2023 AFCON: More teams qualify as Champions Senegal stumbles in Cotonou

By Olusola Adebayo

Two more teams have booked their place in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, (AFCON) that will take place in Cote'dvoire next year after the conclusion of qualifying games on Saturday, 17 June 2025. 

Equatorial Guinea secured their place with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Tunisia in the match day 5 of the qualification played at the Malabo Stadium.

Equatorial Guinea entered the top of the table Group J encounter requiring a point but they secured the maximum three points courtesy of Emilo NNsue's85th minute goal from the penalty spot. 

The result means the Carthage Eagles were defeated for the first time in the series having secured their place in the competition after Matchday four without losing any of the gamgamesfore qualifications.

It was a cool revenge by the Guineans having lost the first leg by 4-0 against Tunisia.

 
In the other Group J game played on Saturday, Botswana defeated Libya 1-0 at Francistown Stadium to give the home side their first win of the qualifying campaign but it was inconsequential as the two qualifying spots in the group have been filled. 

Zambia also wrote its name in the list of nations that have booked a place in the prestigious tournament.

The Chipolopolo secured the only available in the group by defeating the host 3-0 at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday.

Patson Daka and Kings Kangwa’s second-half goals added on to a Serge Aurier own goal in the first half, as Avram Grant’s Chipolopolo stormed into the tournament in style. 

The victory at home pushed Zambia to 12 points top of Group H with one match remaining, two ahead of the Ivorians. 

 The 2012 champions are making a return to the tournament for the first time since 2015 after missing the last three editions.

Meanwhile, in the other Group H match played in Johannesburg, Youssouf M'Changama scored a 90th-minute goal as Comoros beat Lesotho 1-0 to cement their hold on the third spot with six points, though both sides are out of contention for a place in the tournament after Zambia’s win. 

Lesotho will finish bottom as they have just one single point following their fourth defeat in the group. 

The two new additions raised the number of qualified teams to nine as  Cote'divoire (Host), Burkina Faso, Egypt, Tunisia, South Africa, Morrocco, and Algeria have already booked their place in the competition before Saturday matches of matchday 5 in the qualification series.

Other matches played on Saturday 

Central Africa Republic lost   1-2 to Angola.

Joao scored four minutes from time,  to keep Angola's hopes of qualification alive. 

The goal saw Angola move second in Group E with eight points, one ahead of CAR.

Both sides were in a must-win situation, but it was CAR who had their hearts broken at home in their quest for a first-ever qualification to the tournament.

They had to come from a goal down, their superstar skipper Geoffrey Kondogbia equalizing in the second half after Gaspar Kialonga had given Angola an early lead. 

They also had to finish the match with 10 men after goalkeeper Dominique Junior Youfeigane was sent off in the 70th minute.

Kialonga had given Angola a 12th-minute lead, but Kondogbia drew his side level just a minute after the restart, finishing off a pass from Karl Namnganda who had just come on. 

But, they were heartbroken in the 86th minute when Milson scored from a corner, with substitute goalkeeper Alladoum Kolimba misjudging his flight.

Heading into the final round of matches in September, Angola has fate in its hands and only needs to win against bottom side Madagascar to qualify, while the CAR must beat Ghana and hope the Angolans lose.

South Africa defeated Morocco 2-1 in the clash of the already qualified teams on Saturday.

Playing in front of a capacity crowd at the FNB stadium, buoyed by the presence of the CAF President, the South Africans wasted no time asserting their dominance, as Percy Tau's cross led to an unfortunate own goal by Munir El Kajoui, the Moroccan goalkeeper.

The second half began with South Africa maintaining their momentum, taking advantage of the Atlas Lions' defensive vulnerability. 

Zakhele Lepasa capitalized on a defensive lapse to extend South Africa's lead.

Hakim Ziyech showcased his brilliance by scoring a magnificent left-footed shot, reducing the tally by one, and sparking hope for Morocco's comeback. 

But the equalizing goal never came as the North Africans suffered their first official defeat since their World Cup elimination. 

Senegal's hundred percent winning run ended as the Terenga Lions stumbled to a 1-1 draw against the Benin Republic on Saturday in Cotonou. 

The Beninoise gave themselves a glimpse of hope going into the last round of qualifiers. 

 
The Cheetahs of Benin fought back into the game in the highly anticipated clash at the Stade de l'Amitié in Cotonou to the delight of their fans. 

Defender Abdoulaye Seck put the visitors, who had all their matches in the group before Saturday's match, into the lead before Abdoul Rachid Moumini's piledriver restored parity.

Though three points would have bolstered the chances of Benin Republic in qualifying the Gernot Rohr failed to capitalize on the absence of some key players in the Senegalese lineup, a luxury they can afford having secured their place in the African Mundial.

The Beninoise will take the consolidation of still in contention for a place in the 2023 AFCON 
as well as putting a halt to the Terenga Lion's hundred percent winning run in the qualification series.

With the final matchday on the horizon, Benin's qualification hopes now rest on their performance against Mozambique at the Estádio da Machava. 

Additional reports from CAF Media