Guinea’s locally based national squad, the Syli Local, have arranged two closed‑door friendlies in Douala, Cameroon, as the final tune‑up for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024. They meet Burkina Faso on 24 July before taking on the Central African Republic (CAR) on 28 July, giving the technical staff back‑to‑back examinations against fellow tournament participants.
Head coach Souleymane Camara views the matches as competitive benchmarks rather than light workouts. He has stressed that only high‑intensity opposition can reveal where Guinea already excels and where tactical or structural adjustments remain. Squad places and the pecking order for starting roles are very much on the line.
The fixtures cap Guinea’s second preparation phase, which includes a six‑day high‑load camp in Morocco from 13–19 July focused on tactical cohesion, pressing structure, and unit connectivity between midfield and attack. The group will then shift to Cameroon to acclimatise to Central African conditions similar to those expected across the tri‑nation CHAN co‑hosts Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania when the tournament kicks off on 2 August.
Both opponents offer distinct challenges. Burkina Faso’s domestic‑league core has grown in confidence on the back of recent regional success, bringing athletic wide play and quick transitional surges. CAR’s return to CHAN competition comes with a technically neat midfield nucleus eager to prove progress on the continental stage; their ball‑retention style should test Guinea’s pressing triggers.
Guinea will be making a fourth CHAN appearance and aspire to go deeper than their semi‑final runs in 2016 and 2020. They have drawn a demanding Group C with Algeria, Uganda, South Africa, and Niger five sides with contrasting identities that could make the pool one of the tournament’s most volatile. Managing travel, recovery windows, and in‑game discipline will be decisive.
Camara has repeatedly underscored mental resilience, intra‑squad accountability, and set‑piece sharpness as non‑negotiables. The Douala friendlies provide the last controlled environment to stress‑test those pillars before competitive pressure bites.
CHAN features national selections composed exclusively of players active in their home domestic leagues, turning the spotlight on local development pathways. For Guinea’s hopefuls, two July auditions now stand between camp and continental opportunity.
Supporters will not be admitted, but broadcast footage and post‑match notes are expected to be shared with participating federations; highlights could emerge later if rules permit. Regardless of access, performance data from these games will shape Guinea’s tactical scripting for Group C.
