Five big observations from Africa Cup of Nations qualifying
Ed Dove runs through the key talking points from opening rounds of Afcon qualifiers across Africa.
Ed Dove runs through the key talking points from opening rounds of Afcon qualifiers across Africa.
Ethiopia caused the first real shock of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they came from behind to stun the Ivory Coast with a 2-1 vict
Egypt, without injured striker Mohamed Salah, lacked a cutting edge in front of goal as they were held to a 0-0 draw by tiny Comoros Islands.
Victor Osimhen has finally broken through at international level with the Super Eagles, and coach Gernot Rohr deserves credit for his emergence.
Nigeria and South Africa each won their games in Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Sunday.
AC Milan midfielder Franck Kessie scored a second-half penalty as Ivory Coast laboured to a 1-0 victory over Niger.
Tunisia and Tanzania won their African Cup of Nations qualifying matches but Morocco was held to a scoreless draw.
Thomas Partey's long-range shot gave Ghana the lead and 19-year-old debutant Mohammed Kudus added the second in a 2-0 home win over South Africa.
Senegal eased to a 2-0 win over Congo while Nigeria could only scrape a 2-1 victory over Benin in the opening day of 2021 AFCON qualifiers.
Nigeria overcame a scare from Benin to eke out a win in their opening 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier. Here are three takeaways from the game
Respective coaches James Kwesi Appiah and Molefi Ntseki will be under intense scrutiny when Ghana and South Africa clash.
When your day job is managing thousands of lives in criss-crossing aircraft across a continent, managing a football team holds few terrors.
Wednesday's group stage openers mark the proper kickoff for the Cameroon 2021 campaign, less than four months after the 2019 final.
Mohamed Salah has been ruled out of Egypt's African Cup of Nations qualifiers, and was pictured wearing a protective boot on his ankle.
Starting this Africa Cup of Nations campaign with anything other than a win against Benin is not a scenario that can be countenanced in Nigeria,.
South Sudan's long road to AFCON 2021 begins next week. Remarkably, 12 players will travel 7,000 miles from Australia to play for the Bright Stars.
The French coach is confident the region is beginning to realise its untapped football potential.
The Nigerian legend says African coaches "can do much more if there is support from everyone instead of running to Europeans at every opportunity".
Some of the continent's less-heralded sides have made the most of the Africa Cup of Nations' expanded format.
A 1-1 draw at home to Gabon in Bujumbura on Saturday ensured qualification for Burundi, sparking wild celebrations.
Burundi qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time on Saturday, and they were joined by Cameroon, Guinea Bissau and Namibia.
Given the lack of pressure in facing Seychelles on Friday, having already qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations, Nigeria's display was... meh.
Angola striker Wilson Eduardo scored on his debut as they beat Botswana 1-0 to qualify for the expanded 24-team Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Ahead of the final round of Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, 14 teams have already qualified, and South Africa should really be among them.
Nigeria have never been short of inspiration for international games, and coach Gernot Rohr wants them to be mentally tough against tiny Seychelles.
Group A | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Guinea | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Mali | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Namibia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
Chad | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
Group B | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Uganda | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Burkina Faso | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
Malawi | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
South Sudan | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
Group C | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Ghana | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
South Africa | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 3 |
Sudan | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | +3 | 3 |
Sao Tome e Principe | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -5 | 0 |
Group D | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Gambia | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Gabon | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
Congo DR | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Angola | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
Group E | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Morocco | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +3 | 4 |
Mauritania | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Central African Republic | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Burundi | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -5 | 0 |
Group F | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Mozambique | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +2 | 4 |
Cameroon | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
Cape Verde Islands | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Rwanda | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -3 | 0 |
Group G | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Comoros Islands | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
Kenya | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Egypt | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Togo | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
Group H | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Algeria | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +6 | 6 |
Zimbabwe | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4 |
Botswana | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
Zambia | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -6 | 0 |
Group I | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Senegal | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
Congo | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | +1 | 3 |
Guinea-Bissau | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Eswatini | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -6 | 0 |
Group J | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Tunisia | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +4 | 6 |
Libya | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | -2 | 3 |
Tanzania | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Equatorial Guinea | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 0 |
Group K | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Madagascar | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +5 | 6 |
Ethiopia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Ivory Coast | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Niger | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -5 | 0 |
Group L | GP | W | D | L | GD | P |
Nigeria | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | +3 | 6 |
Benin | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
Sierra Leone | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 1 |
Lesotho | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | -2 | 1 |