admin
CAIRO. — The bid to secure a place in Africa’s biggest football spectacle, the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, continues this week with some eye-catching encounters as African nations prepare to put their best foot forward to seal a place in the continental showpiece set for Cote d’Ivoire next year.
A total of 44 nations will be in action over this week, with some nations looking at extending their leads, while others look to regain ground in the race to qualification.
Three-time African champions Nigeria welcome Guinea Bissau to the Abiola Stadium in Abuja where they will be aiming at stretching their lead at the top of Group A, following their victories over Sao Tome E Principe and Sierra Leone.
The Stallions of Burkina Faso, who currently occupy top spot in Group B, play host to a bruised Togo side, who are looking for their first victory of the qualifiers following their loss to Cape Verde that was followed by a share of the spoils with Eswatini.
Concluding the Group B action will be Cape Verde, who continue to be on a steady rise in African football. They welcome a resilient Eswatini side who are equally and gradually outgrowing being pushovers on the continent.
Five-time African champions, Cameroon face Burundi in their first Group C assignment, following their walkover result over Kenya as they sit top of the group. The East Africans, on the other hand, secured a valuable away point to Namibia and will be looking at building from that result and unseating the Indomitable Lions from the summit of the group.
Egypt, who find themselves in a precarious position at the bottom of Group D as a result of goal-difference, welcome Malawi to the Cairo International Stadium, while Guinea play host to a high in confidence Ethiopia in a match set to be played at the Mohammed V Complex Stadium in Casablanca, Morocco.
A top of the table clash awaits Group E as Ghana welcome Angola who are equal on points with the Black Stars and will be looking at causing an upset in Kumasi’s Baba Yara Sports Stadium.
The newly built, Nelson Mandela Stadium in Algeria’s capital of Algiers sees Group F table toppers Algeria welcoming second-placed Niger in what promises to be an action-packed encounter, while the Ugandan Cranes are looking at climbing out of the danger zone as they play host to Tanzania in a match set to be played at Egypt’s Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.
In Group J, a north African battle looms as group leaders Tunisia travel to Libya for what promises to be a tough encounter between the two sides at the Martyrs of Benina Stadium.
An interesting battle in Group K sees Liberia taking on South Africa in a must-win match for both sides who lost against table toppers, Morocco. Both sides understand that a victory sets them up for a strong chance of a second-placed finish of the group, which subsequently secures them a ticket to Cote d’Ivoire.
To conclude the round of qualifiers, reigning African champions Senegal are looking at maintaining their 100%-win record in Group L when they take on Mozambique at the Me Abdoulaye Wade de Diamniadio Stadium in Dakar.
Nigeria will go in search of a third straight win in Group A of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) football qualifiers when they host Guinea-Bissau at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja tomorrow night.
Kick-off is at 6pm CAT.
The Super Eagles top the standings by two points from their opponents, having had to work hard for a 2-1 home win over Sierra Leone, followed by a brutal 10-0 destruction of minnows Sao Tome & Principe — in which star striker Victor Osimhen scored four goals.
And the Napoli man is looking to continue his form when the national team’s qualification campaign resumes on Friday: “Another win, another brace [against Torino].
Focus now on the game against Guinea-Bissau. God is the greatest,” he wrote on his Twitter timeline.
Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro has also defended his decision to include the likes of Joe Aribo, Wilfred Ndidi, Kenneth Omeruo and Paul Onuachu in his squad, given that these players have seen little playing time for their clubs of late.
“For me, I prefer to choose the best players. Though, they may not have more playing time but for me, the best player is the best player,” said Peseiro.
AFCON Qualifying Fixtures
Today: Madagascar v Central African Republic (3pm); Congo v South Sudan (6pm); Ghana v Angola (6pm); Zambia v Lesotho (6pm); Gabon v Sudan (9pm); Algeria v Niger (11pm).
Tomorrow: DR Congo v Mauritania (3pm); Uganda v Tanzania (4pm); Cape Verde v Eswatini (6pm); Cote d’Ivoire v Comoros (6pm); Nigeria v Guinea-Bissau (6pm); South Africa v Liberia (6pm); Equatorial Guinea v Botswana (9pm); Egypt v Malawi (9pm); Mali v Gambia (9pm); Senegal v Mozambique (9pm); Burkina Faso v Togo (10pm); Cameroon v Namibia (10:30pm); Tunisia v Libya (10:30pm); Guinea v Ethiopia (11:30pm).
Sunday: Lesotho v Zambia (3pm); Sao Tome and Principe v Sierra Leone (4pm).
Monday, March 27: Central African Republic v Madagascar (3pm); Rwanda v Benin (3pm); South Sudan v Congo (3pm); Angola v Ghana (6pm); Guinea-Bissau v Nigeria (6pm); Niger v Algeria (6pm); Ethiopia v Guinea (10pm); Sudan v Gabon (10pm).
Tuesday, March 28: Zimbabwe v South Africa (Cancelled); Botswana v Equatorial Guinea (3pm); Eswatini v Cape Verde (3pm); Namibia v Cameroon (3pm); Malawi v Egypt (3pm); Liberia v South Africa (6pm); Mozambique v Senegal (6pm); Tanzania v Uganda (6pm); Gambia v Mali (7pm); Comoros v Cote d’Ivoire (9pm); Togo v Burkina Faso (9pm); Libya v Tunisia (10pm).
Wednesday, March 29: Mauritania v DR Congo (12 midnight). — AFP.
Online Reporter