South Sudan secures AFCON 2027 group stage spot despite narrow loss to Djibouti

2026-03-30 - 08:15

South Sudan has qualified for the AFCON “PAMOJA” 2027 group stage despite a 1–0 loss to Djibouti in the return leg at Juba National Stadium. The “Bright Stars” advanced on aggregate after securing a dominant 4–0 victory in the first leg. Djibouti’s win marked their first-ever victory over South Sudan, following five consecutive defeats against them. The result, however, was not enough to overturn the aggregate score, as Djibouti needed to score more than four goals to progress. The AFCON 2027 qualification process will determine the 24 teams for the final tournament, which will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. The preliminary rounds held in March 2026 decided the teams advancing to the group stage, where 48 nations are divided into 12 groups, with the top teams qualifying for the finals. The match itself saw limited scoring opportunities, with both teams maintaining largely unchanged lineups from the first leg, making only minor adjustments. Djibouti adopted a defensive strategy, relying on counterattacks to avoid conceding an early goal, while South Sudan played with a low defensive block and focused on wing play. As the game progressed, South Sudan controlled much of the tempo but struggled to create clear chances. Despite reaching Djibouti’s penalty area on several occasions, they were unable to convert. The first half ended goalless, characterized by strong physical play but no bookings issued by the referee. In the second half, both sides made changes in midfield and attack, while Djibouti was forced into a substitution following an injury to their right-back. In the 76th minute, Djibouti capitalized on a defensive error, allowing former Al-Merriekh Bentiu player Samuel Temidayo to score the decisive goal. The match ended 1–0 in favor of Djibouti, securing a historic win that was ultimately insufficient for qualification. Speaking after the match, South Sudan assistant coach Rizk Hakim said, “I think the game was very difficult today. As everyone witnessed, Djibouti played a very good match, different from the first leg.” “We congratulate Djibouti and wish both teams the best. Our main objective was to progress to the next stage, and achieving that is a positive sign. Football is built on respect, and we respect the Djibouti team.” Akim stated that the absence of the head coach should not be seen as underestimating the opponent, saying the plan was to press from the first minute and aim for victory, as it was done in the first leg. However, the players seemed to believe the result was already secured. They focused more on defending the aggregate advantage rather than attacking. We encouraged them to push forward, but they maintained their approach. In the end, we achieved our goal of qualification. Most of our players are active with their clubs, which will help them stay competitive. Situations like this happen in football, where players do not always fully follow instructions. What matters most is that we progressed to the next round.” Djibouti head coach Mohamed Hassan said, “Today we achieved a victory after five defeats. We were the better team and created several chances. We return home proud of this result. The match was not easy tactically, and we congratulate South Sudan on qualifying for the group stage.”