South Africa vs Guinea: AFCON Qualifier Preview, Prediction Team News & Betting Tips

Bafana Bafana begin a new era on Saturday, September 26, when Pitso Mosimane takes charge of South Africa for the first time since returning to the job, with a daunting assignment waiting for him at Orlando Stadium.

Guinea are the visitors for the opening match of Group D in qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, a fixture South Africa simply cannot afford to lose given that co-hosts Kenya have already secured their place at the finals as hosts.

That leaves only one qualifying spot up for grabs between South Africa, Guinea and Eritrea, and it means Mosimane’s first competitive game back in the Bafana Bafana dugout arrives with the group’s early psychological advantage already at stake.

⚽ Kickoff Snapshot — South Africa vs Guinea
Competition	2027 AFCON Qualifier, Group D, Matchday 1
Kickoff	Saturday, September 26
Venue	Orlando Stadium, Soweto
Where to Watch	SuperSport, via DStv and the DStv Stream app
Pitso Mosimane’s first match in his second spell as Bafana Bafana coach, replacing Hugo Broos.

Bafana Bafana carry World Cup momentum into the Guinea test

South Africa arrive at this qualifier still riding the emotional high of the best World Cup campaign in the country’s history.

Broos guided Bafana Bafana out of their group for the first time, past Mexico’s opening defeat and a draw with Czechia, before a 1-0 win over South Korea sent them through to a first-ever knockout appearance.

Canada ended that run with a stoppage-time strike from Stephen Eustáquio in the round of 32, and Broos departed the job shortly afterwards, paving the way for Mosimane’s return.

This is significant, because South Africa have not played a competitive match since that Canada defeat in late June, meaning Guinea face a Bafana Bafana side with three months of rest but zero match sharpness under its new coach.

Mosimane has largely kept faith with the World Cup core in his squad selection, trimming a 35-man preliminary group down to 30 for this window, and the biggest call was leaving out Lyle Foster, who featured in the preliminary group but did not make the final cut.

Guinea, by contrast, head into Soweto out of form and short of preparation time.

The Syli National have not won any of their last four matches, drawing with Niger and Togo either side of defeats to Benin and Northern Ireland in friendlies played between November and June.

Coach Paulo Duarte has also revealed his squad has been hampered by visa and travel-document problems, with several established players declining their call-ups for this window, including former Liverpool midfielder Naby Keïta.

“Today, we have enormous problems because of the visa,” Duarte said. “It is unacceptable for me as national coach that, to this day, Guinea does not have a service passport for our players.”

Head-to-head: South Africa hold recent bragging rights

South Africa and Guinea have met four times, and the record is tilted towards the Syli National on paper.

Guinea won the first two meetings, 2-0 in the group stage of the 2006 AFCON finals and 1-0 in a 2008 friendly, before the sides played out a goalless friendly draw in March 2022.

The most recent meeting went South Africa’s way, though, a 2-1 win in the group stage of the 2025 African Nations Championship played in August last year, and there is no reverse fixture from earlier this season to lean on, since Saturday’s game is the first meeting of this particular qualifying campaign.

Team news: Foster left out, Guinea’s squad in flux

South Africa Team News	Guinea Team News
Lyle Foster omitted from the final squad after being in the preliminary group Khuliso Mudau, Thalente Mbatha and Evidence Makgopa unavailable through injury Relebohile Mofokeng returns to the setup for the first time since his move to Royale Union Saint-Gilloise	Naby Keïta among the players who declined their call-up Visa and travel-document issues have disrupted preparation, per coach Paulo Duarte Ilaix Moriba, Madiou Keïta and Saïdou Sow all recalled to the squad

Both lineups are informed projections built from the confirmed squads and each side’s usual patterns, and carry extra uncertainty here since this is Mosimane’s first selection in his new spell as coach.

Star player comparison: Mofokeng’s rise meets Guirassy’s goals

Relebohile Mofokeng has quickly made an impression since his move to Belgium’s Royale Union Saint-Gilloise, and the 21-year-old will want to carry that form into the international break.

He is up against a player operating on an entirely different level in Serhou Guirassy, whose scoring record for Borussia Dortmund since joining from Stuttgart has made him one of the most feared strikers on the continent.

Star Player Comparison
Relebohile Mofokeng Winger · South Africa	Stat	Serhou Guirassy Striker · Guinea
4	Club goals since joining current side	64
9	Club appearances since joining current side	102
21	Age	30
Winger	Position	Striker

The Managers

Mosimane returns to South African duty with plenty to prove, given that his first spell in charge, between 2010 and 2012, ended without qualification for that year’s AFCON.

He arrives with a club record that includes multiple CAF Champions League triumphs, and he takes over a group he did not build but now has to shape quickly, starting from Saturday.

“I feel the hunger in them,” Mosimane said of his new squad. “I feel that they want to show that they deserve to be in the team.”

Duarte, meanwhile, is still finding his feet as Guinea coach after taking over during World Cup qualifying, and his preparation for this assignment has been complicated well beyond team selection by the travel and documentation issues affecting his squad.

Tactical preview: pace on the flanks against Guirassy’s movement

Expect South Africa to look to get Mofokeng and a wide partner running at Guinea’s full backs, using the width that has become a hallmark of the current Bafana Bafana group.

Mokoena and Sithole shielding the back four will be crucial, since Guinea’s central pairing of Ilaix Moriba and Abdoulaye Touré carries genuine quality on the ball and can pick out Guirassy’s runs in behind if given time.

Guirassy rarely needs more than half a chance, so South Africa’s centre-backs will have to defend on the front foot rather than drop off and invite him to turn.

Guinea, for their part, are likely to sit in a compact mid-block given their lack of match sharpness together as a squad, banking on Guirassy and Morlaye Sylla to punish South Africa on the counter rather than trying to dominate the ball for long spells.

Odds above are subject to confirmation with your bookmaker of choice closer to kickoff. Betting involves risk, and these are analytical opinions rather than guarantees. Please gamble responsibly.

🔮 Score Prediction

South Africa 1 – 1 Guinea

A cagey opener under a new coach and an unsettled visiting camp points to a share of the spoils. Likely scorers: Relebohile Mofokeng, Serhou Guirassy.