AFCON
West Africa takes the lion share as Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Afcon field is now complete
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
All the 24 teams expected at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cote d’Ivoire in January have now emerged. Five-time champions, Cameroon were the last qualifiers when they laboured to a 2-0 win against lowly ranked Burundi on Tuesday night in Garoua, northern Cameroon.
Burundi needed just a draw to upstage Cameroon and looked on course for a dramatic qualification at the end of the first half. Returnee goalkeeper, Andre Onana had to pull many dangerous saves before Cameroon turned the game around in the second half.
Cameroon are therefore returning to Cote d’Ivoire where they first won the title nearly 40 years ago after beating Nigeria 3-1 at the final.
With their qualification, a formidable field of 12 former champions is established. That is half of the entire field. In addition, all the first currently top 16 ranked teams are in the fold of 24.
Egypt, the most successful team in the competition, having won seven times are back, hunting for a eighth victory. In-form Super Eagles, who last won the title 10 years ago, are hoping for a fourth title.
Tanzania are also back for the second time after a long wait from 1980 to 2019. West Africa will be presenting a strong field of 11 that include Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Cape Verde and The Gambia.
That leaves the other regions of North, South, East and Central Africa sharing the remaining 14 slots. From North Africa, Morocco leads a field of four that include Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.
Central Africa have three teams – Cameroon, Congo DR and Equatorial Guinea. From Southern Africa are the quintet of South Africa, Angola, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia.
Tanzania is the only team from East Africa. The final draw will hold on 12 October in Abidjan. The complete field runs thus:
Cote d’Ivoire (hosts), Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo DR, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Zambia
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.
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.
The Super Eagles have not won a qualifying match for any competition since their 6-0 defeat of Principe & Sao Tome on 10th 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.
What a goal-laden day for Nigeria; Falconets also win with wide margin!
Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!
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