Author: Alie Bittar @bittar32

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 Alie Bittar @bittar32

Heartbreak for Sierra Leone as Zimbabwe Snatch Victory

The Zimbabwe Warriors staged an impressive comeback, overcoming a two-goal deficit to secure a 3-2 victory against Sierra Leone at El Jadida Stadium in Morocco.

Sierra Leone had an early lead in their Group E Cup of Nations qualifier on Thursday, with Alie Conteh and Sallieu Tarawallie finding the net.

Conteh opened the scoring just seven minutes into the match, heading the ball into the bottom left corner after receiving a well-placed cross from Tarawallie.

Not long after, Tarawallie himself added to the tally with a precise left-footed shot from close range after expertly controlling the ball, following a corner kick.

Just before the hour mark, Azeem Abdulai made his international debut for Sierra Leone, replacing Saidu Fofanah in midfield. MJ Kamson-Kamara, a defender from Kilmarnock in Scotland, also stepped onto the pitch for his debut, coming on for Juma Bah in defense during the second half.

The Turning Point

Just when it seemed that Sierra Leone was comfortably in control, Zimbabwe struck back. Wolves attacker Marshall Munetsi headed the ball into the bottom right corner in the 72nd minute, pulling one back for Zimbabwe with an assist from Tawanda Chirewa, who delivered a cross following a corner.

Buoyed by this goal, Zimbabwe continued their charge and equalised the match at 2-2. Chirewa found the net again, scoring with a stunning left-footed shot from outside the box into the top left corner, assisted by Marvellous Nakamba.

The Warriors completed their remarkable comeback in the 88th minute, with Munetsi netting his second goal of the match. Sierra Leone seemed to have lost focus after leading 2-0 until the 70th minute.

In another match within Group E, DR Congo triumphed over Equatorial Guinea with a 2-0 victory at Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte on Thursday. With this win, DR Congo temporarily sits atop the Group E standings after Match Day One.

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – Results

  • Group G: Namibia 1-0 Congo 
  • Group E: DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea
  • Group F: Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic 
  • Group H: Libya 2-2  Botswana 
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire 2-0 Ghana
  • Group E: Sierra Leone 2-3 Zimbabwe
  • Group G: Cameroon 3-1 Comoros
  • Group H: Tunisia 1-1 Uganda
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

DR Congo Triumph Over Equatorial Guinea at Stade des Martyrs

The Democratic Republic of Congo triumphed over Equatorial Guinea 2-0 in their opening match of Group E in the AFCON 2027 qualifying tournament, held at the vibrant Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecôte on Thursday.

The first goal came from Chancel Mbemba, who skillfully directed a powerful header from the center of the box into the bottom left corner of the net. This impressive play was set up by Nathanaël Mbuku, who delivered a precise cross following a well-executed set piece.

Dominating the match, the hosts displayed a combination of determination and skill, although they missed several opportunities to score in the opening twenty minutes.

They eventually extended their lead to 2-0 when Yoane Wissa found the net with a stunning left-footed shot from the center of the box, placing the ball neatly into the bottom right corner.

This victory not only showcased Congo DR’s prowess but also positioned them at the top of Group E, as they prepare to watch Sierra Leone face off against Zimbabwe’s Warriors at the El Jadida stadium in Morocco.

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – Results and Fixtures

  • Group G: Namibia 1-0 Congo 
  • Group E: DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea
  • Group F: Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic 
  • Group H: Libya 2-2  Botswana 
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – 19h00
  • Group E: Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe – 19h00
  • Group G: Cameroon vs Comoros – 19h00
  • Group H: Tunisia vs Uganda – 19h00

Friday, 25 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group L: Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau – 13h00
  • Group A: Niger vs Lesotho – 15h00
  • Group B: Malawi vs South Sudan – 16h00
  • Group C: The Gambia vs Somalia – 16h00
  • Group I: Togo vs Burundi – 16h00
  • Group J: Sudan vs Ethiopia – 16h00
  • Group K: Rwanda vs Liberia – 16h00
  • Group L: Nigeria vs Madagascar – 16h00
  • Group A: Morocco vs Gabon – 19h00
  • Group B: Egypt vs Angola – 19h00
  • Group F: Burkina Faso vs Benin – 19h00
  • Group I: Algeria vs Zambia – 19h00
  • Group J: Senegal vs Mozambique – 19h00
  • Group K: Mali vs Cape Verde – 19h00

Saturday, 26 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group D: Kenya vs Eritrea – 13h00
  • Group D: South Africa vs Guinea – 16h00
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Namibia Defeat Congo to Make Winning Start to AFCON Campaign

The Brave Warriors of Namibia started their AFCON 2027 qualifying campaign with a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Congo in Gaborone on Thursday.

Beteul Muzeu scored the only goal for Namibia in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2027 qualifier against Congo at the Independence Stadium in Botswana.

Muzeu found the net just minutes into the second half to put the Brave Warriors ahead. As a result, Namibia topped Group G before Camerron host Camoros later in the evening at the Stade Omnisports Roumdé Adjia.

Thursday, 24 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group G: Namibia 1-0 vs Congo 
  • Group E: DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea – 16h00
  • Group F: Mauritania vs Central African Republic – 16h00
  • Group H: Libya vs Botswana – 16h00
  • Group C: Côte d’Ivoire vs Ghana – 19h00
  • Group E: Sierra Leone vs Zimbabwe – 19h00
  • Group G: Cameroon vs Comoros – 19h00
  • Group H: Tunisia vs Uganda – 19h00

Friday, 25 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group L: Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau – 13h00
  • Group A: Niger vs Lesotho – 15h00
  • Group B: Malawi vs South Sudan – 16h00
  • Group C: The Gambia vs Somalia – 16h00
  • Group I: Togo vs Burundi – 16h00
  • Group J: Sudan vs Ethiopia – 16h00
  • Group K: Rwanda vs Liberia – 16h00
  • Group L: Nigeria vs Madagascar – 16h00
  • Group A: Morocco vs Gabon – 19h00
  • Group B: Egypt vs Angola – 19h00
  • Group F: Burkina Faso vs Benin – 19h00
  • Group I: Algeria vs Zambia – 19h00
  • Group J: Senegal vs Mozambique – 19h00
  • Group K: Mali vs Cape Verde – 19h00

Saturday, 26 September 2026 – All times GMT

  • Group D: Kenya vs Eritrea – 13h00
  • Group D: South Africa vs Guinea – 16h00