Jimmy Mulisa’s Amavubi on Thursday, December 19, left for Juba ahead of Sunday’s crunch tie against Bright Stars of South Sudan in the first leg of the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) qualifiers. Little is known about South Sudan as a football nation which got independence from Sudan in 2011, the same year when the national team was established. Times Sport brings to you some things about the South Sudan national team ahead of their game with Amavubi this weekend. History Until May 2011, the South Sudan national team did not exist. They were part of main Sudan. It was May 25, 2011 when Serbian Zoran Dordevic was appointed to oversee the creation of an independent senior national for the country. Their first unofficial international game was at the Juba Stadium against Kenya on July 10, 2011. They scored first but ended up losing 3-1. Their first official international game was on July 10, 2012 when they held Uganda Cranes 2-2. South Sudan, nicknamed Bright Stars,” are currently ranked 170 in the world (as of November 2, 2024). Their biggest win so far was the 6-0 victory over Djibouti which they recorded on March 28, 2017 while their biggest defeat was a 5-0 loss to the Mambas of Mozambique in Maputo on May 18, 2014. International competitions South Sudan is yet to appear in the AFCON or FIFA World Cup. The biggest competition they have participated in is the CECAFA (2012, 2013, 2015 and 2017). Their best was a quarterfinals berth in 2015 in Ethiopia. How they got to this stage South Sudan shocked Kenya 2-0 at the Juba International Stadium in the first leg of the first qualifying round game on October 28. Winger Ezbon Maalesh opened the scoring in the 50th minute before Johannes Folino made it 2-0 in the 68th minute. The return leg in Nairobi ended 1-1, with South Sudan progressing to the second qualifying round on a 3-1 aggregate. ALSO READ: CHAN Qualifiers: South Sudan names squad for Amavubi clash Head Coach (Nicholas Dupuis) The Bright Stars are coached by French national Nicholas Dupuis. The 56-year-old took charge of the team in 2023 after seeing off his three-year stint with Madagascar. He is gradually building a winsome team as the country, during his tenure, managed to hold with Mauritania, defeated the likes of Congo Brazzaville and Kenya among others. Dupuis holds a UEFA pro license and has also coached French lower tier side AS Moulins Yzeure. Most capped player Midfielder Peter Chol, who features for local side Kator FC, is the country's most capped player with 41 appearances. He has 4 goals to his name since his first call up in 2015. Chol is a box-to-box midfielder who can defend and attack at the same time. He is one of the most respected players in the South Sudan national team. Other key Players Johanna Paulino The gangling centre forward plies his trade with Jamus FC Juba in the domestic league. He was in fine form during the 2023/24 season, as his goals were crucial to helping Jamus qualify for the CAF Confederation cup. The attacker has good aerial ability, and great pace to cause problems for any defender on any day. Paulino scored against Uganda in the 2024 AFCON qualifiers Group K game against Uganda on October 15. Athir Thomas At 37, Thomas is the most experienced player in the South Sudan squad. He played 4 games for main Sudan from 2010 to 2012 before deciding to feature for South Sudan in 2012 after they got independence. Athir is a towering centre back with great athleticism. His calmness at the back and ability to organize the back four has been beneficial for the Bright Stars. He plays his club football for Al Merreikh Bentiu in South Sudan. Tactics Dupuis' preferred formation is the attacking 3-5-2. He plays with three players at the back, two wingbacks, one holding midfielder, two attacking midfielders and two strikers. When he is on the offensive, it is 3-5-2 but when he is defending it becomes 5-4-1. South Sudanese has a very tall population and this gives Dupuis advantage at the back as well as in attack. They leave two tall strikers in the opponent box and the wingbacks overlap and whip in crosses for them to finish with their head. Short falls South Sudan does not have so many skillful players and, if they meet a team which plays possession football and put the ball on the ground, they find it difficult to cope with the momentum. They eventually lost 3-2 to South Africa in the AFCON Qualifiers as Bafana Bafana switched to this formation. Trivia South Sudan is the only country on the African continent which has banned dreadlocks. One has to apply for a permit from the Police before he or she can grow dreadlocks. Locals are arrested for sporting dreadlocks without permit. Tourists or foreigners with dreadlocks who enter the country are questioned by the Police.
