With one round to go before the end of the qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations, (AFCON 2023) fourteen teams have already booked their place in the finals.
The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will be held in Cote d’Ivoire from January 13 to February 11, 2024.
The qualifiers, which determine the 23 nations who will qualify for the tournament in addition to the host country, are drawing to a close.
At the end of the 5th and penultimate day, eight teams have qualified.
In Group A, Nigeria and Guinea Bissau have definitively broken away.
Travelling to Monrovia, Liberia for Sierra Leone’s home game, the Super Eagles edged out the Leone Stars 3-2 thanks to a clever goal from striker Kelechi Ịheanachọ after good work from left-back Zaidu Sanusi.
The Djurtus of Guinea Bissau edged São Tome and Príncipe (1-0) with Zinho Gano scoring the only goal of the game (55’).
Cabo Verde, in the top-of-the-table Group B clash got the better of
Burkina Faso (3-1).
With this home win, the Blue Sharks are level on points (10) with the Stallions.
Togo and Eswatini, five and eight points behind them respectively, are no longer a threat to these two teams.
In Group D, Egypt overturned Guinea (2-1) to qualify.
Despite losing to the Pharaohs, the Syli National did the same six days later.
A goalless draw between Ethiopia and Malawi was enough to keep Kaba
Diawara’s protégés in control of their destiny.
Mali, victors over Congo (2-0), will also be travelling to Cote d’Ivoire.
With goals from Ibrahim Kone and Nene Dorgeles, the Eagles beat the Diables rouges at Brazzaville’s Alphonse Massamba-Débat stadium.
Zambia, who missed out on the previous edition, beat the next hosts 3-0 to return to the continental showpiece.
The Chipolopolos led by the incisive Patson Daka, turned life into hell for the Elephants.
Captain Serge Aurier scored an own goal under pressure, a sign of the Ivorians’ rout.
Lastly, Equatorial Guinea beat Tunisia (1-0) to stay on the right track. The Nzalang Nacional thus move to the top of their group, just ahead of the Carthage Eagles, who had already qualified before this matchday.
In Groups C (Cameroon), E (Ghana) and I (Democratic Republic of Congo), anything is still possible.
The teams in these groups are all within touching distance of each other.
We’ll have to wait until the final matches, scheduled for early September 2023, for the outcome.
Group standings:
Group A: 1. Nigeria 12 pts (+12), 2. Guinea Bissau 10 pts (+5), 3.
Sierra Leone 5 pts (0), 4. São Tomé and Príncipe 1 point (-17)
Group B: 1 Burkina Faso 10 pts (+3), 2 Cabo Verde 10 pts (+3), 3 Togo
5 pts (-1), 4. Eswatini 2 pts (-5).
Group C: 1. Namibia 5 pts (0), 2. Cameroon 4 pts (0), 3. Burundi 4 pts (0).
Group D: 1. Egypt 12 pts (+6), 2, Guinea 9 pts (+2), 3. Malawi 4 pts
(-6), 4. Ethiopia 4 pts (-2)
Group E: 1. Ghana 9 pts (+4), 2. Angola 8 pts (+1), 3. Central African
Republic 7 pts (+3), 4. Madagascar 2 pts (-8).
Group F: 1. Algeria 15 pts (+7), 2. Tanzania 7 pts (-1), 3. Uganda 4
pts (-3), 4. Niger 2 pts (-3).
Group G: 1. Mali 12 pts (+9), 2. Gambia 9 pts (0), 3. Congo 6 pts
(-5), 4. South Sudan 3 pts (-4).
Group H: 1. Zambia 12 pts (+6), 2. Ivory Coast 10 pts (+3), 3. Comoros
6 pts (-2), 4. Lesotho 1 pt (-7).
Group I: 1. Mauritania 8 pts (+4), 2. DRC 7 pts (+2), 3. Gabon 7 pts
(-1), 4. Sudan 6 pts (-5).
Group J: 1. Equatorial Guinea 12 pts (+2), 2. Tunisia 10 pts (+7), 3.
Botswana 4 pts (-3), 4. Libya 3 pts (-6).
Group K: 1. South Africa 7 pts (+1), 2. Morocco 6 pts (+2), 3. Liberia
1 pt (-3).
Group L: 1. Senegal 13 pts (+8), 2. Mozambique 7 pts (-2), 3. Benin 5
pts (0), 4. Rwanda 2 pts (-6).
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