Guinea’s preparations for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers have reportedly been disrupted by a setback ahead of their opening Group D fixture next weekend.

The development comes as Guinea prepare to face a demanding qualification campaign, with South Africa’s Bafana Bafana among their group opponents. Both sides will be looking to make a strong start as they compete for a place at the continental tournament.

The major setback involves star striker Serhou Guirassy, who has been ruled out of Guinea’s upcoming double-header against Eritrea after suffering a thigh injury while playing for Borussia Dortmund.

Guirassy picked up the injury during Dortmund’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Real Betis on November 4. The forward was forced off in the 34th minute, raising concerns about his availability for the national team.

Medical examinations subsequently confirmed a thigh injury, with his recovery period estimated at between four and six weeks. This means Guinea will be without one of their most important attacking players for both qualifying matches scheduled for November 12 and 16.

His absence will be particularly difficult for coach Paulo Duarte because Guirassy played a decisive role in Guinea’s previous qualifying victory over Kenya, scoring the only goal in their 1-0 win.

Guinea are also dealing with other squad concerns. Nantes defender Saidou Sow has withdrawn because of a knee injury, while goalkeeper Soumaila Sylla is also unavailable. Ousmane Conde and Sekou Salifou Sylla have been brought in as replacements.

The situation puts additional pressure on Duarte as he prepares his team for the two encounters against Eritrea. Guinea need positive results to strengthen their position in Group D, where South Africa are also competing for the remaining qualification place. Kenya have already secured their tournament spot as co-hosts.

For Bafana Bafana, Guirassy’s absence is significant because the Dortmund forward remains one of Guinea’s most dangerous attacking options. However, South Africa will still need to concentrate on their own performances as the qualification campaign continues.

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