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2021 AFCON QUALIFIERS: South Sudan, Djibouti set for preliminary round action
The national teams of South Sudan and Djibouti will on Wednesday, October 9th open their campaign in the 2021 Total Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifiers. South Sudan’s Bright Star will host Seychelles at the Al- Merriekh Stadium in Khartoum in the first leg of the premliminary round. South Sudan cannot play in Juba because the National Stadium is under going renovation.
Cecafa’s other representative who will be battling in the preliminary round will be Djibouti hosting Gambia.
Cyprian Ashu, the South Sudan coach has made it clear that his team is well prepared for the encounter. “We have prepared well and the team is well motivated and ready to get that important win. We must get a good result before the return leg in Seychelles,” added the coach.
Djibouti’s French coach Julien Mette who already led the team to the Group stage of the FIFA 2022 qualifiers also said he expects his players to make use of the home advantage.
In-case South Sudan qualify they will join Burkina Faso, Uganda and Malawi in Group B of the qualifiers. Victory for Djibouti in the preliminary round over two legs will also see them join Group D that has DR Congo, Angola and Gabon in the group stage.
Apart from Somalia and Eritrea that did not enter the 2021 Afcon qualifiers, the other Cecafa teams that are already in the group stage include; Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, Sudan, Burundi, Ethiopia and Rwanda.
The 2021 Afcon will take place in Cameroon.