World Cup
Tunisia leave it late to down resilient Malawi as Ethiopia stun Djibouti with goal fest
Tunisia left it late but secured a crucial 2-0 win over a stubborn Malawi side to tighten their grip at the top of Group H in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers, while Ethiopia undoubtedly revived their campaign with a stunning 6-1 rout of Djibouti in Group A.
Seifeddine Jaziri came off the bench to break Malawi’s resistance with a headed goal in the 86th minute before Elias Achouri sealed the victory with a stoppage-time penalty.
The Carthage Eagles were frustrated for much of the match by a well-drilled Malawi defence and needed late interventions to secure all three points.
Jaziri, introduced in the 78th minute by Tunisia head coach Sami Trabelsi, took just eight minutes to justify his selection, connecting with a cross to beat goalkeeper William Thole, who had been outstanding throughout the contest.
Achouri’s penalty in the 92nd minute put the result beyond doubt after Malawi, desperate to rescue a point, conceded a foul in the box.
There was still late drama as Malawi were awarded a penalty deep into added time, but Aymen Dahmen guessed correctly to deny Richard Mbulu from the spot.
The result sees Tunisia move to 13 points from five matches, four ahead of second-placed Namibia who were held to a 1-1 draw by Equatorial Guinea earlier in the day.
Ethiopia explode into life in Group A
In Group A, Ethiopia served up one of the most dominant performances of the qualifiers so far, thrashing Djibouti 6-1 to register their first win of the campaign in spectacular style.
Hat-tricks from Bereka Desta and Abubeker Nassir lit up the Stade Ben M’Hamed El Abdi in El Jadida, Morocco, as the Walya Antelopes turned on the style against a hapless Djibouti defence.
Desta opened the scoring in the 19th minute and added further strikes in the 52nd and 70th minutes.
Nassir wasn’t to be outdone, netting in the 34th, 37th, and 58th minutes to complete a devastating display of attacking football.
Djibouti, now with just a single point from six games, had a brief moment of hope when Samuel Akinbinu pulled a goal back in the 51st minute.
But that proved to be a mere consolation as Ethiopia ran riot to climb to fourth place in the group standings, although they remain seven points behind leaders Egypt, who have a game in hand.
It was a statement win from Mesay Teferi’s side, who had struggled in earlier fixtures but will now hope to carry momentum into the final stretch of qualifying.
With two matchdays remaining, both Tunisia and Ethiopia have given their fans renewed hope – the former eyeing a return to the World Cup, and the latter showing they may yet have a say in Group A’s final outcome.
-CAF
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World Cup
Jordan Zemura is a man to watch as the trump card Zimbabwe Warriors rely on to harm the Super Eagles
Jordan Zemura, the Italia Serie A Udinese player who assisted in the two goals Zimbabwe scored against Benin Republic is the man that the Warriors of Zimbabwe will rely on in the Group C World Cup qualifying match with Nigeria this Tuesday.
He is believed to be very familiar with the strength and skills of Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen.
He had encountered both players in club games in Italy. Lookman plays for Atalanta and Osimhen was previously with Napoli.
Zemura is guaranteed a starting position in the match with Nigeria. However, according to information gleaned from local newspapers in Harare, the role to be assigned to him is not clear.
He himself told a Zimbabwean journalist currently in Uyo that his team would attempt to neutralise the dangerous combination of Lookman and Osimhen.
“Lookman at Atalanta is a very talented player. We also know that Osimhen is one of the best strikers in the world,” Zemura is quoted by Zimbabwe’s The Herald as saying.
“So playing against them atclub football is also very difficult. There is a lot of focus on these players because of how good they are and how effective they are in games.”
For that reason, coach Michael Nees may be forced to consider Nigeria’s quality in attack and its abilities which come with devastating effects against any African opposition.
The thinking in the Zimbabwean camp is to make defender, Divine Lunga attempt to pocket either Osimhen or Lookman.
The choice of the defender is premised on his perceived ability to cope with possible relentless Super Eagles attack
Zemura will be asked to take up one of the attacking places. According to Zimbabwean analysts, Tawanda Chirewa, Tawanda Maswanhise, and Walter Musona all started on the bench.
The analysis went further that Zemura is unlikely to be intimidated by Nigeria’s attack.
Against Rwanda, Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen led the attack, and Moses Simon and Samuel Chukwueze added to the danger down the flanks.
Zemura, according to reports, said he was ready to play wherever Coach Nees decided to play him, for as long as it helped the team for good results.
“Since I have been here with the Warriors, I have been playing everywhere, from left back, to central midfield, up front. So, yeah. I feel comfortable doing that and I quite enjoy it,” he said.
“The one thing that my father used to tell me when I was young was to be versatile and be able to play in many different positions.
“And also to feel comfortable in any position that you are asked to play so you can help the team in different ways,” said Zemura.
Zemura speaks from a position of authority, having faced Atalanta’s Lookman while Osimhen was at Napoli when the Zimbabwean joined Udinese for the 2023/24 season.
Although Lookman mostly plays wide on the left at Atalanta, his position in Nigeria’s attack means he can easily drift wide right as they seek to harm the Warriors.
“Both these players are very effective and it’s gonna be a challenge to keep them quiet. But we are ready for that challenge, and we will do everything that we can,” said Zemura.
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Ghana’s Thomas Partey scored twice, and Mohammed Kudus grabbed another as their side eased to a 3-0 win over Madagascar in a World Cup qualifier played in neutral Morocco on Monday to take a sizeable step towards a place at the tournament next year.
Ghana did not qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals in a surprise failure that stunned the continent, but they are well on course for a place at the 48-team World Cup which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
They have 15 points from six games in Group I, five ahead of second-placed Madagascar and six more than Mali in third with four rounds to play.
The top team in each of the nine groups earns a place at the global event, while the four best runners-up enter an arduous inter-continental playoff campaign for one further berth.
Partey netted two headers before Kudus provided a neat finish from a pass by Jordan Ayew, who set up all three goals.
Mali were held to a 0-0 draw by Central African Republic in a blow to their chances in Group I.
Cote d’Ivoire striker Sebastien Haller scored with a header from Simon Adingra’s cross as his side edged Gambia 1-0 in Abidjan to return to the top of Group F.
They are a point ahead of second-placed Gabon and have yet to concede a goal six games into their campaign.
Tunisia substitute Seifeddine Jaziri netted a header after 87 minutes and Elias Achouri added an injury-time penalty to end the stubborn resistance of 10-man Malawi in a 2-0 win in Rades.
Tunisia head Group H with 16 points from six games after Malawi’s Lloyd Aaron received a second yellow card after 64 minutes.
Second-placed Namibia are four points off the pace after being held to a 1-1 draw by Equatorial Guinea in neutral South Africa. Peter Shalulile gave the Namibians the lead after 51 minutes but Saul Coco equalised three minutes later.
Liberia beat minnows Sao Tome e Principe 2-1 in the other game in the pool.
Lassina Traore scored twice as Burkina Faso won 2-1 at Guinea-Bissau to keep the heat on Group A leaders Egypt. The Burkinabe are within two points of the Egyptians but have played a game more. The latter host Sierra Leone on Tuesday.
Abubeker Nasir scored a hat-trick as Ethiopia trounced Djibouti 6-1 in the other match in Group A.
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Eritrean referee, Teklu Mogos Tsegay will be at the centre when the Nigeria Super Eagles host Zimbabwe Warriors in Uyo on Tuesday. The match will be the third in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers that Tsegay will be officiating.
He was the centre referee in Lesotho’s goalless draw with Benin Republic and Mozambique’s 2-1 defeat of Somalia.
Years back, he officiated Enugu Rangers’ 2-1 defeat of Lesotho’s Bantu FC in the 2019/20 Confederation Cup duel which the Nigerian side won 2-1.
In the qualification series for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, he officiated in two matches – Chad’s 2-0 home loss to Cote d’Ivoire and the 1-1 draw of Comoros Islands versus Tunisia.
One certainty is that he is a no-nonsense referee as his yellow cards are always handy. In the two 2025 Afcon qualifying matches, he issued eight yellow cards.
When he officiated the Mozambique versus Somalia World Cup qualifying match, the Mozambicans got two yellow cards while Somalia had two double cautions that turned to expulsion while two other players got yellow cards.
In the Lesotho versus Benin World Cup qualifying match, a player on each side got a yellow card.
This call for caution on the players as Referee Tsegay asserts his authority. He will be assisted by compatriots, Eyobel Michael and Mengis Sirak Samuel. Ghanaian Prosper Harrison Addo will be the commissioner while Paulin Ilboudo from Burkina Faso will serve as referee assessor.
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Jordan Zemura is a man to watch as the trump card Zimbabwe Warriors rely on to harm the Super Eagles
Tunisia leave it late to down resilient Malawi as Ethiopia stun Djibouti with goal fest
Party time in Ghana as Partey’s double move Ghana nearer World Cup qualification
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