Burundi took a commanding step towards the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers with a convincing 4-0 away win over Chad in the first leg of the preliminary round on Friday.

Goals from Jordi Liongola, Bienvenue Kanakimana, Abdoul Karim and Mossi Nduwumwe secured a dominant win at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno in N’Djamena, giving Burundi a strong advantage ahead of the return leg in Bujumbura.

The result puts Burundi firmly in control of the two-legged tie as they look to progress to the group stage qualifiers of the next continental finals, set to be hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Burundi made a fast start and were rewarded as early as the sixth minute when Liongola opened the scoring, capitalising on defensive uncertainty to give the visitors an early lead.

Chad struggled to recover from the setback and found themselves further behind just after the half-hour mark when Kanakimana doubled Burundi’s advantage in the 32nd minute.

Trailing 2-0 at the break, Chad needed a strong response but it was Burundi who continued to dictate proceedings in the second half.

Karim extended the lead in the 63rd minute, effectively putting the tie beyond the hosts, before Nduwumwe added a fourth goal in the 74th minute to cap a clinical performance.

Meanwhile, Abel Yalew scored twice as Ethiopia secured a convincing 3-0 victory over Sao Tome & Principe to take firm control of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 preliminary round tie.

Kenean Markneh had earlier set Ethiopia on their way with a 22nd-minute opener at El Abdi Stadium in El Jadida, Morocco, before Yalew struck nine minutes later to double the lead and silence any hopes of a response.

Yalew added his second of the night late on, finishing confidently in the 78th minute to hand Ethiopia a commanding advantage ahead of the return leg on 31 March.

The result puts Ethiopia in a strong position as they seek to progress to the group stage of the qualifiers for the 2027 finals.

Elsewhere, Somalia and Mauritius played out a goalless draw in their first-leg clash, leaving their tie finely balanced heading into the return fixture.

The preliminary round marks the beginning of the road to the Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027, with 12 of the continent’s lowest-ranked teams competing for six places in the group stage qualifiers.

With a four-goal cushion, Burundi will head into the second leg full of confidence, while Chad face a daunting task to overturn the deficit and keep their qualification hopes alive.

-Cafonline

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French journalist Romain Molina has claimed that interference influenced proceedings in a high-profile case involving Morocco and Senegal, handled by the Confederation of African Football.

In a video clip circulating online, Molina rejected accusations that he holds anti-Moroccan views, insisting instead that the facts available to him point to developments that, at one stage, went against Morocco’s interests.

“I’m telling you, in the first instance, there was interference against Morocco… I stand by it,” Molina said, adding that his position is based on what he described as behind-the-scenes information.

Molina revealed the existence of a message allegedly sent by Augustin Senghor, President of the Senegalese Football Federation and a member of CAF’s Executive Committee, to CAF President Patrice Motsepe prior to the appeals committee’s decision.

According to Molina, Senghor expressed concern over reports of a “secret meeting” that was allegedly aimed at influencing the case in favour of Morocco and against Senegal.

The journalist argued that the message raises serious questions about internal dynamics within CAF, suggesting that Motsepe could not claim ignorance of tensions within the governing body if such communication had indeed been received.

Molina also pointed to what he described as a contradiction in Senghor’s position—raising concerns privately while remaining publicly silent on the alleged meeting.

“On one hand, he warns about a secret meeting… on the other, he does not come out publicly to explain what he knows,” Molina said, questioning why such claims have not been openly addressed.

While the claims have sparked debate within football circles, there has been no official confirmation from CAF regarding the alleged interference or the existence of any secret meeting.

The case itself, which has already generated significant attention across African football, continues to highlight concerns over governance, transparency and decision-making processes within the continental body.

Molina’s remarks are likely to intensify scrutiny on CAF’s disciplinary and appeals procedures, particularly at a time when African football governance is under increasing global attention.

Whether the allegations will prompt further investigation or official clarification remains to be seen, but the controversy has once again brought internal decision-making within CAF into sharp focus.

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South Sudan delivered a dominant display to thrash Djibouti 4-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 Preliminary Round first-leg encounter in Juba on Thursday, taking a firm grip on the tie ahead of the return leg.

Keer Majak was the standout performer, scoring once and providing two assists in a commanding all-round display that underlined South Sudan’s superiority and attacking intent.

The hosts set the tone early, controlling possession and pressing aggressively in search of an opener. Their breakthrough came in the 31st minute when Justin Bangasi teed up Teng Kuol, who finished confidently to give South Sudan a deserved lead.

Despite being under sustained pressure, Djibouti managed to limit further damage before the interval, trailing 1-0 at halftime and still harbouring slim hopes of a comeback.

However, any resistance quickly faded after the restart as South Sudan raised the tempo. Bangasi doubled the advantage in the 49th minute, finishing off a well-worked move orchestrated by Majak.

Majak continued to dictate proceedings and turned provider again in the 66th minute, setting up Peter Manyang to make it 3-0 and effectively put the contest beyond reach.

The forward then crowned his outstanding performance with a goal of his own in the 81st minute, sealing an emphatic victory for the home side.

The result leaves Djibouti with a daunting task in the return leg, as they must produce an exceptional performance to overturn the heavy deficit.

With both legs scheduled to be played in Juba, South Sudan will be confident of completing the job and advancing to the next stage of the qualifiers, where six teams will secure places in the group phase of the AFCON 2027 campaign.

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