In a series of stunning upsets, former African champions Ghana and Nigeria, along with World Cup surprise packages Cape Verde, were beaten in their 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying matches on Tuesday. Ghana, led by two goals, lost 4-2 to Gambia in Accra, with Ebrima Colley scoring twice for the visitors in Group C. This result has left Ghana in a precarious position, especially after their opening match loss away to the Ivory Coast.
Nigeria's woes continued as they were thrashed 3-0 by Guinea-Bissau, a nation ranked 106 places lower in the world rankings, in Group L. The Super Eagles were behind within 15 minutes and failed to recover, with Franculino Dju, Mama Balde, and substitute Alvaro Djalo scoring for Guinea-Bissau. The loss is a significant blow to Nigeria's hopes of qualifying for the Afcon, especially considering their struggles in recent matches.
Cape Verde, who impressed in the World Cup by holding Spain and pushing Argentina to extra time, suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Rwanda in Group K. Despite taking the lead through Benchimol, Cape Verde conceded two goals in response, with Claude Niyomugabo equalizing for Rwanda in first-half added time and Elie Tatou scoring the winner after the break. This loss, combined with their defeat in Mali last week, has put Cape Verde's qualifying hopes in jeopardy.
Not all top teams struggled, however, as Algeria managed to claw back a 2-2 draw against Burundi in Group I, despite trailing by two goals at one point. In other matches, Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt secured away wins in their respective groups. Morocco won 2-0 against Lesotho, Senegal beat Ethiopia 1-0 through an Ibrahim Mbaye goal, and Egypt cruised to a 5-0 victory over South Sudan, despite resting star forward Mohamed Salah.
Ghana's loss to Gambia was a particularly surprising result, given their struggles to defeat minnows Somalia last week. Mohamed Badamosi and Omar Colley drew Gambia level by half-time, and Ebrima Colley's second-half brace sealed the win. Ghana, who failed to qualify for the last Afcon, now face two crucial November matches against Somalia, and coach Carlos Queiroz will be looking to turn their fortunes around.
Nigeria's defeat to Guinea-Bissau was marked by a lackluster performance, with the team unable to recover from an early deficit. The Super Eagles, who were without injured star Victor Osimhen, were outplayed by their opponents and created few chances throughout the match. The loss has raised concerns about Nigeria's ability to qualify for the Afcon, and coach Finidi George will need to regroup his team ahead of their next matches.
The results have left the qualifying groups wide open, with several teams still in contention for a spot in the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations. The next round of matches will be crucial in determining which teams will advance to the tournament. Key teams will be looking to bounce back from their losses and secure crucial wins to keep their qualifying hopes alive.
Key points
- Ghana, Nigeria, and Cape Verde suffered shocking defeats in Afcon qualifying.
- Algeria managed to draw with Burundi, while Morocco, Senegal, and Egypt secured away wins.
- The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying groups are now wide open.
