Guinea qualifies for Paris Olympics to become fourth African team at 2024 edition

Guinea booked their place at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Paris following a 1-0 win over Indonesia in the play-off on Thursday.

Midfielder Ilaix Moriba’s penalty was enough to seal the victory as the Syli Nationale returned to the Olympics for the first time since their debut in 1968.

Guinea has completed the 16-team line-up for this summer’s event and is drawn in a tricky Group A alongside hosts France, the USA, and New Zealand.

The qualification of Guinea brings the number of African teams at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Paris to four.

Other African teams are Egypt, Mali, and Morocco, who had impressive qualifying campaigns at last year’s Under-23 Africa Cup of Nations.

For Egypt, this tournament represents a record 13th appearance at the Olympics dating back to their debut in 1920, while Morocco has been to seven editions of the tournament.

The two West African nations are making their second appearance at the global showpiece.

Guinea coach praises his team

Guinea head coach Kaba Diawara heaped praise on his side for keeping their composure and particularly standout midfielder Aguibou Camara for ingenuity.

“We had to maintain our composure [against Indonesia],” coach Diawara said. “Whoever managed to keep their focus would qualify for the Olympic Games. We did well from that point of view. However, we’re going to have to prepare effectively to make up for some of our shortcomings because the tournament is just around the corner.”

He added, “It was like we were playing with 12 guys out there, because Aguibou was absolutely everywhere. He’s a fantastic football player. He’s going to be a key player for us during the Olympic Games, and he’s going to delight the fans.”

The Men’s Olympic Football Tournament is set to kick off on July 24, 2024.

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