AFCON
AFCON QUALIFIERS: NIGERIA SEEK REVENGE, 2019 TICKET
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
The first of two matches pitching Nigeria and South Africa against themselves take place this weekend with arguably the more important happening on Saturday at the FNB Stadium (well known as Soccer City) in Johannesburg.
Nigeria’s senior male team, the Super Eagles square up against Bafana Bafana in the penultimate group qualifier for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, while their female counterparts, the Super Falcons begin their title chase against Banyana Banyana on Sunday in the African Women’s Championship in Ghana.
Back to the present, the Group E 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier in Johannesburg is a grudge match for the Super Eagles after disappointing their fans in Uyo by losing 0-2 in the first leg. The South Africans were all over themselves having never beaten their more illustrious counterparts in a competitive game before then. The Super Eagles have vowed to make South African fans walk home dejected the way the crowd in Uyo did on June 10, last year.
South Africa needs this match more than their guests, who will join five other teams, including hosts Cameroon, to qualify for the 2019 finals if they secure just a point. Should the Bafana Bafana lose this fixture and Libya overcome the group’s weakest team Seychelles, they will have to battle hard to avoid defeat in their final group match away to Libya. But defeat for Libya in Seychelles will mean both Nigeria and South Africa will be in Cameroon 2019 irrespective of the result in Johannesburg.
Both sides have selection concerns following injuries to some key players. For Nigeria, these include No 1 keeper Francis Uzoho, Wilfred Ndidi, long-time absentee John Obi Mikel and Odion Ighalo, whose three goals in the last two matches helped the team to produce positive results.
For Bafana Bafana, they will miss Kamohelo Mokotjo, Dean Furman, Bongani Zungu, Keagan Dolly, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Bradley Grobler.
After three straight defeats and heavy goal deficits, Seychelles managed to pick a point in their last qualifying match when they played goalless at home against South Africa.
They host the Libyans, whose Cameroon 2019 aspiration was dealt a big blow by back-to-back defeats by the Super Eagles. The homeless Libyans require maximum points to stay in contention, that if South Africa fails to achieve double victory over Nigeria. A draw in Victoria will still give the North Africans a chance in their last group fixture, if Nigeria win in Johannesburg.
The Ugandans require to avoid defeat to visiting Cape Verde Islands to confirm their Cameroon 2019 ticket. Leading Group L, the Cranes have established a five-point cushion over Tanzania and an additional one point over this afternoon’s opponents.
Uganda are in fine form after winning all but one of their group matches; the odd one being the goalless result versus Tanzania on Matchday 2.
In Group B where only one spot is available as Cameroon feature here, Malawi will do themselves a world of good if they beat Comoros Islands, who are already eliminated.
That will bring the Flames three points behind group leaders Morocco, who they host in their last group match next March.
Morocco will however not need that match if Malawi get beaten by Comoros Islands as the Atlas Lions will have qualified for Cameroon 2019 by that result in Moroni, the capital city of Comoros Islands.
Namibia share the spotlight with Guinea-Bissau in Group K with both teams clashing to shape things up here.
Mozambique and Zambia, who go head-to-head tomorrow in Maputo, will be waiting in the wings to catch up with the losing side in this Saturday’s group match as they are both three points adrift of Namibia and Guinea-Bissau.
Senegal, having already qualified for the finals along with Madagascar, may take things easy against Equatorial Guinea, who are out of the race together with Sudan in Group A.
Gabon welcomes second placed Mali to Libreville’s Stade d’Angondjé striving to win to snatch leadership of Group C from Burundi, who beat South Sudan away on Friday.
Gabon sits at No 3 but are only a point short of Mali.
This group will be decided on the last Matchday between Burundi, Mali and Gabon as South Sudan have crashed out.
In Group D, Benin Republic seeks a double over hosts Gambia, who are at the foot of the table. If the Squirrels succeed in the Gambian mission, they will go above the Algerians, who are away to Togo on Sunday.
All the teams in this group remain in the chase for two tickets to Cameroon 2019.
Saturday’s fixtures…
Group A: Equatorial Guinea v Senegal (first leg Senegal 3-0) (4pm)
Group B: Comoros Islands v Malawi (first leg Malawi 1-0) (1pm)
Group C: Gabon v Mali (first leg Mali 2-1) (4pm)
Group D: Gambia v Benin Republic (first leg Benin Republic 1-0) (5:30pm)
Group E: Seychelles v Libya (first leg Libya 5-1) (1:30pm), South Africa v Nigeria (first leg South Africa 2-0) (2pm)
Group K: Namibia v Guinea-Bissau (first leg Guinea-Bissau 1-0) (3pm)
Group L: Uganda v Cape Verde Islands (first leg Uganda 1-0) (2pm)
Sunday’s fixtures…
Group A: Madagascar v Sudan (first leg Madagascar 3-1) (12:30pm)
Group D: Togo v Algeria (first leg Algeria 1-0) (5pm)
Group F: Ethiopia v Ghana (first leg Ghana 5-0), Kenya v Sierra Leone (first leg Sierra Leone 2-1) (both 2pm)
Group G: Congo Republic v DR Congo (first leg DR Congo 3-1) (3:30pm), Liberia v Zimbabwe (first leg Zimbabwe 3-0) (5pm)
Group H: Rwanda v Central Africa Republic (first leg Central Africa Republic 2-1) (2:30pm), Guinea v Côte d’Ivoire (first leg Guinea 3-2) (6pm)
Group I: Angola v Burkina Faso (first leg Burkina Faso 3-1) (4pm), Mauritania v Botswana (first leg Mauritania 1-0) (6pm)
Group J: eSwatini v Niger Republic (first leg 0-0) (2:30pm)
Group K: Mozambique v Zambia (first leg Mozambique 1-0) (2:30pm)
Group L: Lesotho v Tanzania (first leg 1-1) (3pm)
Finalists so far…
Cameroon (hosts); Madagascar, Senegal (both Group A); Tunisia, Egypt (both Group J)
Possible qualifiers this Saturday…
Nigeria, South Africa (both Group E); Morocco (Group B); Uganda (Group L)
Eliminated…
Equatorial Guinea, Sudan (both Group A); Comoros Islands (Group B), South Sudan (Group C), Seychelles (Group E), eSwatini, Niger Republic (both Group J)
Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe would welcome an investigation into corruption at the organisation, saying they have nothing to hide following a meeting with Senegalese officials in Dakar on Wednesday.
Senegal’s government last month demanded an investigation into corruption after the country was stripped of their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations title by the CAF Appeal Board, and the trophy was awarded to the final opponents, Morocco.
It follows unruly scenes in the January 18 decider in Rabat that Senegal won 1-0, but during which they left the field for several minutes in protest at a late refereeing decision.
Motsepe met with officials from the Senegalese Football Federation and Senegal president Bassirou Diomaye Faye on Wednesday, where he urged unity following the fallout from the final. He will be in Morocco on Thursday for a similar set of meetings.
“I would welcome any investigation into corruption at CAF, be it by a government or any institution,” Motsepe told reporters. “In fact, I would encourage it. We will give them our full cooperation.
“I have been told there were problems in the past and we intervened. It is not just in football, but in business and politics too. We cannot give our children the perception that if you want to succeed in life, be corrupt. There has to be zero tolerance (for corruption).
“That’s the best gift we can give football in Africa. Not just talking about corruption, but intervene, put the necessary laws in place) and implement them.”
Motsepe would not be drawn on the matter between Senegal and Morocco, which is now before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
“There is nothing I can tell you that I haven’t said already 10, 15, 20 times. You can ask me the same question 100 times, I’ll give you the same answer 100 times. I have an obligation to respect that the matter is now in front of the highest (sports) court in the world.”
Motsepe quashed any suggestion that Morocco had been treated favourably in the appeal process.
“Under no circumstances will any single country in Africa be treated more preferentially or more favourably than any other. That will never happen,” he said.
“We are confident we will come out of these challenges more united amongst the 54 nations in Africa.”
-Reuters
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By Kunle Solaja.
Patrice Motsepe has intensified his diplomatic shuttle across African football corridors with a crucial visit to Morocco scheduled for Thursday, as the fallout from the controversial AFCON 2025 Final continues to reverberate across the continent.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed that Motsepe will meet with Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF), alongside other key stakeholders within Morocco’s football ecosystem.
Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF)
The high-level engagement in Rabat comes barely 24 hours after Motsepe’s crisis-management visit to Senegal, underlining CAF’s urgency in addressing the tensions and conflicting reports that have trailed the AFCON final.
Thursday’s meeting is expected to focus on fact-finding, reconciliation, and institutional alignment following the chaotic circumstances that marred the tournament’s climax. The Moroccan FA has been central to the unfolding controversy, with administrative and refereeing decisions from the final still under scrutiny.
CAF disclosed that the visit will conclude with a press conference in Rabat at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), where Motsepe is expected to address the media and possibly provide updates on CAF’s ongoing review of the final.
While details of the agenda remain closely guarded, the visit signals a continuation of Motsepe’s hands-on approach to crisis resolution, engaging directly with national federations in a bid to preserve the integrity of African football competitions.
CAF and the FRMF have indicated that further details regarding the outcomes of the visit will be communicated in due course, as stakeholders across the continent await clarity on one of the most contentious finals in recent AFCON history.
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CAF President Patrice Motsepe is set to visit Senegal on Wednesday for high-level talks with President Bassirou Diomaye Faye and the leadership of the Fédération Sénégalaise de Football, in what is widely seen as a crucial diplomatic move amid lingering controversy over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Final.
The visit comes against the backdrop of the chaotic and disputed AFCON 2025 final in Rabat, a match marred by heavy rainfall, administrative confusion, and conflicting official reports from within CAF and its committees.
The uncertainty surrounding the outcome of that final has cast a shadow over African football governance, prompting urgent calls for clarity and institutional accountability.
Sources indicate that Motsepe’s meeting with President Faye will extend beyond routine courtesy, touching on broader issues of football governance, tournament integrity, and the role of national associations in safeguarding the credibility of continental competitions.
Senegal, a major stakeholder in African football and one of the continent’s most influential football nations, is expected to play a key role in shaping the narrative going forward.
Motsepe will also hold discussions with Abdoulaye Fall, focusing on collaboration between CAF and its member associations, as well as mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of the controversies that plagued the AFCON final.
While CAF has yet to officially outline the agenda, observers believe the visit signals an attempt by the continental body to consolidate support among key football nations and manage the fallout from the final’s unresolved issues.
The optics of engaging directly with political leadership further underline the seriousness of the situation.
CAF and the Senegalese Football Federation have both stated that more details regarding the visit will be released in due course, leaving stakeholders across the continent watching closely for signals on how African football’s governing body intends to restore confidence in its competitions.
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