South Sudan seal AFCON qualifying progress despite narrow loss in Juba

South Sudan advanced to the next round of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers despite a 1-0 defeat to Djibouti in the second leg of their preliminary round tie in Juba on Sunday.

Holding a commanding 4-0 advantage from the first leg, South Sudan did enough to secure a 4-1 aggregate victory and progress comfortably, even as Djibouti claimed a late consolation win.

After a goalless first half, Djibouti found the breakthrough in the 77th minute when Samuel Temidayo finished off a move assisted by Gabriel Dadzie to give the visitors their only goal across the two legs.

The goal proved decisive on the night but came too late to threaten South Sudan’s overall dominance in the tie.

South Sudan, who had produced a commanding performance in the first leg with a 4-0 victory, appeared content to manage the game and protect their aggregate lead rather than push forward aggressively in the return encounter.

Djibouti, needing a near-perfect performance to overturn the heavy deficit, showed greater urgency in the second half but struggled to create clear-cut opportunities for long periods.

Their persistence eventually paid off with Temidayo’s late strike, offering a rare moment of reward in what was otherwise a difficult tie for the visitors.

For South Sudan, the result marks successful progression to the next stage of the qualifiers, where they will look to build on the momentum generated from their dominant first-leg display.

While the second-leg defeat may raise minor concerns, their overall performance across the two matches highlighted their attacking quality and control, particularly in the opening encounter where they effectively settled the tie.

Djibouti, meanwhile, exit the competition but can take some encouragement from their improved showing in the return leg, having managed to end the tie with a victory.

Ultimately, South Sudan’s emphatic first-leg advantage proved decisive, ensuring their place in the next round despite the narrow defeat in Juba.