all, embodying the qualities of the ideal forward with unwavering generosity on the field.—Info from CAFonline