Guinea vs Vanuatu Prediction: Dominant performance expected from Guinea

Guinea will come back to international action with a friendly against Vanuatu on Thursday, their first fixture since reaching the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, Vanuatu will be hoping to seize an unusual opportunity to play against a prominent footballing nation, aiming to put an end to a three-game streak without a win.

Although Guinea weren't among the top contenders to win the recent Africa Cup of Nations, they possessed enough talent in their squad to make success a feasible possibility. Their progression through a group that included Senegal and Cameroon demonstrated this, and Kaba Diawara's team managed to secure a 1-0 victory in their last-16 match against Equatorial Guinea. However, despite initially taking a 1-0 lead against DR Congo in the quarter-finals, the National Elephants eventually suffered a 3-1 defeat. This extended their wait for a first semi-final appearance since 1976, as Guinea has now faced defeat in their last five quarter-final encounters. With World Cup qualifying already underway and Guinea having suffered a loss to Botswana, Diawara may see the upcoming two friendly matches as an opportunity to evaluate his options before the campaign resumes in June.

Vanuatu, considered international underdogs, are making their 2024 debut following their participation in the recent Pacific Games, where they reached the semi-finals. Despite a hard-fought performance against eventual champions New Caledonia, resulting in a narrow 1-0 defeat, coach Emerson Alcantara likely found encouragement in his team's effort. Currently occupying the 170th position in the FIFA world rankings, Vanuatu's victories in the past 12 months have been against Fiji, Mongolia, Papua New Guinea, and Tuvalu. However, their record of seven defeats in 12 fixtures underscores the significant challenge ahead, irrespective of the lineup chosen by Diawara. Additionally, Vanuatu is gearing up for the 2024 OFC Nations Cup, where they will face Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, and New Zealand in their group stage matches.

Guinea presents a notably formidable lineup on paper, armed with several impressive attacking choices. Mohamed Bayo has started the year strongly, having already scored three goals. In the attack, Francois Kamano could offer valuable assistance. Conversely, Vanuatu, positioned almost 100 places below the National Elephants, has never been regarded as a leading team. While Guinea may not necessarily field their optimal lineup for this encounter, the game is still anticipated to be largely one-sided.