By: Ginaba Lino
South Sudan’s Bright Stars endured a tough night at home, suffering a 5–0 defeat to Senegal in Round 9 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. The match, held Friday evening at Juba National Stadium, saw the Teranga Lions dominate, moving them to the top of Group B with 21 points and edging them closer to a spot in next year’s tournament.
Despite a spirited start and strong home crowd support, South Sudan couldn’t contain Senegal’s attacking prowess. Ismaïla Sarr broke the deadlock in the 29th minute after a balanced opening. From there, the visitors took control of the game.
Sarr struck again early in the second half, capitalizing on a defensive lapse. Sadio Mané added a third with a clinical finish, followed by Nicolas Jackson’s penalty to make it 4–0. Cherif Ndiaye sealed the win in the 75th minute with a composed strike.
The result keeps Senegal’s unbeaten run intact and reinforces their dominance in the group. South Sudan, by contrast, remains winless and rooted at the bottom of the standings.
Speaking after the match, South Sudan head coach Nicolas Dubré acknowledged the quality gap between the two teams but expressed disappointment at how the game unraveled.
“The result is normal between the two teams because of the level,” Dubré admitted. “But I was proud of the players in the first half. They showed good spirit and created some chances.”
He highlighted the team’s failure to maintain focus after halftime:
“I warned them during the break to stay focused, especially in the first few minutes. But just one minute later, we conceded again due to the same mistake. After that, it was very difficult.”
Dubré also questioned the mental preparedness of some of his players.
“Maybe one, two, or three players weren’t in the right mindset. I’m not happy about that. We’ll make changes before the next game.”
The coach revealed several key players were unavailable for avoidable reasons. Midfielder Mohamed Adil missed the match due to passport issues, while others — including Joseph — were suspended due to accumulated yellow cards.
Addressing growing criticism and questions about his future, Dubré didn’t rule out stepping down:
“It’s normal to lose to teams like Senegal and DR Congo — we know our level,” he said. “But if the federation wants to replace me, I will go. I just want to be paid the seven months of salary and bonuses they still owe me.”
Senegal head coach Pape Bouna “Pabcho” Thiaw praised his team’s performance but acknowledged the Bright Stars had posed problems.
“South Sudan gave us problems in the first half,” he said. “But we fixed our mistakes during halftime and imposed our rhythm. We passed well and made them run.”
Thiaw commended South Sudan’s physicality and team spirit:
“They defend and attack together. As a team, they showed great spirit.”
He also noted Senegal’s trend of slow starts, emphasizing the importance of halftime adjustments:
“With one match left, we remain focused. We want to finish strong in front of our home fans.”
Senegal now sit firmly atop Group B with 21 points and a +16 goal difference, making them strong favorites to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, to be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.
South Sudan, meanwhile, turns its focus to the upcoming Arab Cup in November. Changes are expected — both in the squad and coaching staff. Despite the heavy defeat, the Bright Stars remain a young team still in development: learning, growing, and dreaming.