AFCON 2022 qualifiers
Senegal are the first team to qualify for Cameroon 2022, while Ghana and Nigeria still have work to do
Holders Algeria, Mali, Senegal and Tunisia offer an already familiar feel to the next Africa Cup of Nations finals line-up after they secured qualification with two rounds of preliminaries still to play. But other heavyweight contenders like Ghana and Nigeria were tripped up in their bid for early qualification, although are still expected to reach the 24-team finals in Cameroon in early 2022.
Nigeria dramatically let slip a four-goal lead, all scored in the opening 29 minutes, at home to Sierra Leone while Ghana got caught by a late sucker punch in the Sudan.
A victory for the Comoros Islands set off exuberant celebrations in the tiny island nation as they moved close to historic qualification while South Sudan, unlikely to qualify, managed a rare win in a competitive international.
COVID-19 infections meant Mohamed Salah could not play for Egypt and saw Morocco striker Youssef El Arabi quarantined in Cameroon, delaying his return to Greek club Olympiakos, who protested angrily to FIFA. But the Confederation of African Football said only 30 players tested positive, less than one percent of the 4,146 tests carried on the teams and their entourages.
Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr has had an assurance about his future from the Super Eagles’ football association after fury from the fans over two draws with Sierra Leone. At home they romped into a 4-0 lead, including a double for Alex Iwobi, but the visitors slowly hauled them in before Danish-based forward Alhaji Kamara’s dramatic equaliser in the 86th minute. Nigeria had to stay cloistered in their changing room for several hours afterwards, before the area around the stadium in Benin City was cleared of irate home fans seeking to vent their anger on the team bus. The return game four days later was a tepid goalless draw to add to the firestorm around the coach, although Nigeria should still qualify comfortably from Group L.
A double from skipper Andre Ayew saw Ghana to a 2-0 win over Sudan in Cape Coast and they were on course to book their finals berth in the return clash in Khartoum until Mohamed Abdel Rahman popped up to head home two minutes into stoppage-time and postpone the party.
Tunisia set a new record by qualifying for a 15th successive tournament by drawing away in Tanzania. It ended their 100 per cent record in Group J but the point in Dar-es-Salaam was enough to ensure a top-two finish. Equatorial Guinea are now in second place in the group after a double win over Libya, despite having to scramble for a new coach when their proposed deal with former Portuguese international and Charlton Athletic defender Jorge Costa fell through. They appointed Juan Micha, who saw his side cope from 2-1 down with one minute to go to beat Libya 3-2 in Cairo and then again 1-0 in Malabo for a much-needed six-point haul.
Senegal, the only side left with a 100 per cent record in the qualifiers, were the first country to book their place, besides the hosts, as Sadio Mane scored in the home and away wins over GuineaBissau in Group I. The winner in the return match away in Bissau came late in the game and opened the door for Congo to now possibly pip GuineaBissau to second place in the group after they took four points from their two matches with Eswatini.
Mali booked their place with home-and-away wins over Namibia and will likely be accompanied from Group A by Guinea, for who Naby Keita scored arguably the best goal of November’s qualifiers in their away game in Chad.
Riyad Mahrez was in sublime form for Algeria as they beat Zimbabwe 3-1 at home and were 2-0 ahead in the return in Harare before it ended in a draw. Zimbabwe are an ever-improving side and to see them picked apart at will by the Algerians suggests the holders will be well fancied to retain their title at the next finals.
The Comoros, who have only been playing international football since 2004, are one point away from a first-ever place at the finals after beating Kenya 2-1 in Moroni.
The Gambia are moving closer to a maiden appearance, too, after beating Gabon 2-1 at home in Banjul. Their airport authorities detaining the Gabon side in the airport after their midnight arrival, forcing them to sleep on the floor for several hours before being allowed to go to their hotel, may have aided a home victory.
But Gambia claim Gabon did not want to do the obligatory COVID tests and that was the reason for their detention. But it was an unnecessary, and ugly, incident that went viral thanks to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Twitter and Instagram feeds that caused African football much embarrassment.
Heavyweight contenders like Ghana and Nigeria were tripped up in their bid for early qualification