The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying campaign kicked off with a series of matches across the continent on Thursday and Saturday. The opening round featured intense competition across twelve groups, with several high-profile teams securing victories while others drew level in tight encounters.
In Group L, Nigeria staged a comeback in their group opener, defeating Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo. Chidera Ekezie’s team fell behind early to a goal from Kari in the 16th minute but rallied to take the lead through Ilenikhena just before halftime. Usor sealed the win for the Super Eagles with a strike in the 65th minute, setting a positive tone for their qualification push.
Other notable results included Cameroon’s 3-1 victory over Comoros in Garoua, where Mbeumo and Namaso contributed to the win. In Group E, Zimbabwe produced a dramatic 3-2 win against Sierra Leone in El Jadida, with Munetsi scoring twice in the final 20 minutes to overturn an earlier deficit. Meanwhile, in Group H, Libya and Botswana played out a 2-2 draw in Tripoli, with El Mariamy scoring a late penalty for the hosts to equalize.
Several matches were scheduled for later in the week or remained to be played at the time of reporting. In Group A, Morocco were set to face Gabon in Rabat, while Egypt prepared to host Angola in Cairo. Group B saw Malawi beat South Sudan 2-1 in Lilongwe, and Ivory Coast defeated Ghana 2-0 in Bouake on Thursday.
Logistical challenges affected several teams, with Niger, Sierra Leone, Mauritania, and Namibia playing at neutral venues due to a lack of international-standard stadiums. Sudan also played at a neutral site in Juba, South Sudan, due to the ongoing civil war in the country.
The qualifying campaign continues with the remaining fixtures for Matchday 1, including matches in Groups A, B, F, I, and K, which were scheduled for 19:00 GMT on the day of publication.
<small>Source: Vanguard News — read the original story there.</small>
