AFCON
Burundi ease past Chad in AFCON qualifier, Ethiopia take control with Yalew brace
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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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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