AFCON

AFCON QUALIFIERS: TUNISIA, EGYPT BATTLE TO WIN GROUP

Published

6 years ago

November 16, 2018

BY APESIN ADEMOLA.

The Matchday 5 of the final round qualifiers for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations, to be hosted by Cameroon, kicks off this Friday with three matches in different groups and centres.

Four teams – Tunisia and Egypt, who clash this Friday in Egypt, as well as Senegal and Madagascar, who will engage their respective opponents on Saturday and Sunday – have booked their places to join Cameroon in next year’s finals, leaving 19 slots to be contested in the last two rounds of the group stage.

For the first time, 24 teams will feature in the 32nd edition of the continent’s flagship competition from June 15 to July 13 next year.

Tunisia and Egypt in Group J will go head-to-head in a classification match at the Borg El Arab Stadium, located in the Mediterranean Sea resort that shares the same name with the stadium.

The Eagles of Carthage, who have lifted the trophy only once when they hosted in 2004, need to avoid defeat to confirm their status as the group winners.

Record seven-time winners of the title, Egypt missed out of three consecutive editions but returned two years ago, and almost won the competition but Cameroon stopped their run 2-1 in the showpiece match.

In the first leg of the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, the Pharaohs were beaten by a lone goal. So they require a two-goal cushion to displace Tunisia at the top of the table.

eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) and Niger Republic, the other teams in Group J who are already eliminated, play on Sunday.

In Cameroon’s group, Morocco may qualify along with the hosts this penultimate match of the group phase. Cameroon had prevailed 1-0 in Yaounde in the first leg but the Atlas Lions will go on top of the table, in place of the Indomitable Lions, if they achieve revenge.

That outcome will leave Malawi needing to win at Comoros Islands on Saturday to stay in contending for the group’s sole ticket, Cameroon having automatically qualified for the finals.

At the moment, Malawi are three points behind Morocco and will be at home to the north Africans in their final group fixtures.

Comoros Islands, on their part, remain hopeful that Cameroon 2019 will see them feature in the finals for the first time. That will however require Morocco losing their last two group games and Malawi not having more than three additional points. Even then, Comoros Islands must triumph in their remaining two fixtures.

In Group C, eliminated South Sudan, fight for pride as they welcome Burundi, who had the edge 3-0 in the first leg. Four straight losses have left South Sudan with no point and at the foot of the table in this section.

Burundi will go on top of the table – above Gabon and current leaders Mali – if they achieve a double over the group’s whipping side.

Gabon will host Mali on Saturday with the latter a point ahead.

Friday’s fixtures…

Group B: Morocco v Cameroon (first leg Cameroon 1-0) (8pm)

Group C: South Sudan v Burundi (first leg Burundi 3-0) (2pm)

Group J: Egypt v Tunisia (first leg Tunisia 1-0) (5pm)

Saturday’s fixtures…

Group A: Equatorial Guinea v Senegal (first leg Senegal 3-0) (4pm)

Group B: Comoros Islands v Malawi (first leg Malawi 1-0) (1pm)

Group C: Gabon v Mali (first leg Mali 2-1) (4pm)

Group D: Gambia v Benin Republic (first leg Benin Republic 1-0) (5:30pm)

Group E: South Africa v Nigeria (first leg South Africa 2-0) (2pm), Seychelles v Libya (first leg Libya 5-1) (1:30pm)

Group K: Namibia v Guinea-Bissau (first leg Guinea-Bissau 1-0) (3pm)

Group L: Uganda v Cape Verde Islands (first leg Uganda 1-0) (2pm)

Sunday’s fixtures…

Group A: Madagascar v Sudan (first leg Madagascar 3-1) (12:30pm)

Group D: Togo v Algeria (first leg Algeria 1-0) (5pm)

Group F: Ethiopia v Ghana (first leg Ghana 5-0), Kenya v Sierra Leone (first leg Sierra Leone 2-1) (both 2pm)

Group G: Congo Republic v DR Congo (first leg DR Congo 3-1) (3:30pm), Liberia v Zimbabwe (first leg Zimbabwe 3-0) (5pm)

Group H: Rwanda v Central Africa Republic (first leg Central Africa Republic 2-1) (2:30pm), Guinea v Côte d’Ivoire (first leg Guinea 3-2) (6pm)

Group I: Angola v Burkina Faso (first leg Burkina Faso 3-1) (4pm), Mauritania v Botswana (first leg Mauritania 1-0) (6pm)

Group J: eSwatini v Niger Republic (first leg 0-0) (2:30pm)

Group K: Mozambique v Zambia (first leg Mozambique 1-0) (2:30pm)

Group L: Lesotho v Tanzania (first leg 1-1) (3pm)

AFCON

Nigeria’s AFCON 2025 fixtures almost in same pattern with World Cup qualifiers

Published

2 weeks ago

July 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Confederation of African Football (CAF) has now released the full fixtures of the qualifying series for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The fixtures for the Nigerian team is almost in the same pattern with that of the 2026 World Cup qualification which has seen the Super Eagles wobbling.

Like that of the World Cup, the Super Eagles will begin their quest for qualifcation for AFCON with a home game in Uyo as they will host Benin Republic.

As it was in the World Cup, they will then head to Rwanda. Last November, their second match was played in Rwanda which hosted Zimbabwe home match. This time the Super Eagles will be facing Rwanda, the same team they will meet when the World Cup qualification series resume in March next year.

On Match Day 3, the Super Eagles will host Libya and will have the reverse fixture immediately after that of Match Day 3.

Later they travel to Benin for Match Day 5 before hosting Rwanda on the last match day.

The Fixtures

September 2 – Nigeria vs Benin Republic; Libya vs Rwanda

September 6 – Rwanda vs Nigeria; Benin Republic vs Libya

October 11 – Nigeria vs Libya; Benin Republic vs Rwanda

October 16 – Libya vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Benin Republic

November 11 – Benin Republic vs Nigeria; Rwanda vs Libya

November 15 – Nigeria vs Rwanda; Libya vs Benin Republic

The top two teams qualify for AFCON 2025

AFCON

Rohr roars warning to Benin; Nigeria, Rwanda will not be easy

Published

3 weeks ago

July 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

BY KUNLE SOLAJA.

Former Nigeria manager, Gernot Rohr now handling Benin Republic has warned The Cheetahs of Benin not to expect an easy match when the team meet Rwanda and Nigeria in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers later this month.

Last month, he led his team to defeat both Rwanda and Nigeria in World Cup qualifying duels in Abidjan, where Benin Republic are compelled to play their home matches following inadequate facilities at home.

Benin’s 1-0 defeat of Rwanda was Rohr’s first victory with the team. Days later, he followed up with a 2-1 defeat of Nigeria, the first Benin Republic victory in over 65 years.

Those wins have put Benin in the frame of possible qualification for the World Cup. They are now to meet Nigeria and Rwanda again in World Cup qualifiers.

It won’t be easy, remarked Rohr. Hear the Franco-German as he spoke in French but translated into English for the Sports Village Square: “From September we will play against Nigeria before facing Libya and Rwanda.

“These are three difficult opponents. We had already played Rwanda and Nigeria but be careful, it’s not because we won Rwanda and Nigeria that it will be easy matches.

“ We know that it is possible to achieve good performances again. We know that Nigeria with its great players will want to take revenge against us.

“ I think it will probably be an interesting match in Uyo before continuing against Libya. I suppose in Abidjan because in September the Mathieu Kerekou friendship stadium will not be ready.

“Everything will be decided in three months in September, October and November. It’s a difficult group but it’s playable.

“You have to finish in the top two. We had a team that is becoming solid, where the players are like brothers, accomplices. I hope we will recover the players who were absent. We are confident.”

AFCON

Coaches react after intriguing Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers Draw

Published

3 weeks ago

July 5, 2024

Kunle Solaja

The journey towards qualification to the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 shifted a gear higher on Thursday, after CAF officially conducted the draw of the qualifiers in Johannesburg South Africa.

A total of 48 nations will vie for the 24 places that will contests the 35th edition of Africa’s most prestigious competition.

This is what some of the coaches has to say in reaction to the draw outcomes.

Emerse Fae, Cote d’Ivoire coach

“I am satisfied because we are going to play against Zambia, a team that we know very well. In our last qualifying campaign, we lost against them. We know what mistakes to avoid.

“I am also satisfied because I did not want to have countries geographically far from Cote d’Ivoire which will lessen the travel load. That said, in Africa, there are no longer small teams. All the teams will want to challenge us because we are the reigning champions”

Leslie Notši

“The draw is very interesting because when you have the host in your group, it means they qualify automatically for the tournament, and you have to double your efforts to secure the remaining qualification spot which will be contested by the three other teams in the group.

“We will work very hard to see to it that we are competitive side and try as much as we can to get maximum points in matches against countries that are with us in our group. It will be very important to do well in our home games and I know all eyes will be on “Morocco as the hosts and a powerhouse in our group. We will draw inspiration from recent games where we played the likes of Nigeria as well as Cote d’voire and were able to frustrate them”

Amir Abdou, Mauritania Coach

“Quite a complicated draw. Egypt will be the big contender for qualification. They have a good track record that speaks volumes.

“Seven times African champions – that’s no small thing. We also have Cape Verde who eliminated us during the last AFCON.

“This team is made up of many quality players. We have Botswana, they are having a good qualifying campaign for the World Cup. We have a pretty strong group. It’s up to us to believe in ourselves. We will do everything we can to achieve our fourth participation in the AFCON”.

Kévin Nicaise, Chad coach

“We are already having the reigning African champions facing the last qualified team in the FIFA rankings. These will definitely be very difficult matches played at high intensity. We will fight to defend our nation’s pride. The group remains relatively open, and we will approach these qualifications with humility and ambition”.

Badou Zaki, Niger coach

“We have every chance of qualifying. For me, Ghana is a football country with a team that is blessed with great professionals. But this is not the team of 5 or 6 years ago. Even at home, they can lose.

“Angola had a good showing at the last AFCON with their beautiful, modern and fast football. It’s a team that shook up the big teams in Cote d’Ivoire.

“I know Sudan very well. They are first in their World Cup qualifying group. They are going to be dangerous, but we know our strengths and we know we can go far”

-CAF