by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Algeria, Morocco win as Angola hold Egypt in Cairo

Algeria started their CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers with a 3-1 win over Zambia. Morocco also won their match, while Egypt drew 0-0 with Angola on Friday.

Ibrahim Maza and Anis Hadj Moussa scored Algeria’s goals in the second half. The win marked a strong start for new coach Brahim Hamdani in his first game. Jaouen Hadjam scored first for Algeria just two minutes into the match.

Zambia equalised in the 57th minute with a goal from Fashion Sakala, but Maza quickly put Algeria back ahead in the 67th minute. Hadj Moussa, who came off the bench, scored the third goal in the 74th minute. Algeria kept their two-goal lead until the end of the match.

  • Morocco also had a strong start, beating Gabon 2-0 in Group A.

Noussair Mazraoui scored in the 36th minute. Gabon tried to come back, but Morocco controlled the game and scored again in the 84th minute thanks to Soufiane Rahimi. Morocco now shares the top spot with Niger, who won 2-1 against Lesotho in another opening match.

  • Record seven-time champions Egypt drew with Angola, finishing 0-0.

In Group B, Egypt thought they had scored in the 21st minute, but the goal was disallowed for offside. Despite pressing for a goal, Egypt’s offence could not break through Angola’s defence.

  • Mali had a strong start in Group K, winning 3-1 against Cape Verde.

Martial Tia scored first for Mali in the 5th minute. Cape Verde equalised just five minutes later with a goal from Lopes Cabral. Nini Dorgeles then scored twice for Mali, first in the 39th minute and again six minutes into the second half, giving them a comfortable lead.

  • In Group F, Burkina Faso and Benin ended their match in a 1-1 draw.

Burkina Faso took the lead with a penalty from Lassina Traoré in the 20th minute. Aiyegun Tosin equalised for Benin with another penalty in the 68th minute, and neither team was able to score again. Both teams earned one point from this match.

by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Guinea-Bissau shock Tanzania; Mozambique halt Vieira’s Senegal debut win

Guinea-Bissau achieved an impressive 2-0 away victory over co-hosts Tanzania in the opening matches of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers.

Mozambique surprised Senegal by holding them to a 1-1 draw in Patrick Vieira’s first match as coach, despite Senegal’s Nicolas Jackson scoring first. Sudan secured a narrow 1-0 win against Ethiopia with a late goal.

These results marked an exciting start to the qualifiers for the 2027 tournament in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Since Tanzania is guaranteed a spot as co-hosts, Guinea-Bissau’s win is crucial in Group L, where they are competing against Nigeria and Madagascar for one qualifying place.

In the match between Mozambique and Senegal, Senegal took the lead in the 32nd minute with a goal from Nicolas Jackson. However, Mozambique equalised just before halftime thanks to Geny Catamo.

The second half saw no more goals, leaving Senegal with a draw in Vieira’s first qualifier. This is Senegal’s first draw under Vieira, who is without star player Sadio Mané due to injury. Despite this, Senegal has strong players like Jackson, Ismaila Sarr, Iliman Ndiaye, and Assane Diao. For Mozambique, this draw against a strong team is a good start in Group J.

Guinea-Bissau’s match against Tanzania saw them take the lead in the 33rd minute with a goal from Franculino Djú. Mama Baldé then made it 2-0 in the 58th minute.

Tanzania tried to respond with substitutions but could not score. This result is significant because Tanzania is a co-host of the AFCON 2027 and has already secured a place in the finals. Only the highest-placed team not including Tanzania, will qualify from Group L, making Guinea-Bissau’s win valuable in their competition with Nigeria and Madagascar.

Sudan began their Group J campaign with a tough 1-0 victory over Ethiopia.

After a goalless first half, Sudan finally scored in the 86th minute thanks to Mohamed Eisa. This win gives Sudan a strong position in the group, especially since Senegal dropped points earlier.

Ethiopia will be disappointed after holding on until the end. Sudan has a reputation for being difficult to beat, and this performance earns them a winning start. Their upcoming matches will show if they can keep this up in the quest for qualification.

by Football Sierra Leone

Geny Catamo Cancels Jackson’s Opener as Mozambique Hold Senegal

Mozambique produced a stunning late equaliser right at the end of the first half, levelling the score at 1-1 against Group J heavyweights Senegal in their Africa Cup of Nations Round 1 opener.

While Senegal dominated possession early on, holding the ball 63% of the time, Mozambique’s defense stood firm, managing to hold the favorites at bay during a frantic opening half-hour.

The physicality of the game escalated midway through the first half, leading to the match’s first yellow card when Mozambique’s Witi was penalized for a rough tackle in the 29th minute.

Senegal soon capitalized on their territorial advantage. In the 32nd minute, forward Nicolas Jackson broke the deadlock, finishing off a well-worked assist from Abdallah Sima to put the Lions of Teranga ahead 1-0.

Despite the pressure, Mozambique struggled with discipline, earning a second yellow card in the 38th minute when Guima was booked for a reckless challenge.

Just when it looked like Senegal would maintain a comfortable lead into the break, the match took an unexpected turn in injury time. In the 45+2nd minute, Witi set up Geny Catamo, who found the net, stunning Senegal and bringing Mozambique level just as the referee blew the whistle.

The game was tied at 1-1 at halftime, and both teams knew they had a lot to play for in Group J. However, after the final whistle of the second half, neither team scored again.

Debut goal for attacker Malick Yalcouye as Ivory Coast beat Ghana
by FSL News

Debut goal for attacker Malick Yalcouye as Ivory Coast beat Ghana

Brighton striker Malick Yalcouye had a fantastic debut for Ivory Coast, scoring in a 2-0 win against Ghana in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match in Bouake on Thursday.

The 20-year-old scored with a shot from just outside the box in the 44th minute, beating goalkeeper Lawrence Ati-Zigi at his near post. Captain Franck Kessie set up the first goal and then scored himself with a penalty in the 58th minute.

Ghana, already missing midfielder Mohammed Kudus, faced more problems with the late injuries of strikers Jordan Ayew and Antoine Semenyo.

This match featured two high-profile coaches, Herve Renard and Carlos Queiroz. Renard returned to coach Ivory Coast after Emerse Fae’s contract was not renewed following a disappointing World Cup exit. Renard led Ivory Coast to their second AFCON title in 2015.

by Alusine Rehme Wilson

Zimbabwe Hand Da-Rosa Losing Start as Sierra Leone Head Coach