APA – Dakar (Senegal) – Nine teams have booked their places at the end of the sixth and final day of qualifying for the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AfCON) from 6 to 12 September 2023.
After Tuesday’s crunch game between Cameroon and Burundi, the list is now complete. All the qualifying places for the next major event in African football, scheduled for 13 January to 11 February 2024 in Côte d’Ivoire, have been taken. On this final day, there were six “finals” on the program.
Despite the earthquake measuring 6.9 on the Richter scale that struck Morocco on the night of Friday 8 to Saturday 9 September, The Gambia’s game against Congo Brazzaville still went ahead in Marrakech, a city also hit by the quake.
The Scorpions needed only a draw to secure second place, while the Red Devils had to win at all costs to ensure qualification. With their backs against the wall, Congo got off to a better start as Paul Put’s men scored twice through Gaïus Makouta (0-1, 30’) and Silvere Ganvoula M’Boussy (0-2, 45’+1) from the penalty spot in a first half in which The Gambia failed to score.
Doubtlessly shaken by their coach Tom Saintfiet during the interval, the Scorpions woke up in the second half. Yankuba Minteh and Ablie Jallow came on after the break. Minteh cut in at the far post with a flat right foot making it 1-2, on 79 minutes thanks to a deflection off the head of the colossus Muhammed Badamosi, who had been sent on three minutes earlier.
The center-forward then became the saviour of the game for the Scorpions when he nodded home Musa Barrow’s clinical cross, making it 2-2 in the 90th minute.
With the equaliser, The Gambia snatched qualification, much to the dismay of Beni Makouana, who inexplicably missed the target to make it three-nil.
The Scorpions will now be in Cote d’Ivoire to take part in the second AfCON in their history following their debut in Cameroon last year.
DR Congo unbeatable at home
The Martyrs stadium was packed to the rafters to host Sudan. The Democratic Republic of Congo were playing hard in front of their home fans. Taking advantage of a misalignment in the opposition defense, Theo Bongoda found himself in the thick of the action and scored with his left foot without having to control the ball (8’, 1-0). In other words, the pass was precise.
The Leopards, determined to wrap things up as quickly as possible, kept up the pressure on the Nile Crocodiles, their prey for the day. In the second half, Gael Kakuta almost scored the breakthrough goal. The attacking midfielder failed to hold on to a defender’s poor clearance to send the ball into the net.
Fiston Kalala Mayele finally buried Sudan’s last hopes. The striker from Young Africans (Tanzania), who was played into the penalty area by the opportunistic Elia Meschack, had time to cushion the ball with his thigh before slipping it between the keeper’s legs with a volley (2-0, 87’).
Chancel Mbemba and Cedric Bakambu’s Democratic Republic of Congo, who missed out on the previous edition, have also made a date with Càte d’Ivoire 2023. They finished the qualifiers on a high with four wins in a row.
Mauritania go through by forceps
They did it! In an overheated Cheikha Ould Boïdiya stadium in Nouakchott, Mauritania beat Gabon two goals to one. The Mourabitounes were outnumbered from the 5th minute after referee Mustapha Ghorbal sent off goalkeeper Jean-Noël Amonome, who had fouled Aboubakar Kamara.
Twenty-five minutes later, Coach Amir Abdou’s charges broke the Panthers’ deadlock. Hemeya Tanjy, launched into the back of the defence by Bodda Mouhsine, controlled with his chest and crucified Anthony Mfa Mezui, Amonome’s replacement. The Gabonese, uninspired in defensive phases, were punished again in the 42nd minute.
Aboubakar Kamara exploited a mistake at the back to double the lead with a clear left-foot shot. In the second half, Gabon failed to produce the kind of play that would have enabled them to turn the match around. Didier Ndong’s strike after El Hassan Houbeib had been sent off (85′) was anecdotal.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Panthers, partnered in attack by Denis Bouanga and Jim Allevinah, have had a poor start to the qualifiers, losing three of their last three games. At 34, the Olympique de Marseille center-forward’s return to the national side was not enough to turn things around.
Mozambique end 14-year wait
The Mambas had not tasted the delights of participation in the Africa Cup of Nations since the 2010 edition, hosted by Angola. Mozambique, on seven points going into their clash with Benin, could have been content with a draw. But anything other than a win would have eliminated the Cheetahs.
Steve Mounie coolly converted a penalty to put Benin on the right track (0-1, 20′). Mozambique were not in doubt for long, however, as Witi superbly slotted home a back-heeled cross from the left (1-1, 27’).
In the moments that followed, the Cheetahs did not get their heads back in the game. The Mambas took full advantage, biting back a second. Ricardo Guimarães put his side ahead with a left-footed cross from inside the penalty area (2-1, 31′).
In the second half, Benin kept alive their hopes of qualification when Jodel Dossou equalised, extending Abdoul Rachid Moumini’s heavy, outstretched shot into the net (2-2, 50′). The Cheetahs, obliged to win, then rushed forward. As a result, the Mambas had more space. Clesio Bauque came one-on-one with Saturnin Allagbé in three stages, taking a touch, controlling and passing. The striker adjusted his body and opened his right foot to beat the Beninese rearguard (3-2, 90’+5). As in 2021 in Cameroon, the Cheetahs will not be part of the party.
Ghana shatter Central African dream
The Central African Republic are one of the countries that have never been to the CAF Africa Cup of Nations. The Fauves could have avoided having to play for their survival in Ghana. A victory over Angola on Match day 5 would have opened the door to Cote d’Ivoire. But they blew it by losing two goals to one.
Faced with a Ghana side that had not yet secured qualification, the task was complicated. But Luis Mafouta put the crowd at Kumasi’s Baba Yara Stadium to shame. The Central African striker took advantage of a poor clearance by the opposing goalkeeper and scored with his left foot after a short right hook (0-1, 25′).
As is so often the case at the 2022 World Cup, the Black Stars had to rely on Mohammed Kudus to break the deadlock. The new West Ham (England) player from Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands) wiped the slate clean with a marvelous free-kick of his own (1-1, 43’).
Ernest Nuamah then put the seal on the game with an assist from Antoine Semenyo (2-1, 88′). The Fauves were clearly paying for their lack of top-level experience. In the absence of their captain Geoffrey Kondogbia, who is injured at club level, the Central Africans came very close to a historic qualification. In the group’s other match, Angola got the job done against Madagascar (0-0).
Tanzania beat Uganda to the punch
Tanzania did not want to lose away in Algeria, as Uganda had already beaten Niger (0-2). At the ‘Stade du 19 Mai’ 1956 in Annaba, the Taifa Stars held their nerve against the Fennecs, who were already assured of top spot in the group.
Faced with a heavily reshuffled team, Tanzania struggled but never broke down. Throughout the game, Adel Amrouche’s men only controlled the ball for 19 percent of the time, passing just 143 times.
Nevertheless, they kept the 2019 African champions at bay. The latter had the potential to make a killing in these qualifiers with six wins in as many games. They will have to make do with 16 points, the best total of any group in this campaign.
Thanks to their hard-fought draw, Tanzania moved into 2nd place with 8 points to Uganda’s 7. The Taifa Stars, who were present in Egypt and absent from Cameroon, will be making their comeback in Cote d’Ivoire. Uganda, for their part, have missed out on a second successive Can final phase.
Cameroon on target
The Indomitable Lions, with goalkeeper Andre Onana back in the ‘Taniere’ (Lions’ den in English) after dropping out at the 2022 World Cup, were up to the task in the decisive match against the Swallows. Cameroon were very sluggish in the first half at the Roumde Adjia stadium in Garoua. They could even have gone behind had it not been for an inspired save from the Manchester United (England) goalkeeper just before half-time.
Burundi did better than resist, but a mistake by Christophe Nduwarugira changed the course of the match. A poor pass from the left allowed Bryan Mbeumo to beat the Swallows’ last line of defense (1-0, 46′). Freed by this unexpected goal, the Indomitable Lions extended their lead from a corner. Central defender Christopher Wooh came to the fore and, after a favorable counter-attack, catapulted the ball into the net (2-0, 59′).
ID/ac/fss/as/APA