The South Sudan national football team, Bright Stars, started their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers with a 4-0 win over Djibouti at Juba National Stadium on Thursday.
The Bright Stars controlled the match from start to finish, demonstrating
attacking intent and defensive solidity in a game played behind closed doors
under Confederation of African Football (CAF) directives.
Keer Mangar came close to opening the score in the 25th
minute. The breakthrough finally came in the 30th minute through debutant Teng
Kuol.
The center-back, who plays for Australian club Marconi
Stallions FC, marked his first appearance with a goal, giving South Sudan a 1-0
lead at halftime.
South Sudan came out strong in the second half. Three
minutes after the restart, Keer Mangar ran forward and set up Bangasi Bakasoro,
who scored to make it 2-0 in the 48th minute.
The Bright Stars extended their lead in the 65th minute when
captain Peter Maker scored, marking his return after injury.
Keer Mangar finished off a brilliant performance by scoring
in the 80th minute, securing a 4-0 win.
The victory marks the first win for interim head coach Ashu
Cyprien, who had expressed confidence ahead of the match.
Notably, Cyprien previously coached Djibouti, making the
result even more significant for the Bright Stars.
With both legs being played at Juba National Stadium, the
teams will meet again on March 29 for the return fixture.
South Sudan’s 4-0 win gives them a commanding lead in the
AFCON preliminary-round first leg, putting the Bright Stars on course to reach
the next stage of the qualifiers.