The South Sudanese national football team on Saturday achieved an historic victory over Equatorial Guinea in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, just ten days after the signing of a peace deal between South Sudanese warring factions.
Fans were ecstatic over the win, which was the team’s first competitive victory since joining international football in 2012. The football team represents a diverse group of tribes, and their victory in Juba was celebrated by supporters of all tribes.
Atak Lual scored the only goal of the game in the 52nd minute to give his side the win.
Equatorial Guinea had been ranked 62 in the FIFA World Ranking compared to South Sudan at number 198, making the win on Saturday a major surprise victory for South Sudan.
The result lifts South Sudan up to second in the table in Group C of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, just behind Mali but ahead of Benin and Equatorial Guinea.
It was only in 2011 that South Sudan organized its first national team after gaining independence. South Sudan played their first official friendly against Uganda in July 2012.
Photo: Equatorial Guinea (in red) playing South Sudan (in white) in Juba, 5 Sept. 2015 (Radio Tamazuj)