Guinea Bissau head coach Baciro Cande will lead his side to face Sao Tome for the second time in the race to Ivory Coast 2023.

Having thrashed Sao Tome in the first meeting 5-0, Wednesday’s matchday five AFCON qualifier has been described as ‘Operation Sao Tome and Principe.’

Coach Baciro Cande is aware that Wednesday’s qualifier, only a win, will be seen as a success. Defeating Soa Tome again in the group will see them top the group, at least until after Sunday’s result between Sierra Leone and Nigeria at the SKD in Liberia.

With Bissau on seven points on the log, a defeat will surely increase Sierra Leone’s chances depending on the Leone Stars’ defeat to the Super Eagles of Nigeria at the SDK in Liberia this weekend.

West Africa’s Atlantic coast nations have described the tie as ‘Operation Sao Tome and Principe.’ They thrashed Sao Tome and Principe in the first leg in June 2022.

Since then, Sao Tome and Principe have improved after they played 2-2 with Sierra Leone before succumbing to a 2-0 defeat in March this year in matchday three and four, respectively.

Sierra Leone will host the Super Eagles for matchday 5 of the qualifiers at the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium in Liberia.

Nigeria led Group A of the qualifiers with nine points after four games, followed by Guinea-Bissau with seven points and Sierra Leone sitting third with five points after the same number of games.

In 2017, Guinea-Bissau qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time. They also made the AFCON in 2019 and 2021.

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