Guinea add to South Africa’s Woes

Guinea continued to add to the problems of the embattled Bafana Bafana of South Africa yesterday in Atteridgeville, beating them 1-0 in a friendly.

South Africa fielded for the most part a reserve squad made up of younger players and thus it was not a full strength team. That also seems to be the case for Guinea. While I have not been able to find the full line up of players used most of the names I have seen so far are not regular first teamers. Though one report did state that Pascal Feindouno and Ismaël Bangoura almost linked up for a goal late in the game. If those two did play I would suspect they came on as substitutes.

Young goalie Youssouf Toure minded the nets for the Syli Nationale and by all accounts played very well coming up with a couple of tough saves. Other players that got on the pitch were reserves Larsen Toure, Algassimou Balde who was booked, Minka Yady Camara and Aboubacar Camara.

The game was played in front of a largely empty crowd as only 2,000 supporters showed up to cheer South Africa who were eliminated from the African Cup of Nations over the weekend. Guinea took the lead in the 18th minute through a powerfully stroke shot from outside the box. There is some discrepancy as to who scored the goal. Most sources claim it was Minka Yady Camary while Fifa’s small review of the game says it was Aboubacar Camara. Whatever the case may be it was supposedly a well taken goal and deserved lead for Guinea.

That would be the only score of the contest though South Africa had two goals disallowed for offsides including one in the dying minutes. By all accounts it was a poor showing from South Africa though they did pick up steam late in the game and got some encouraging performances from some of their younger players.

For Guinea the result has little meaning but should provide the team with some confidence following the draw in Harare. If this victory gives them that extra bit of belief heading into the crucial match in Conakry against Kenya then it will have had all the meaning in the world.