AFCON

Africa Cup of Nations 2023: Lots to play for in final round of qualifiers

Published

1 year ago

September 4, 2023

At the end of this qualifying round to be played this week, the 24 nations qualified for the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Côte d’Ivoire 2023 will be known.

CAFOnline.com takes this opportunity to take a look at the latest clashes, with nine places still up for grabs at Africa’s biggest football spectacle next year.

Group A

Nigeria and Guinea Bissau are the two teams who will play in the Côte d’Ivoire tournament. The Super Eagles with 12 points and the Djurtus qualified on Matchday 5 of these qualifiers at the expense of Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe.

Qualified: Nigeria and Guinea Bissau

Group B

Like Group A, the two qualifiers for Africa’s biggest football showpiece in Group B are already known. They are Burkina Faso (10 pts) and Cape Verde (10 pts). Togo and Eswatini remain on the sidelines.

Qualified: Burkina Faso and Cape Verde

Group C

In this three-team group, Namibia (5 points), Burundi (4 points) and Cameroon (4 points) are all within a good chance of qualifying. Cameroon and Burundi meet on 12 September, and if one of the two teams wins the other will be automatically eliminated.

Group D

Current silver-medalists from the last edition Egypt, are through with 12 points and are joined by Guinea on 9 points. Both sides will be in Cote d’Ivoire at the expense of Malawi and Ethiopia who fell short.

Qualified: Egypt and Guinea

Group E

Three teams for two slots. Ghana (9 points), Angola (8 points) and the Central African Republic (7 points) are still fighting it out for a place in Cote d’Ivoire.

Madagascar, with 2 points, has been eliminated. Angola will play their qualifier at home against Madagascar with Ghana taking on the Central African Republic.

The Black Stars, leaders of the group, have nine points but could be eliminated on goal difference if Angola beat Madagascar and the Ghanaians lose in their home match in Kumasi.

Group F

Algeria have already secured a place in Côte d’Ivoire, with the second place to be decided between Tanzania and Uganda. The Taifa Stars travel to Annaba and the Fennecs will be hoping to end their qualifying campaign with a clean sweep.

Uganda must beat Niger and hope Tanzania slip up in Algeria. Even then, Uganda will need to have a more advantageous goal-average than Tanzania to qualify. Niger, who are fourth in the group, are out.

Qualified: Algeria

Tied on points: Uganda and Tanzania

Group G

Mali (12 pts) qualified on the fifth day of the qualifiers while the second place will be decided between Gambia (9 points) and Congo (6 points). The Gambia host Congo on the final matchday. Congo must win to qualify, while a draw will suffice for the Scorpions. It should be noted that with three points South Sudan are eliminated.

Qualified: Mali

Tied on points: Gambia and Congo

Group H

There is no suspense in Group H. Zambia (12 points) have qualified, as have hosts Côte d’Ivoire (10 points). The Comoros (6 points) and Lesotho (1 point) will not be making the trip to the western tip of the continent.

Qualified: Zambia and Côte d’Ivoire

Group I

Suspense guaranteed! Everything will come down to the final day in Group I.

DR Congo (9 points), Mauritania (7 points), Gabon (7 points) and Sudan (6 points), are all within reach of a ticket to Cote d’Ivoire.

The Leopards travel to Sudan and the Murabitounes to Gabon. A win for DR Congo against Sudan would confirm their qualification.

In the event of a draw, the two opponents will have to wait for the result between Gabon and Mauritania. In the other match, qualification will go to the winner between Mauritania and Gabon.

Group J

In Group J, Equatorial Guinea (12 points) and Tunisia (10 points) have qualified, leaving Botswana (4 points) and Libya (3 points) on the sidelines.

Qualified: Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia

Group K

The three-team group has delivered its verdict. South Africa (7 points) and Morocco (6 points) have qualified, which sees Liberia missing out.

Qualified: South Africa and Morocco

Group L

Senegal (13 points), the reigning African champions, have already qualified. The second spot will then be decided between Mozambique (7 points) and Benin (5 points).

The advantages somewhat sits with Mozambique who are at home against Benin, needing just a point to qualify. Rwanda who are on two points have been eliminated.

Qualified: Senegal

To be decided between: Mozambique and Benin

AFCON

Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!

Published

6 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

What a turn-around! After four previous competitive matches without a win, the Super Eagles have regained their winning mentality after a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.

The win also put the Super Eagles at the top of the Group D after both Libya and Rwanda played 1-1 draw last Thursday.

It is also the biggest win by the Super Eagles since their 2023 6-0 win over Sao Tome & Principe last year September.

Great man Ademola Lookman, he put in two goals straightening the possibility of his emerging as 2024 African Footballer of the Year.

The current title holder, Victor Osimhen proved his mettle coming off the bench in the second half to double Nigeria’s lead after Lookman’s late first half goal.

The Super Eagles will now honour their next fixture against Rwanda on Tuesday with the hope of consolidating their lead.

Benin Republic with no points and a deficit of three goals are rooted at the bottom of the log.

AFCON

‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful!’, Rev Ikpea calls on football fans to rally round Super Eagles

Published

13 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU

The National Chairman of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Rev. Samuel Ikpea has called on all Nigerians to rally round and pray for the Super Eagles ahead of Saturday’s Morocco 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo.

Ikpea who is mobilizing support for the Super Eagles ahead of the clash in Uyo said that whatever Benin Republic come with both spiritually and physically in the game, we will surely overcome them.

“In the NFSC we have Christians, Muslims as well as those who believe in traditional worship and we respect the rights of freedom of worship of every member and all Nigerians.

“When we are faced with this kind of crucial game, we call on everyone to pray through their various believes because we foresee that Benin Republic are most likely coming to fall back on ‘black magic’ to enable them perfect a back-to-back victory over our Super Eagles after beating us 2-1 in our last meeting in a World Cup qualifier”

“We cannot underestimate the efficacy of the black magic” Ikpea further stressed, “but we believe that when we come together we can neutralize it’s efficacy.

“This is no time to sleep, we all have to rally round and do our best to support our Super Eagles because they cannot do it alone without the prayers and support of all Nigerians.

“While charging Nigerians to be positive with the team, we at the NFSC have done everything positive to overturn whatever plans they are coming with and we enjoin everyone to toe that path through prayers”.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp is bubbling with training in Uyo, as team Coach Austin Eguavoen, has been working hard to perfect tactics with the boys and ensure the Super Eagles soar on Saturday.

AFCON

Will Super Eagles regain their winning mentality?

Published

15 hours ago

September 7, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The Super Eagles have not won a qualifying match for any competition since their 6-0 defeat of Principe & Sao Tome on 10^th September 2023 in Uyo. That was their last qualifying match for Cote d’Ivoire 2023 played in 2024.

Since then, they have played four World Cup qualifying matches without a win despite being the overwhelming favourites at those matches.

A forensic analysis of their World Cup qualifying since that of Qatar 2022 will reveal they had played seven consecutive matches without a win starting from their 1-1 home draw with Cape Verde in Lagos which qualified them for the play off. In the play off with Ghana, the Super Eagles drew the two matches.

In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, they have gone four matches, getting three draws and a loss. The prospect of their getting a straight qualification from the group is doubtful as they have a mountain to climb by winning the remaining six matches, three of which are away duels of which are most likely to be played in South Africa, the home ground of their main rivals.

Zimbabwe and Lesotho play their home matches in South Africa and Nigeria also still have an away duel with Bafana Bafana.

The qualification series of AFCON 2025 presents the Super Eagles a new beginning. Starting from the semi-finals of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, the team has won none of their four competitive matches in regulation time. The players have a date with destiny in Uyo this Saturday to wipe off the sagging image they have had in recent time.

A win will give the team the confidence expected in anticipation for future fixtures.