South Sudan's national team coach, Nicholas Dupuis, during press conference at Juba National Stadium - Courtesy of SSFA

JUBA, South Sudan (Eye Radio) – Bright Stars head coach Nicolas Dupuis has described South Sudan’s 4-1 defeat to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) as a “normal result,” emphasizing the significant gap in experience and quality between the two national teams.

Speaking after the match at Juba National Stadium on Friday, September 5, the French tactician stated the outcome was not surprising.

He highlighted that DRC is ranked among Africa’s top six teams and fields a squad of European-based professionals.

“This is a normal result when you look at the differences in capacity between the two teams,” Dupuis said.

“Congo has a team of Europe-based professionals, while our squad is mostly made up of local players still building their experience.”

The Congolese team demonstrated their superiority early, securing a 3-0 lead in the first half with goals from C. Bakamu, Debole, and M. Mbaku.

They extended their lead shortly after halftime, before South Sudan’s Bright Stars managed to score a consolation goal in the 68th minute, drawing cheers from the home crowd.

The loss places South Sudan at the bottom of the group with three points, while DRC maintains its position at the top with 16 points.

Despite the heavy defeat, Dupuis expressed optimism about the team’s future. He believes that playing against a high-caliber opponent will be a valuable learning experience that helps his players grow stronger.