October 21 to 27, 2019 (AFCON 2020 Qualifiers) Global Futbol MatchesA Chapter by Steve Clark The following article provides an oversight for matches and tournaments taking place in 2019. October 21 to 27, 2019 (AFCON Qualifiers)The African Cup of Nations ramped up with Match Day 5 this week.
Sudan, now on the same points as Nigeria, and with goal difference separating the two sides, flew to eSwatini. However, eSwatini could sense second place in their grasp. Sifiso Matse scored after the ball came off the post from Sabelo Ndzinisa’s initial shot out of reach of the Sudanese goalkeeper. From there, eSwatini played for the win, not allowing Sudan any real attempts. Ndzinisa also had a chance, only to be deemed offside after he headed Sibonginkosi Gamedze’s cross into the net. eSwatini held on for the win and second place in the group, knocking on the door of Nigeria.
However, Nigeria held two remaining home games and were tipped to win both. Three first-half goals ensured victory for the hosts against the Congo, easily dispatching of them. Samuel Chukwueze scored early as he eased his header into goal. Midfielder Onyinye Ndidi worked alongside Alex Iwobi to then score with his right boot into the net. Idion Ighalo capped off the half a minute later with a header from Chukwueze’s cross. From there, Nigeria stepped off the gas, merely going through the motions to see out the 90 minutes. The Congolese goalkeeper made multiple saves at the death to deny Nigeria a fourth goal, before John Mikel Obi had a wild shot right before the final whistle that should have ruffled the netting, only to sail over the bar.
Nevertheless, there is hardly any way Nigeria cannot qualify for the 2020 AFCON tournament. They face eSwatini in their final match and should win. eSwatini must win by four goals and the Sudan to win by at least six goals to have any chance of toppling Nigeria from contention. Sudan is likely to join Nigeria in Egypt next year, should they win against the Congo. A draw may be enough, though that means they may miss out due to a poor goal difference.
Malawi bounced back in Group B after their 3-0 loss to Benin with a five-goal drubbing of Tanzania, cancelling out their loss by the same margin in their last encounter. Gerald Phiri Jr started the ball rolling with his chip shot over the Tanzanian goalkeeper. Striker Richard Mbulu made it two goals in eleven minutes with a header off a corner. Mbulu then followed with an even better header from a free kick, outjumping the goalkeeper and lifting the ball into the open net. Substitutes Duncan Nyoni and Peter Banda scored as the game entered its final stages; Nyoni angled a header from a corner into goal, while Banda capped off the match in similar style to his captain in chipping the ball into goal. Gaining their first win for the Qualifiers, Malawi will look to ruffle the feathers of Algeria in their final match.
With two home games remaining, including this week’s epic battle against Benin to decide who is likely to qualify automatically, Algeria went in confident of a solid win. Baghdad Bounedjah scored for Algeria inside two minutes with a brilliant individual play. However, Steve Mounié replied in the tenth minute, giving the visitors every chance of snagging their third draw for the Qualifiers. Algeria would not allow it and Islam Slimani restored order to the match, before Sofiane Feghouli followed suit with a header, giving Algeria the 3-1 lead at the break. The hosts seemed to have the match all wrapped up when Mickaël Poté made the most of a defensive error. Late in the match, Benin’s Mounié attacked, before being brought down in the penalty box by Ramy Bensebaini. Stéphane Sessègnon stepped up to take the spot kick, only for the ball to be thwarted by the boot of Raïs M'Bolhi as it was guided straight, and M’Bolhi jumped to his right late, with his boot being able to stop the ball and his defenders to clear. From there, Algeria held on for a win and top spot in the group.
Algeria also have basically guaranteed a spot in Egypt next year but will seek a win over Malawi to secure first place. Benin will host Tanzania and a win will also guarantee qualification as a well-placed runner-up in the group.
In Group C, Gabon needed a solid victory against bottom-placed Liberia. With Gabon having the slight upper hand in the first half, the game soon turned their way in the second as they pounded four goals home. André Biyogo Poko finished off a great team goal with a left foot low shot out of reach of the Liberian goalkeeper. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then ran onto a lengthy through ball and he smacked it home with his second touch. Denis Bouanga scored as he had done against Burkina Faso, stealing the ball off his marking man and snagging a third. Substitute Malick Evouna then capped off a grand second period where he got first to a through ball, his touch getting around the defender and his shot ruffling the net.
Angola then hosted Burkina Faso in the fight for top spot. Fabío Abreu scored early with an advancing header that was too powerful for the Burkina Faso goalkeeper. Angola kept up the attack, but could not find another path to goal, and then held firm at the end when Burkina Faso advanced.
Angola will now face Gabon to solidify their reign over Group C; however, a loss could see them miss out on qualifying altogether. Burkina Faso host Liberia and will hope for a solid victory that guarantees their place in the 24 nations reaching the African Cup of Nations.
The Gambia hosted Côte d’Ivoire in a seesawing match that resulted in six goals. Both sides had chances early, before the Gambia opened the floodgates with two quick goals from Assan Ceesay and Dawda Ngum. Being two goals down at the break, the Ivoirians switched into gear and scored quickly via Nicolas Pépé and Wilfried Zaha. Pépé then scored his second header as it seemed Côte d’Ivoire had all the momentum and would run out winners. Assan Ceesay had other ideas and shocked the crowd into jubilation with an equaliser, setting up the final ten minutes with everyone on edge.
Ethiopia played hosts to Zimbabwe, hoping to win and gain a real shot at coming second place in Group D. Two first-half goals set up the win for the East Africans, as Amanuel Gebremichael and Surafel Dagnachew both scored. Gebremichael’s was a choice header, leaning back to allow enough purchase on the ball. Dagnachew scored from long range, curling the ball around the goalkeeper and into the net. From there, Ethiopia continued to attack, but were not as thrusting as before, and the match ended two-nil.
The Gambia’s draw kept them in the hunt for AFCON qualification, but must thump Ethiopia to have a solid chance of doing so. Zimbabwe have little hope of qualifying as they must face the Ivoirians in the West African country, and the most they can hope for is a draw, which will not be enough to progress.
In the tightest of groups, Group E, Guinea edged closer to qualification for AFCON 2020 with a solid four-goal victory over Namibia. Left back Issiaga Sylla got the ball rolling when he cut back into the box and fired with his right foot. Naby Keïta then won a penalty and stepped up to pop it to the right of the goalkeeper. Keïta scored again right in front of goal, outsmarting the defenders around him and slotting into goal. Substitute José Kanté then fooled his marking men as he cut back towards the top of the box and slammed with his left foot and gained Guinea’s fourth goal for the match.
Eight goals were scored in the match between Ghana and Togo. Andre Ayew opened the scoring on the way to his hat trick with a chip over the goalkeeper. Togo responded immediately as they had a more defensive line up, with typical defender Franco Atchou playing in the midfield. That role saw him equalise, creating the illusion it would be a tight match. That dissipated by halftime, with the score 4-1 as Emmanuel Boateng, Thomas Partey and Andre Ayew etched their names on the scoreboard. Boateng then gained his second in the 69th minute, thus ending the match in favour of the Ghanaians. However, it was not over, and Ayew had his hat trick with a run-on goal. Togolese substitute Emmanuel Adebayor pegged one back, but it was not going to be their evening.
Togo are now in real danger of not qualifying for AFCON 2020. They will hope that Guinea can salvage a draw against Ghana away and for them to defeat Namibia by a hefty margin. That is unlikely, as Ghana will be out to claim top spot, should they win by two goals against Guinea. The stage is set for the final Match Day!
Another draw ensued in Group F, this time between the Cape Verde Islands and Chad. Both sides had opportunities to score, though the defences were both cavalier in their closing down, not allowing any wiggle room for shots. In the end, five saves from Mathieu Adoassou was the difference in his Player of the Match performance, leaving the hosts in a precarious position in the group, and Chad with a slim chance of making its way to Egypt.
The Niger and Comoros’ players had other ideas, as they battled in Niamey. Niger struggled to get into dangerous territory, and anytime they did, the Comoros defence had an answer. Just after the hour mark, the Comoros striker, Ibroihim Youssouf, scored with his head, giving them a crucial away victory, after they toyed with the Niger side by playing keepings off.
That win almost guarantees the Comoros a place in AFCON 2020, provided they do not lose by a great margin to Chad on the final Match Day. Niger have a second chance at winning at home in the battle for second place against the Cape Verde Islanders. Chad play hosts to the Comoros and will hope to bring them down a notch whilst also fighting for second place. For Chad, a draw in the other match would be ideal, provided they themselves can win by three goals. A Cape Verde Island win will go a long way to guaranteeing a place in Egypt.
In Group G, Mauritania hosted the Seychelles, in a first half where the home side dominated across the park. That dominance led to a goal via defensive midfielder Hacen Moctar El Ide, scoring with his head off a corner. From there, Mauritania maintained the lead with their attack. The Seychelles players stepped up in the second half but were unable to overcome their opponent’s defence, and the solitary goal gave Mauritania their first win, while the visitors are unlikely now to rise off bottom place.
Tunisia took on Botswana, with a win or draw guaranteeing their qualification for AFCON 2020. The Tunisians attacked mostly down the right wing in the first half, only for all their crosses to find their way straight to the Botswana goalkeeper. Down the other end, offsides became the norm. The second half saw the game open wide, and eventually Tunisia gained the goal they were seeking via Youssef Msakni. Anice Badri doubled the lead four minutes later, ensuring Tunisia’s place in next year’s tournament.
In the final Match Day, Mauritania must overcome Tunisia away from home, whereas Botswana will be hoping for the same against the Seychelles. If Botswana can muster a draw, and Mauritania lose, Botswana will come second in the group. However, six points may not be enough to be the 24th-best side in the Qualifiers.
Cameroon already had secured a place in the AFCON 2020 tournament in the fourth Match Day, being eight points in Group I ahead of Senegal and Mauritius. They faced the latter this week with a one-nil victory, thanks to a 21st-minute goal from Frank Zambo Anguissa. The midfielder rose to a header from a corner and as he leant back, guided the ball into the net. However, some desperate defence at the end of the first half, coupled with easy shots for the Mauritian goalkeeper to save in the second half kept Anguissa’s score as the only goal for the match.
Shasiri Nahimana was the saviour for Burundi as they fought for second place against Senegal. The battle took place in the middle of the park in the first half as neither side could effectively find a way to goal. In the second half, Senegal ramped up the pressure on the Burundian defence, hitting the post twice around the hour mark from Mbaye Niang and El Hadji Kane. Right at the death, the Burundi defenders threw themselves at any shots heading towards goal. On the counterattack, they soon found a way around the Senegalese formation and pounced on an opportunity, with Nahimana coolly nipping the ball along the ground and out of reach of Edouard Mendy’s left boot. As the ball trickled over the line, Senegal realised their chances of qualifying for Egypt were slipping out of their hands, and Burundi celebrated with true vigour, knowing their fate was in their hands.
Burundi, however, must face Cameroon away in their final match. A draw might not be enough, as Senegal have a better record against them, as well as a better goal difference (that is, if Senegal can overcome Mauritius in their final match). The other issue is the battle against the other second-placed sides.
Equatorial Guinea gained their first win in Group J with a one-nil victory over South Sudan. The hosts were the more attacking of the two sides, and this paid off with a goal ten minutes after halftime, with Kike Boula going on a long run and fooling the South Sudanese goalkeeper in where he would shoot. Additional time in the match became an end-to-end battle, as both sides had semi-chances to score, only for Equatorial Guinea to hold onto their slim lead, and thus gain third place in the process.
Now in second place, Uganda faced the fear of two final away matches, starting with South Africa, who had already qualified. However, South Africa attacked from the outset, although they kept missing to the left of goal. The only one to score was Thulani Serero, who stole the ball from a defender and shot before the Ugandan goalkeeper had time to react. Straight after the break, right back Thamsanqa Mkhize needed two attempts to ruffle the back of the net. Serero then had a brace after Thembinkosi Lorch sent a through ball to him with one touch, and he similarly shot first time to gift the hosts a three-goal lead. From there, Uganda had no path to bounce back.
Uganda now must win away against South Sudan and hope that is enough to best the other second-place getters in other groups. Equatorial Guinea flies to South Africa and must try their hardest to win, though that is unlikely. It will either be South Sudan or Uganda that reaches second place. A draw for Uganda may be enough.
Morocco had a good chance against Egypt in the race for first place in Group K. The match ended one-all, the same result when the two teams last met. The match started with end-to-end play, and with both sides hitting the post. Eventually, Youssef En Nesyri shocked the hosts, with Morocco taking the lead as the striker pounced on a goalkeeping parry. Abdallah El-Said had the best chances for Egypt to equalise, and his shot in the 33rd minute ended up rebounding off Noussair Mazraoui as he ran back, with the ball trickling over the line. El-Said should have given the hosts the lead, only for his shot to be stopped by the Moroccan goalkeeper. In the second half, Egypt had the better chances, including Marwin Mohsen’s chip over the goalkeeper, but the pressure from his marking man caused the ball to sail to the left of goal. In the end, the result was a draw, something that will help Morocco before the final match.
Guinea-Bissau scored early in their match against Eritrea, hoping to eradicate the 4-1 loss to them in their previous encounter. Sori Mané, coming into the box, waited for the cross from the right wing to bounce, before collecting it with his left boot and watching it sail into goal. From there, the match was played mostly in the middle of the park, with Guinea-Bissau having the better chances to double their lead, but in the end, the solitary goal was the difference.
Guinea-Bissau now fly to Egypt on Match Day 6, hoping to gain a win against the odds. However, Morocco play hosts to Eritrea and should win that match, guaranteeing a place in the qualifying 24 nations.
Sierra Leone needed a solid win over Madagascar in Group M, having only gained one point from their first four matches. Ibrahim Conte, the host’s right midfielder, had three shots early in the match. Instead, it was his teammate behind him in the formation, Mustapha Dumbuya, who opened the scoring in the 27th minute. Ten minutes later, Madagascar equalised via Paulin Voavy. Sierra Leone would not have any of this, and Kei Kamara scored twice deep in the first half, first with a header closer to the back post, followed a minute later with a header nearer to the front post. From there, the home side kept possession across the second half, only allowing Madagascar one more decent opportunity; however, the score remained 3-1.
Augustine Mulenga scored for Zambia against Djibouti to help them qualify for AFCON 2020 with a game to spare. The hosts struggled with their passes in the final third as intercepts were the order of the match. Finally, Mulenga caught onto a corner, sending the crowd wild in the knowledge they will be travelling to Egypt in June.
Meanwhile, Madagascar and Djibouti have a chance to qualify. Madagascar have the home advantage and should win. A draw may not be enough to be the better of the second-placed sides. Sierra Leone must win away against Zambia to have any chance of coming third; even though they are three points off second place, either Madagascar or Djibouti will reach at least eight points, and so Sierra Leone cannot qualify.
Rwanda, on top of Group H, had a bye while Libya and Sao Tome and Principe chased after them. Libya flew to Lesotho, hoping to gain an away win. However, it was Lesotho who dominated in attack, scoring on the half hour via Lisema Lebokollane’s head. Striker Tšepo Toloane followed up right before the break with a second goal for the hosts as they cancelled out the result in their previous match.
Meanwhile, Sao Tome and Principe faced a Kenyan side intent on lifting off the bottom of the ladder. Kenya looked the goods in the second half, whilst the first half saw Ludgério Silva amongst the hosts’ players to miss to the left of goal. Francis Kahata scored for the visitors from a free kick, setting up a potential win. However, David Owino did not have time to get out of the way of a goalkeeping parry, and the ball ended up in over the line off his body. Marcos Barbeiro quickly helped Sao Tome take the lead, powering with his left boot. From there, the home side held on for a vital victory, propelling them to second place. On the other hand, Kenya are guaranteed bottom place.
Joining them in fourth place is the other 2018 World Cup participant in Libya, though they have two games left. Libya host top spot Rwanda next in a do-or-die battle, before finishing off at home again against Sao Tome and Principe. Lesotho will hope to defeat Kenya in Nairobi, before flying to Rwanda to finish off their campaign. Rwanda will know that one win out of their two games should help them qualify, but will do their upmost to win both, or at least draw against Libya. The stage is truly set in Group H, with four sides able to qualify. Only two of them will.
The Democratic Republic of Congo faced Mali in a battle for first place in Group L. Both sides missed key opportunities, before Lassane Coulibaly opened the scoring as he had done in their previous encounter. Adama Traoré then capped off a wonderful away win, Mali’s third for the campaign, giving them the clear lead in the group.
In the other match this week, Mozambique needed a win against the Central African Republic to ensure they would stay in the hunt for qualification. It took until the 25th minute for Mozambique to score, even though the away side did look the more likely to take the lead. Luís Miquissone’s shot was the only goal for the match, giving Mozambique a vital three points and easement into second place.
Mali can only be overtaken by the Democratic Republic of Congo on the ladder, and so therefore have qualified for Egypt with two games in hand. They next face the Central African Republic away, before finishing with a home match against Somalia. The Congolese must beat Somalia on home soil and then battle Mozambique for second place in Maputo. The Central African Republic can still technically qualify but must win big in their final match and have other results go their way. Somalia can also qualify; however, their final two matches are away from home soil and against Mali and the Congo DR.
© 2020 Steve Clark |
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Added on April 30, 2020 Last Updated on May 30, 2020 Author
Steve ClarkAdelaide, South Australia, AustraliaAboutA free spirited educator who dabbles in the art of writing novels and articles. more..Writing
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