Matchday 2 - Sunday

 

Group A

Sierra Leone 0-2 Egypt

 

Group B

Sudan 1-0 DR Congo

 

Group C

Zimbabwe 1-1 Nigeria

 

Group F

Burundi 1-2 Gabon

 

Group G

Mozambique 0-2 Algeria

 

It's already looking difficult to see Nigeria qualifying for this World Cup. Their games against South Africa already look vital. :o

 

Big shock victory for Sudan against DR Congo too!

Matchday 2 - Monday

 

Group A

Djibouti 0-1 Guinea-Bissau

 

Group F

Gambia 0-2 Ivory Coast

Seychelles 0-5 Kenya

 

Group H

Liberia 0-1 Equatorial Guinea

 

Group I

Chad 0-3 Madagascar

Mali 1-1 Central African Republic

Mali :blink: what are we doing?

So South Africa went to Rwanda today and lost 2-0. This is actually what I kind of expected when LewisGT said Nigeria's matches versus South Africa would be vital. They still will be, but it's not like South Africa is a superpower in their own right. They're decent, but aren't exactly the kind of squad we expect to go to mid-table places like Rwanda and get the automatic 3 points. In fact with this results, this group is looking more like it's completely up for grabs. In those scenarios, I'd expect the cream will rise to the top by the end (Nigeria)

Among all the teams to be sitting top of the group with 6 points after 2 games, I certainly didn't expect Comoros to be among them, winning over Ghana as well!

 

they did look good when I watched them play against CAR, must have a good home advantage I guess.

Comoros leading the group is a surprise, but getting results against Ghana isn't.

 

2018 World Cup Qualifiers | Home 0-0 Away 0-2

2021 African Nations Cup | Group Stage 3-2 (knocking Ghana out of the tournament)

2026 World Cup Qualifiers | Home 1-0

 

Comoros and Madagascar have come a long way in recent years (and Cape Verde) to make African have a stronger set of island nations (Seychelles and Mauritius are still pretty bad)

Edited November 21, 20231 yr by DJHazey

Libya's draw versus Cameroon, makes it a three-way tie at 4 points atop Group D!

 

 

Also, note that Comoros next two matches in March 2024 are also at home, against Mali and Chad. Both are winnable, so you could see them at the top of the group with 12 points before they'll need take their act on the road for the first time in June 2024.

Matchday 2 - Tuesday

 

Group A

Ethiopia 0-3 Burkina Faso

 

Group B

South Sudan 0-0 Mauritania

Togo 0-0 Senegal

 

Group C

Lesotho 0-0 Benin

Rwanda 2-0 South Africa

 

Group D

Eswatini 0-2 Cape Verde

Libya 1-1 Cameroon

Mauritius 0-0 Angola

 

Group E

Niger 2-1 Zambia

Tanzania 0-2 Morocco

 

Group G

Botswana 1-0 Guinea

Somalia 0-1 Uganda

 

Group H

Malawi 0-1 Tunisia

São Tomé and Príncipe 0-2 Namibia

 

Group I

Comoros 1-0 Ghana

Matchday 2 - Groups

 

Group A

1. Egypt 2/10 (+8) 6

2. Burkina Faso 2/10 (+3) 4

3. Guinea-Bissau 2/10 (+1) 4

4. Sierra Leonne 2/10 (-2) 1

5. Ethiopia 2/10 (-3) 1

6. Djibouti 2/10 (-7) 0

 

Group B

1. Senegal 2/10 (+4) 4

2. Sudan 2/10 (+1) 4

3. DR Congo 2/10 (+1) 3

4. Togo 2/10 (0) 2

5. Mauritania 2/10 (-2) 1

6. South Sudan 2/10 (-4) 1

 

Group C

1. Rwanda 2/10 (+2) 4

2. South Africa 2/10 (-1) 3

3. Nigeria 2/10 (0) 2

4. Lesotho 2/10 (0) 2

5. Zimbabwe 2/10 (0) 2

6. Benin 2/10 (-1) 1

 

Group D

1. Cameroon 2/10 (+3) 4

2. Cape Verde 2/10 (+2) 4

3. Libya 2/10 (+1) 4

4. Angola 2/10 (0) 2

5. Mauritius 2/10 (-3) 1

6. Eswatini 2/10 (-3) 0

 

Group E

1. Morocco 1/8 (+2) 3

2. Zambia 2/8 (+1) 3

3. Niger 2/8 (0) 3

4. Tanzania 2/8 (-1) 3

5. Congo 1/8 (-2) 0

 

Group F

1. Ivory Coast 2/10 (+11) 6

2. Gabon 2/10 (+2) 6

3. Kenya 2/10 (+4) 3

4. Burundi 2/10 (0) 3

5. Gambia 2/10 (-3) 0

6. Seychelles 2/10 (-14) 0

 

Group G

1. Algeria 2/10 (+4) 6

2. Botswana 2/10 (0) 3

3. Guinea 2/10 (0) 3

4. Uganda 2/10 (0) 3

5. Mozambique 2/10 (-1) 3

6. Somalia 2/10 (-3) 0

 

Group H

1. Tunisia 2/10 (+5) 6

2. Equatorial Guinea 2/10 (+2) 6

3. Namibia 2/10 (+1) 3

4. Malawi 2/10 (0) 3

5. Liberia 2/10 (-2) 0

6. São Tomé and Príncipe 2/10 (-6) 0

 

Group I

1. Comoros 2/10 (+3) 6

2. Mali 2/10 (+2) 4

3. Madagascar 2/10 (+2) 3

4. Ghana 2/10 (0) 3

5. Central African Republic 2/10 (-2) 1

6. Chad 2/10 (-5) 0

After Matchday 2

 

Qualification:

 

Algeria

Cameroon

Comoros

Egypt

Ivory Coast

Morocco

Rwanda

Senegal

Tunisia

 

Play-Offs:

 

Gabon

Equatorial Guinea

Burkina Faso

Mali

Those Cameroon/Cape Verde matches are going to be juicy, considering the island nation has played very competitive matches in their rivalry.

 

Consider Cape Verde's results since 2012:

 

2013 African Nations Cup Qualifiers | 2-0 in Cape Verde - 1-2 in Cameroon

2021 African Nations Cup Qualifiers | 0-0 in Cameroon - 3-1 in Cape Verde (granted Cameroon was host and only played these qualifiers to stay in form, but still)

2021 African Nations Cup Group Stage | 1-1

 

 

Appreciate it's very early days, but it would be quite something to see Rwanda and Comoros make the World Cup!

June 2024 Matches

 

= big match

 

Group A

6/5 - Sierra Leone 2-1 Djibouti

6/6 - Egypt 2-1 Burkina Faso

6/6 - Guinea Bissau 0-0 Ethiopia

6/9 - Djibouti v. Ethiopia

6/10 - Guinea-Bissau v. Egypt

6/10 - Burkina Faso v. Sierra Leone

 

Group B

6/5 - Togo 1-1 South Sudan

6/6 - Mauritania 0-2 Sudan

6/6 - Senegal 1-1 Congo DR

6/9 - Congo DR v. Togo

6/9 - Mauritania v. Senegal

6/11 - South Sudan v. Sudan

 

Group C

6/6 - Benin 1-0 Rwanda

6/7 - Zimbabwe v. Lesotho

6/7 - Nigeria v. South Africa

6/10 - Benin v. Nigeria

6/11 - South Africa v. Zimbabwe

6/11 - Lesotho v. Rwanda

 

Group D

6/6 - Libya 2-1 Mauritius

6/7 - Angola v. Eswatini

6/8 - Cameroon v. Cape Verde Islands

6/11 - Cape Verde Islands v. Libya

6/11 - Angola v. Cameroon

6/11 - Mauritius v Eswatini

 

Group E

6/6 - Congo PPD Niger

6/7 - Morocco v. Zambia

6/11 - Zambia v. Tanzania

6/11 - Congo v. Morocco

 

Group F

6/7 - Ivory Coast v. Gabon

6/8 - Gambia v. Seychelles

6/8 - Kenya v. Burundi

6/11 - Gabon v. Gambia

6/11 - Kenya v. Ivory Coast

6/11 - Seychelles v. Burundi

 

Group G

6/6 - Algeria 1-2 Guinea

6/7 - Mozambique v. Somalia

6/7 - Uganda v. Botswana

6/10 - Guinea v. Mozambique

6/10 - Uganda v. Algeria

6/10 - Somalia v. Botswana

 

Group H

6/5 - Namibia 1-1 Liberia

6/5 - Tunisia 1-0 Equatorial Guinea

6/6 - Malawi 3-1 Sao Tome and Principe

6/9 - Namibia v. Tunisia

6/9 - Sao Tome and Principe v. Liberia

6/10 - Equatorial Guinea v. Malawi

 

Group I

6/5 - Central African Republic 1-0 Chad

6/6 - Mali 1-2 Ghana

6/7 - Madagascar v. Comoros

6/10 - Ghana v. Central African Republic

6/11 - Madagascar v. Mali

6/11 - Chad v. Comoros

Edited June 7, 20241 yr by DJHazey

I know its early days so, they're all technically ' big matches', but you can kind of see who will be battling for the qualification/playoffs from each group except for Group C. In that group, literally everyone is in it and plays everyone else tight, so every match is huge.

Will be interesting to see how things pan out over the coming days - still pretty much all to play for in all the groups so the rankings may well look quite different after everyone's played their third match.

It is very doable for Comoros to get another 6 points here or at least 4 and really keep the improbable dream alive.

Edited June 5, 20241 yr by DJHazey

6/5 matches updated above.

 

It should be noted that in Group H, Equatorial Guinea was found to have fielded an ineligible player in their first two matches against Namibia and Liberia, resulting in two 0-3 losses. So that tosses them right out of second place and with yesterday's loss to Tunisia, has them sitting at the bottom of the group with 0 points now. Namibia now has a big match at home vs. Tunisia on the 9th. A win in that, one of their tougher matches remaining, and they'll be sitting in good spot to at least make the playoffs.

Matchday 3 - Wednesday

 

Group A

Sierra Leone 2-1 Djibouti

 

Group B

Togo 1-1 South Sudan

 

Group H

Namibia 1-1 Liberia

Tunisia 1-0 Equatorial Guinea

 

Group I

Central African Republic 1-0 Chad

 

It should be noted that in Group H, Equatorial Guinea was found to have fielded an ineligible player in their first two matches against Namibia and Liberia, resulting in two 0-3 losses. So that tosses them right out of second place and with yesterday's loss to Tunisia, has them sitting at the bottom of the group with 0 points now. Namibia now has a big match at home vs. Tunisia on the 9th. A win in that, one of their tougher matches remaining, and they'll be sitting in good spot to at least make the playoffs.

 

I had missed this. That's mad that FIFA have decided that Nsue is ineligible for Equatorial Guinea. He was the top scorer at this year's AFCON and has been playing for them for 11 years! He was the goal-scorer in both of their 1-0 wins that have now been ruled out.

 

I think there's a decent chance it might get overturned on appeal and I hope it does because they looked decent at the AFCON and could have really pushed Tunisia for that qualifying spot.