AFCON
SUPER EAGLES OPEN 2019 AFCON ACCOUNT WITH BURUNDI
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Super Eagles will begin their quest for a fourth title in the Africa Cup of Nations with a match with Burundi at the Alexandria Stadium on June 22. It will be the first match of the two sides since the Super Eagles beat Itamba of Burundi 2-0 at the MKO Abiola Stadium on 23 January 1999.
The solitary encounter of both teams was a qualifying duel for the 2000 championship, which Nigeria later co-hosted with Ghana thus nullifying the encounter and making the return leg unnecessary.
The Burundi team is in the competition as debutants. Since Africa Cup of Nations’ matches are played as double headers at the group stage, Guinea will immediately after the Nigeria-Burundi clash, take on Madagascar, the second debutant of the tournament.
NIGERIA-BURUNDI HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 1 1 0 0 2 0
Burundi 1 0 0 1 0 2
- 23 Jan. 1999 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-0 Burundi
Nigeria’s crunch game will be against Guinea on June 26. Previous clashes of both teams are almost even. Both had met 14 times and each won four and drew six.
This will be the second Africa Cup of Nations’ clash
of the two teams since they met at Ethiopia ’76. The score line then was 1-1
following Muda Lawal’s goal in the 52nd minute and Papa Camara’s
equaliser at the dot of 90 minutes.
Ali Bangoura at the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
Both teams have however met on other instances outside the Africa Cup of Nations’ tournaments.
Significantly, it was Guinea that Nigeria eliminated to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 1963. Nigeria forced a 2-2 draw in Lagos in the qualifying match but lost the return leg 1-0.
The match was however awarded to Nigeria on technical ground as Guinean referees officiated the return leg.
It was also Guinea that Nigeria defeated to win first continental honours, the gold medal of the football event of the 2nd All Africa Games in Lagos in 1973.
Both Nigeria and Guinea maintained rivalries in the 1963 with the introduction of the Tafawa Balewa Cup, a trophy donated for bilateral competition by the first Nigerian Prime Minister.
In the first leg of the only edition of the competition, Guinea beat Nigeria 3-0 in Conakry while the return leg ended 1-1 in Lagos.
Both teams had also met in World Cup qualifiers, playing 1-1 in Conakry and Henry Nwosu snatching a 90th minute winner in the return leg in Lagos in 1981.
Nigeria similarly beat Guinea over tow legs in the
quest for France ’98 World Cup. Guinea however denied Nigeria qualification for
the 2012 Africa Cup of Nation after beating Nigeria 1-0 in Conakry and forcing
a 2-2 draw in Abuja.
Significantly, the October 8, 2011 match was Super Eagles’ last match at the Abuja National Stadium.
Nigeria last group match of Afcon 2019 will be against debutants, Madagascar. It is scheduled for June 30 at the Alexandria Stadium at the same time Burundi will be facing Guinea in Cairo.
NIGERIA-GUINEA HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 14 4 6 4 17 14
Guinea 14 4 6 4 14 17
- 27 Jul. 1963 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea
- 6 Oct. 1963 (Afconq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria * match awarded to Nigeria on technical ground
- 1 Dec. 1971(Balewa Cup) Guinea 3-0 Nigeria
- 30 Jan. 1972(Balewa Cup) Nigeria 1-1 Guinea
- 18 Jan. 1973 (2AAG) Nigeria 2-0 Guinea
- 9 March 1976 (Afcon) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 12 Apr. 1981 (WCq) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 25 Apr. 1981 (WCq) Nigeria 1-0 Guinea
- 9 Apr. 1989(Afconq) Guinea 1-1 Nigeria
- 22 Apr. 1989 (Afconq) Nigeria 3-0 Guinea
- 5 Apr. 1997 (WCq) Nigeria 2-1 Guinea
- 17 Aug. 1997 (WCq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria
- 10 Oct. 2010 (Afconq) Guinea 1-0 Nigeria
- 8 Oct. 2011 (Afconq) Nigeria 2-2 Guinea
The game against Madagascar will be Super Eagles’ fifth encounter with the home country of CAF President, Ahmad.
Nigeria won three of the four previous clashes and drew only one. Their first clash was on October 7, 2001 in Antananarivo. The 2002 Afcon qualifier ended goalless.
NIGERIA-MADAGASCAR HEAD-TO-HEAD
P W D L GF GA
Nigeria 4 3 1 0 5 0
Madagascar 4 0 1 3 0 5
- 7 Oct. 2000 (Afconq) Madagascar 0-0 Nigeria
- 2 June 2001 (Afconq) Nigeria 1-0 Madagascar
- 5 Sept. 2010(Afconq) Nigeria 2-0 Madagascar
- 3 Sept. 2011(Afconq) Madagascar 0-2 Nigeria
Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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