Guinea revived their hopes of progressing to the knockout stages of the TotalEnergies CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 with a convincing 3-1 victory over a 10-man Congo team on Tuesday.

After a defeat in their opening match against hosts Morocco, Guinea entered the Group A encounter at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat with a strong determination to secure a win.

Both teams started the game evenly matched, but it was Guinea who took the lead after just 10 minutes through a clinical strike by Aguibou Camara. Congo goalkeeper Dhody Chris Guelor Bissila had no chance as Camara unleashed a powerful shot from close range.

As the match progressed, Congo grew in confidence and intensified their offensive efforts. Their persistence paid off in the 40th minute when Yann Geoffrey Kouori Ngatse capitalized on miscommunication between Guinea's defenders and goalkeeper to equalize.

In the second half, Congo came out with determination, pushing for a second goal. Ngatse came close with a header in the 53rd minute, narrowly missing the target.

However, against the run of play, Congo conceded an unfortunate own goal in the 54th minute. Substitute Salifou Soumah delivered a well-placed cross that deflected off Jacques Geordy Ndecket Bowamba, beating his own goalkeeper and giving Guinea the advantage.

Guinea maintained control of possession and were awarded a penalty in the 70th minute when Congo goalkeeper Dhody Chris Guelor Bissila fouled Mohamed Cisse inside the box. Bissila received a red card, and although Simon Samba replaced him as the new goalkeeper, the subsequent penalty taken by Algassime Bah was saved by Samba.

Undeterred, Guinea continued to press forward, taking advantage of their numerical superiority. Salifou Soumah sealed Guinea's victory with a goal in the 84th minute, capitalizing on another defensive mix-up by Congo.

With their first three points secured in the tournament, Guinea now eagerly awaits their crucial final Group A match against Ghana.

Meanwhile, Congo Brazzaville's chances of advancing to the semifinals have been significantly diminished after suffering their second defeat, following a previous 3-2 loss to Ghana.