By Benjamin Wickham
JOHANNESBURG, March 24 — Namibia has boosted its chances of qualifying for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) final by holding Cameroon to a 1-1 draw in Yaounde on Friday night. Peter Shalulile gave Namibia the lead in the 26th minute, but Cameroon equalized in the 73rd minute through Nicolas N’Koulou. Cameroon is currently on top of Group C with four points from two matches, while Namibia has moved into second place with two points. The top two teams in each group qualify for the 2023 Afcon final, which will take place in the Ivory Coast in January next year. Namibia will take on Cameroon in their return leg in Johannesburg on 28 March.
Nigeria Suffers Shock Loss to Guinea-Bissau in Afcon Qualifying
Nigeria, one of Africa’s football giants, suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to Guinea-Bissau in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) qualifying tournament. The loss was considered one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition. Mama Balde scored the only goal of the match in the 30th minute to take the Portuguese-speaking nation to the top of Group A, with seven points, while Nigeria has six points. Sierra Leone has two points, and Sao Tome e Principe has one point, halfway through the six-round mini-league. The top two finishers will progress to the finals. Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi promised that Nigeria would bounce back after suffering the defeat, stating that they would improve and make the country proud in their rematch in Guinea-Bissau on Monday.
South Africa Draws with Liberia in Dramatic Fashion
In Soweto, South Africa coach Hugo Broos stormed back to the dressing room before the final whistle after seeing his side surrender a two-goal lead in a 2-2 Group K draw with Liberia. Lyle Foster put the hosts two goals ahead by half-time, but Tonia Tisdell and Mohammed Sangare scored for Liberia in the final quarter and added time, respectively, to level the match. The draw meant that 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco, who had a bye, became the first team to book a place at the finals, apart from hosts the Ivory Coast, who qualify automatically.
African Giants Score Big in Afcon Qualifying
Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah, and Sebastien Haller were among the African giants who scored in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament. Mane returned to the Senegalese lineup after missing the World Cup due to a leg injury and scored the second goal in a 5-1 Group L rout of Mozambique in Dakar. Salah claimed the first goal and played a role in the second as Egypt beat Malawi 2-0 in Cairo, rising from last to first in Group D. Haller, who resumed playing last month after successful treatment for testicular cancer, notched the second goal for the Ivory Coast in a 3-1 Group H victory over Comoros in Bouake. Tanzania won an east African showdown against Uganda in Group F 1-0 thanks to a superb second-half strike from Simon Msuva.
In conclusion, the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tournament is heating up, with teams fighting hard to qualify for the finals in the Ivory Coast next year. The tournament has seen some big upsets, with the likes of Nigeria and South Africa suffering losses. However, African giants such as Senegal, Egypt, and the Ivory Coast have shown their class, scoring big in their respective matches. The tournament promises to be exciting as it progresses, with fans eager to see which teams will ultimately make it to the finals and compete for the coveted Africa Cup of Nations trophy. The upcoming matches, including the rematch between Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau, as well as Namibia’s next game against Cameroon, are sure to be highly anticipated and closely watched by fans across the continent. – Namibia Daily news
