Guinea’s hopes of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) were given a major boost when they crushed Ethiopia 4-1 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan on Saturday evening.

The Syli National, who lost both of their opening two matches in September, leapfrogged the Walia Ibex into third place on the Group H standings (three points to one respectively). The top two positions (which will secure berths for Morocco 2025) are currently occupied by DR Congo (nine points) and Tanzania (four points).

Guinea started the stronger of the two teams and claimed the lead in the 18th minute when Serhou Guirassy scored from the penalty spot.

The West African hosts doubled their advantage 20 minutes later via another goal from Guirassy – this time the Borussia Dortmund man finished off an assist from Seydouba Cisse to put his team well in control of the match.

And on the stroke of half time, Guirassy completed his hat-trick, finishing off an assist from Francois Kamano to see the Syli Natonal 3-0 up at the interval.

And it took just three minutes after the restart for the hosts to add to their advantage, as Cisse was set up by Mady Camara and finished past Ethiopia goalkeeper Said Habtamu for 4-0.

The Walia Ibex hit back on 53 minutes via Canaan Markneh, but that goal proved nothing more than a consolation, with Guinea able to see out the remainder of the game in comfort and register an emphatic 4-1 triumph.

The teams will face off again in a return match on Tuesday 15 October, set for the same venue in Abidjan.

Guinea (3) 4 (Guirassy 18’ pen, 38’, 45+2’, Cisse 48’)

Ethiopia (0) 1 (Markneh 53’)

Guinea: Mou. Camara, Ma. Camara (Conde 76’), Cisse (A. Camara 90+1’), I. Conte (A. Conte 65’), Diakite, Guirassy (Bayo 65’), Kamano (Balde 76’), Sow, I. Sylla, M. Sylla, A. Toure

Ethiopia: Habtamu, Baye (James 46’), Bekele, Dagnachew (Biniam 72’), Demissie (Gezahegn 46’), Gugsa (Desta 72’), Hamid (Tunjo 67’), Kasa, Markneh, Panom, Yalew