Uganda, Nigeria, Morocco qualify for AFCON - Capital Sports
Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Features

Uganda, Nigeria, Morocco qualify for AFCON

Ugandan forward Faruk Miya tries to go past a Cape Verde opponent during their 2019 AFCON qualifier in Kampala on November 17, 2018. PHOTO/FUFA

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, Nov 17 – Three-time champions Nigeria, neighbors Uganda and Morocco have already qualified for next year’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon with one match left in the qualification process.

Uganda beat Cape Verde Islands 1-0 at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Kampala to move to an unassailable lead of 13 points while Nigeria progressed with a 1-1 draw away to South Africa.

Morocco qualified for the 2019 Cup of Nations when Group B rivals Malawi lost 2-1 away to out-of-contention Comoros.

Uganda’s victory is a welcome result for neighbors Tanzania who will qualify on Sunday if they pick maximum points away to bottom of the group Lesotho.

South Africa will meanwhile need to avoid defeat in their final match against Libya in March to qualify. Libya moved to within a point of South Africa after spanking Seychelles 8-1.

Other countries to qualify include the hosts Cameroon, Senegal, Madagascar, Egypt and Tunisia. The tournament will feature 24 teams for the first time.

The Comoran victory in Mitsamiouli in the Indian Ocean island state gave Morocco an unassailable six-point advantage over Malawi with only one matchday left.

El Fardou Mohamed Ben Nabouhane, who has been playing for Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Champions League, gave the Comoros a second-minute lead.

Patrick Phiri equalised after 53 minutes and Nasser Chamed scored the match-winner in the 70th minute on an artificial pitch.

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

Leaders Morocco and second-place Cameroon qualify from the group with the latter assured of a place because they are hosting the June 15-July 13 tournament.

Cameroon are involved in the qualifying competition to gain match practice before defending a title they won in Gabon last year by defeating Egypt 2-1 in the final.

Morocco climbed above Cameroon into first place in Group B Friday after beating them 2-0 in Casablanca through a second-half brace from Hakim Ziyech.

The Ajax Amsterdam midfielder broke the deadlock by converting a 54th-minute penalty and doubled the Atlas Lions’ lead 12 minutes later.

Although consistently among the strongest African national teams, Morocco have won the Cup of Nations only once, in 1976 in Ethiopia when the tournament was a series of mini-leagues.

-Additional info courtesy AFP

Advertisement

More on Capital Sports

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Oct 27 – DStv and GOtv subscribers are in for a treat of the world’s best football this week as the 2020-21...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 25 – There is light at the end of the tunnel. After failed promises over the last three years since its...

Football

NAIROBI, Kenya, Sep 6 – Gentrix Shikangwa scored with two minutes left as Vihiga Queens sailed to the final of the CECAFA regional qualifiers...

NFL

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 13 – Kenya’s history making Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in America’s National Football League (NFL), is now living...

© 2024 Capital Digital Media. Capital Group Limited. All Rights Reserved