Nigeria, four more nations book AFCON finals tickets
By Tosin Omojola
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have secured their spot in the 2025 African Nations Cup finals, set to be hosted by Morocco.
This achievement came after Libya’s 1-0 victory over Rwanda on Thursday at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali, which ensured Nigeria would finish atop Group D. With 11 points after their 1-1 draw against Benin Republic, the Super Eagles remain uncatchable with two games to spare.
South Sudan Stuns Congo in Five-Goal Thriller
In another dramatic development, South Sudan claimed their first points of the qualifying campaign with a 3-2 victory over Congo in Group K. The match, held at the Juba National Stadium, not only eliminated Congo from contention but also confirmed Uganda and South Africa’s qualification for the 2025 AFCON.
Congo opened the scoring in the 26th minute through Christopher Ibayi, but South Sudan’s Ebon Malish equalized five minutes later with a powerful header. Ibayi struck again in the 35th minute, but Malish restored parity just before halftime.
The turning point came in the 78th minute when Congo’s Bryan Passi was sent off, leaving them with 10 men. South Sudan capitalized on the advantage, with substitute Data Elly scoring the decisive goal in the 84th minute to spark jubilation among the home fans.
The win left Uganda leading Group K with 10 points, followed by South Africa on eight. South Sudan sits third with three points, while Congo, on four points, can no longer catch the top two.
Gabon Qualifies After Lesotho’s Win
Gabon also booked their ticket to Morocco following Lesotho’s narrow 1-0 victory over the Central African Republic (CAR) in Group B. Neo Mokhachane’s 51st-minute strike at the Free State Toyota Stadium sealed the win for Lesotho.
With Gabon assured of a top-two finish in Group B, Lesotho’s win eliminates CAR and secures Gabon’s qualification. Gabon is second in the group with seven points, behind leaders Morocco, who maintain a perfect record.
Tunisia Edges Past Madagascar
Tunisia secured their qualification with a 3-2 away win over Madagascar in Group E. The victory took Tunisia to 10 points, four ahead of Comoros and five clear of The Gambia with one match remaining.
Matchday 5 Results
Niger Republic 4-0 Sudan
Madagascar 2-3 Tunisia
Rwanda 0-1 Libya
Namibia 0-0 Cameroon
Liberia 1-0 Togo
Chad 1-1 Sierra Leone
South Sudan 3-2 Congo Brazzaville
Lesotho 1-0 Central African Republic
Equatorial Guinea 0-0 Algeria
Nations Already Qualified
Algeria
Angola
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Côte d’Ivoire (holders)
DR Congo
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
Morocco (hosts)
Nigeria
Senegal
South Africa
Tunisia
Uganda
Upcoming Matches
On Friday, Zambia and Zimbabwe could secure their spots in Morocco. A win for Zambia over Côte d’Ivoire in Ndola will guarantee qualification, while Zimbabwe needs just a point against Kenya to confirm their place in the finals.
