AFCON
Mambas looking to go beyond group stages for the first time in Cote d’Ivoire
- The Mambas are in Group B with Ghana, Egypt and Cape Verde
- After a fourteen-year absence, Mozambique are back in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations
- Chiquinho Condé’s men hope to qualify for knockout stages for the first time
Mozambique is back in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations after a 14-year absence.
The Mambas, who have been on an exciting rebuilding phase will be hoping to build from the momentum that saw them reach the quarter-finals of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) in Algeria earlier this year.
The Southern African nation is pitted in a tough Group B consisting of two former champions, Ghana and Egypt along with the unpredictable Cape Verde.
They will be hoping to go beyond the group stages of the competition for the first time against their more fancied opponents when they meet in Cote d’Ivoire next month.
Mozambique’s matches in Group B
- 14 January: Egypt – Mozambique: 17h00 GMT | Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan
- 19 January: Cape Verde – Mozambique: 14h00 GMT | Stade Félix-Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan
- January 22, 2024: Mozambique – Ghana 20h00GMT | Stade Alassane-Ouattara, Abidjan
How they qualified:
The Mambas finished second in Group I behind Senegal after doing well to beat Benin 3-2 in a dramatic final round.
Key Player: Geny Catamo
Left-footed and versatile, Geny Catamo is capable of occupying all positions in attack, although he is most often used as a right winger or supporting striker.
His liveliness and dribbling make him one of the Mambas’ main weapons. However, Catamo’s originality lies in his ability to go beyond his wing role and evolve into a playmaker, both on the wing and in the centre. He also confuses his markers by sometimes allowing his full-back to advance ahead of him for him to then cut in and invert.
The coach: Chiquinho Condé
A hard working who demands the best from his charges, Francisco Queriol Conde Júnior known as Chiquinho Condé is a tactician that lives for the game.
A fan of the classic 4-4-2 system with a lot of hard-running, Mozambique will certainly not be an easy team to beat this season under the tutelage of Conde. Since taking over, his team is well known for high pressing and quickly recovering the ball.
The former Mambas captain also believes in a good defense and has used this in the past to frustrate his opponents, before catching them on the break.
Previous AFCON performances:
- 1986: 1st round
- 1996: 1st round
- 1998:1st round
- 2010: 1st round
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.
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