AFCON Qualifiers: Cameroon held to goalless draw, while Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast book spots in finals
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana (28) achieved his fourth clean sheet for Cameroon on Wednesday during the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying matches, while Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast secured their spots in the finals.
In a Group J match held in Soweto, near Johannesburg, Cameroon, missing several key players such as Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, played to a 0-0 draw against Namibia.
Mbeumo was sidelined due to foot discomfort, while Zambo Anguissa was absent for personal reasons. Namibia, already eliminated from contention, managed 15 attempts on goal but only one was on target against Onana, who has allowed just one goal in five qualifying matches.
Cameroon, having already qualified for the 2025 finals in Morocco after defeating Kenya twice last month, currently holds 11 points and will face Zimbabwe at home on Tuesday.
By drawing with Cameroon, Namibia earned their first point in a disappointing campaign, having previously reached the last 16 in the AFCON for the first time in Ivory Coast this year.
Zimbabwe is set to play Kenya on Friday, and a draw would guarantee their second-place finish, allowing them to join Cameroon in the 24-team tournament. A win for Kenya would bring them within one point of Zimbabwe, keeping their hopes alive for a first AFCON appearance since 2019.
Equatorial Guinea and the defending champions, Ivory Coast, qualified without playing, increasing the total number of qualifiers to nine. Morocco automatically qualifies as the host nation.
Prior to the commencement of matchday 5 on Wednesday, Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, and Senegal had already secured their places.
Equatorial Guinea confirmed their top two finish in Group E after Togo lost 1-0 to Liberia, with Mohammed Sangare scoring the decisive penalty in the 83rd minute.
Although Liberia could potentially match Equatorial Guinea's seven points, they would be eliminated based on the head-to-head rule, having lost twice to the central African team.
Equatorial Guinea delivered a remarkable performance by defeating the host nation, Ivory Coast, with a score of 4-0 during the 2024 AFCON, although they were eliminated in the round of 16. They are now anticipating their third consecutive participation in the tournament.
In a match held in Abidjan, Chad and Sierra Leone ended in a 1-1 draw, ensuring that Ivory Coast will secure a spot among the qualifiers from Group G.
Zambia has the opportunity to claim the other qualifying position if they manage to overcome Ivory Coast in Ndola on Friday; however, a draw or a loss would keep Sierra Leone's hopes alive.
Sierra Leone took the lead with a goal from Abu Dumbuya in the 29th minute, but Mahamat Thiam equalized five minutes later with a penalty kick, marking Chad's first goal in five group matches.
Sudan, currently facing a civil war, could qualify at the expense of four-time champions Ghana on Thursday if they manage to avoid defeat against Niger.
SportsLigue