South Sudan delivered an impressive performance, securing a dominant 4-0 victory over Djibouti in the first leg of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 Preliminary Round in Juba on Thursday.
Keer Majak shone brightly, contributing a goal and two assists, as South Sudan firmly took control of the tie ahead of the return leg, which will also take place in the same venue.
This result provides South Sudan with a substantial edge in its quest to advance to the group stage of the qualifiers, leaving Djibouti with a significant challenge ahead in the second leg.
Right from the start, South Sudan made their intentions clear and found the back of the net in the 31st minute. Justin Bangasi laid off a perfect pass for Teng Kuol, who opened the scoring.
This goal boosted the hosts’ confidence, prompting them to maintain relentless pressure, while Djibouti struggled to keep up with South Sudan’s speed and attacking flair. Despite this initial onslaught, Djibouti managed to hold on until halftime, maintaining a glimmer of hope at 1-0 going into the break.
However, any hopes Djibouti had of mounting a comeback were swiftly dashed after the halftime break, as South Sudan kicked their intensity up a notch. Just four minutes into the second half, in the 49th minute, Bangasi struck again, finishing off a well-crafted move with Majak playing a key role throughout the match.
Majak continued to make his mark, turning provider once more in the 66th minute, setting up Peter Manyang to extend the lead to 3-0, effectively sealing the outcome. To cap off an outstanding individual performance, Majak scored South Sudan’s fourth goal in the 81st minute, confirming a comprehensive win.
This defeat leaves Djibouti facing an uphill battle in the return leg, where they will need a stellar performance to overcome the deficit. With both legs being hosted in Juba, they will look to leverage their familiarity with the conditions to turn things around in the second encounter.
Seychelles and Lesotho Play to a Standstill in Bloemfontein
In a separate match on Thursday in Bloemfontein, Seychelles and Lesotho finished goalless at the Free State Stadium. The two teams will meet again for the return leg at the same neutral venue in the South African city on Sunday.
These matches are part of the opening round of qualifiers for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027, featuring the lowest-ranked teams vying for six spots in the next stage.
