Guinea have become the third team to qualify for next year’s Africa U17 Cup of Nations in Morocco after beating Liberia 2-0 in the third-place play-off of the West African Zone A qualifiers.
Boubacar Diallo scored twice in the space of 13 minutes, finding the net in the 63rd and 76th minutes to secure Guinea’s place at the tournament.
The result completes the list of qualifiers from the Union of West African Football Associations A (UFOA-A) competition. Senegal, who won the zonal tournament, and Gambia, the runners-up, had already secured their places.
Senegal will arrive in Morocco as the reigning African champions in this age group, while Guinea’s qualification comes after a tournament marked by scrutiny over the eligibility of their players.
Last month, the Federation Guineenne de Football (FGF) was forced to respond to allegations of “massive age fraud”. According to the claims, only 12 of the 38 players tested had passed bone examinations, while 22 had failed and four were waiting for another opportunity.
The Guinean federation rejected the allegations, describing them as “categorically” false and “totally unfounded”. It said the claims “are not based on any official or verifiable evidence”.
The FGF also said magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examinations had been carried out under the supervision of officials from the Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF). The federation said the tests were intended to “anticipate and secure the official checks scheduled in Dakar”.
CAF has not yet issued a response to the allegations.
If the suspicions are eventually confirmed, Guinea could face another disqualification from the Africa U17 Cup of Nations. The country was removed from the competition in 2019 and 2024.
For now, their victory over Liberia means Guinea join Senegal and Gambia among the teams representing the West African Zone A at next year’s finals in Morocco.