On the eve of the round of 16 of Afcon 2023 between Guinea and Equatorial Guinea, unpleasant news shakes the national Syli camp. Two midfield pillars, Abdoulaye Touré and Ilaix Moriba, will not be able to participate in Sunday’s crucial match at Ebimpé due to injuries.
Guinea’s national coach Kaba Diawara confirmed the bad news at a press conference this Saturday, the day before the clash against Equatorial Guinea. The Guinean technician affirms that the player trained at Masia, Ilaix Moriba and Abdoulaye Touré are out against Nzalang National.
“Ilaix Moriba and Abdoulaye Touré will not be there. Both players are still feeling too much pain. We hope to qualify and get them back for the quarter-finals. », blurted Kaba Diawara to the media. A hard blow for Guinea which will have to do without the influence of these two holders in midfield.
In the absence of Abdoulaye Touré and Ilaix Moriba, the Guinean coach could call on Amadou Diawara (Anderlecht) and Seydouba Cissé (Leganés) to fill the void in midfield. These changes could bring new tactical dynamics to the team, but the loss of two key players represents a major challenge for the former Canal+ consultant.
On the other hand, Guinea will be able to count on a great Serhou Guirassy. The VfB Stuttgart striker looks set to start for the first time in this Afcon 2023 final phase. Despite questions about his fitness, Guirassy was confident: “I feel a lot better. It’s never easy to get back to 100% after a muscle injury. I’m glad I didn’t relapse. I feel ready. “, he reassured.
Thus, Guinea is preparing to face Equatorial Guinea with necessary adjustments in midfield, while hoping that the determination and depth of their squad will be able to compensate for these crucial absences during the decisive match.
Kaba Diawara optimistic against attractive Equatorial Guinea
The Syli national of Guinea will face the Nzalang National of Equatorial Guinea during the round of 16 of Afcon 2023 this Sunday, January 28, 2024. The team led by Kaba Diawara approaches this match against an Equatorial Guinea in great shape, having finished top of their group and inflicted a resounding 4-0 victory on Ivory Coast on their home turf. Despite potential disruption due to unpaid bonuses, the Guinean coach assures that the team is focused for tomorrow’s clash.
In any case, Kaba Diawara is optimistic this Saturday in front of journalists about the performance of his team against Nzalang National. “We are ready. We are professionals, we remain focused on the match against Equatorial Guinea. The bonus story? We focus on the pitch, not what happens off it. “, he explained.
This year, Kaba’s team is aiming to make it to the round of 16, a stage that has been the limit for Guinea’s national team for some time. Learning from past mistakes, notably the elimination against Gambia in 2021, Kaba Diawara underlines: “We hope to pass this milestone. Everyone is there, if we win, it will be the first time in our history to win a knockout match. We measure the immensity of the task. We respect our opponent who had a good group stage, but the key word is victory. We are on a mission and the responsibility we have, the players know it, the staff too. »
Thus, the national Syli embarks on this meeting with determination and the ambition to create history by winning this knockout match against a team from Equatorial Guinea which surprised more than one.
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