On Sunday, Nigeria defeated Sierra Leone 3-2 to advance to the next AFCON, and Tanzania hung on to defeat Niger at home despite an odd late event in which the Tanzanian ball boys were thrown off for interfering with the game.
At least twice in Tanzania, the ball boys hurled multiple balls onto the field, causing the referee to stop play as Niger launched late attempts in pursuit of a tying goal.
When Niger launched one of their attacks, there were at least four balls on the field. As a result, Egyptian referee Mohamed Al Sayd lost patience and approached the ball boys on the touchline to tell them to leave the field.
Saimon Msuva’s strike in the 69th minute gave Tanzania a 1-0 victory, putting them in position to advance from Group F behind Algeria, who had already secured a spot at the 2024 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.
Tanzania needs a point versus Algeria on the final day of the qualifications in September to move ahead of East African rival Uganda and into second place in the group.
Mohamed El Amine Amoura, a winger for Algeria, helped the team defeat Uganda 2-1 on Sunday.
Victor Osimhen scored twice in the span of 32 minutes for the Nigerian Eagles, putting them on the verge of defeating Sierra Leone. With five goals each, Osimhen and Sadio Mané lead the qualification scoring charts.
However, Sierra Leone closed the difference before intermission, and Augustus Kargbo’s goal in the 84th minute tied the game.
The Super Eagles’ qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations 2024 was assured after Leicester’s Iheanacho received a cross from Nigerian left-back Zaidu Sanusi with about 55 seconds left in the game.
Along with Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau also advanced from Group A.
Senegal’s Mané, the World Cup semifinalist Morocco, Egypt, and Algeria all made it, with Egypt clinching their spot last week with a 2-1 victory against Guinea. Meanwhile, despite the fact that both sides had already qualified, Morocco fell short 2-1 in South Africa on Saturday.
The two biggest teams who haven’t purchased their tickets to Côte d’Ivoire are Cameroon, a five-time African winner, and Ghana, a four-time African champion. In September, when the Cameroonians may have fallen to third place in their group, the Indomitable Lions’ destiny will be decided at home against Burundi.
On Sunday in Madagascar, Ghana was held to a 0-0 tie when a win would have moved them up to third position.
In their final qualifying match at home against the Central African Republic, they now require at least a draw. Only two points separate first-place Ghana from second-place Angola and third-place Central African Republic in Group E.
