Today’s World Cup Qualifiers delivered plenty of excitement and goals. With the final matches set to determine group winners, there were several surprising and dramatic results across the continent.
IVORY COAST AND GABON IN A THRILLING RACE
Ivory Coast completely dismantled Seychelles with a stunning 7–0 victory. However, their main rivals Gabon also secured a crucial win, as veteran striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored four goals to lead his team to a 4–3 triumph over Gambia.
As a result, the battle for qualification will go down to the wire next week. Ivory Coast currently sit at the top of the group with 23 points, while Aubameyang’s Gabon are right behind them with 22 points. This means that any slip-up in the final match could see Ivory Coast miss out on a World Cup spot.
SENEGAL AND DR CONGO FLEX THEIR MUSCLES
In Group B, the competition remains fierce between two powerful sides. Senegal continued their dominance with a commanding 5–0 victory over South Sudan, maintaining their position as group leaders with 21 points.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Republic of Congo kept their hopes alive by defeating Togo 1–0, thanks to a decisive goal from Cédric Bakambu. The win lifted DR Congo to 19 points, ensuring that the race remains open.
In the group’s other match, Sudan and Mauritania played out a goalless draw (0–0).
TOTAL CHAOS IN GROUP C
Perhaps the most unpredictable group of the qualifiers, Group C remains wide open even after nine matches.
South Africa recently suffered a points deduction, but the real setback came in their away draw against Zimbabwe. Both teams finished the match with ten men, and the game ended 0–0 after a tense 90 minutes.
Benin, meanwhile, defeated Rwanda 1–0 to move to the top of the table. Nigeria, who had a poor start to the campaign, revived their qualification hopes with a 2–1 win over Lesotho.
As it stands, Benin have 17 points, South Africa 15, and Nigeria 14. However, the drama is far from over: if Nigeria win their next match, they could top the group; a draw could send South Africa through, while Benin will qualify as group leaders if they win.
The upcoming Benin vs. Nigeria clash promises to be one of the most thrilling matches of the entire qualifying campaign.
TUNISIA PUT ON A SHOW
In the day’s final match, Tunisia, who had already secured top spot in Group H, cruised to a 6–0 victory over São Tomé and Príncipe, capping off a dominant performance in style.