Striker Serhou Guirassy scored a hat-trick in the first-half to help Guinea secure a commanding 4-1 victory over Ethiopia in their 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday.
The match, played at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, saw Syli National dominate from the start, with Guirassy’s hat-trick leading the way.
The Guineans took the lead in the 18th minute when Guirassy converted a penalty after Birhanu Bekele’s foul inside the box.
The Germany-based attacker doubled his tally in the 37th minute, finishing from close range after a well-timed pass from Seydouba Cissé.
Just before half-time, Guirassy completed his hat-trick, slotting home in stoppage time from a François Kamano assist to make it 3-0 at the break.
Guinea continued their dominance in the second half, with Cissé adding a fourth goal in the 48th minute, finishing a through ball from Mady Camara.
Ethiopia pulled one back in the 53rd minute through Kenean Markneh, who capitalized on a rebound to score from close range, but it proved little more than a consolation.
Guinea’s victory puts them back in contention for qualification, while Ethiopia faces an uphill battle to keep their hopes alive.
The standings after Matchday Three see DR Congo topping Group H with nine points following their 1-0 win over Tanzania on Thursday.
Tanzania sit second with four points, while Guinea’s victory moves them up to third with three points. Ethiopia, with just one point from three matches, remain at the bottom of the group.