Guinea-Bissau beat Tanzania 2:0 in the first group stage match of the African Cup of Nations qualifiers. The visitors secured all three points away from home on Thursday, September 25th, with a performance that defied the statistics. It was a result that surprised many who had watched the recent form of both sides. The match ended with the visitors taking maximum points from the opening fixture.
The visitors took the lead in the 33rd minute when Franculino Gluda Dju found the net. It came after a period where Tanzania controlled the ball but struggled to create clear chances. The hosts had already registered six offsides by the 22nd minute when Denis Kibu picked up a yellow card.
They dominated possession at 60% but couldn't find the right pass to break through. Mama Baldé doubled the advantage 58 minutes in, and here's the thing — Guinea-Bissau managed to win with just 2 shots on target. Tanzania had 4 shots on target but goalkeeper saves remained at zero, which told you something about the quality of their chances.
Tanzania made 3 substitutions in the 62nd minute, then added 2 more fifteen minutes later before bringing on Ronaldo Vieira in the 79th. The hosts dallied on the ball in the final third, but the visitors gave nothing away defensively throughout. Dalcio picked up a yellow card at 90+1 as the game wound down.
The statistics showed Tanzania with 117 attacks compared to 83 for the visitors, yet the result told a different story. Shots accuracy sat at 20% for both sides, and the possession figures didn't match the scoreline. The hosts had 14 shots off target compared to just 7 for the visitors.
This win moves Guinea-Bissau ahead in the group after their recent results, while Tanzania ground out nothing from a game they should have taken. The visitors had won just once in their last 5 matches before this result. It was a rare bright spot in a difficult period for the away side.
