Morocco and Senegal collected victories in Tuesday's Africa Cup of Nations 2027 (AFCON) qualifiers, while Algeria came from two goals down to draw 2-2 away to Burundi. The results saw Morocco and Senegal move to the top of their respective groups, while Algeria remained unbeaten after two Group I matches. Morocco beat Lesotho 2-0 to move onto six points from their opening two Group A matches. Brahim Diaz broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, and Azzedine Ounahi sealed the win in the 82nd minute.
Senegal claimed their first victory under Patrick Vieira, edging Ethiopia 1-0 away in Group J courtesy to an early goal from Ibrahim Mbaye. Ethiopia stayed within touching distance and searched for an equaliser after the interval, but Vieira made several changes as the Lions of Teranga protected their narrow lead. Senegal now have four points, while Ethiopia are pointless in the group after a second successive 1-0 defeat. The win marked a significant improvement for Senegal, who drew 1-1 with Mozambique in Vieira's first competitive match.
Algeria recovered from a disastrous start to draw 2-2 with Burundi and remain unbeaten after two Group I matches. Burundi raced into a two-goal lead inside 12 minutes, as Algeria midfielder Farès Chaïbi turned the ball into his own net after five minutes, and Jean Girumugisha doubled the advantage seven minutes later. The Desert Foxes hit back in the 30th minute, when Mohamed El Amine Belloumi reduced the deficit. Adil Boulbina completed the comeback with the equaliser in the 63rd minute.
Mozambique produced an emphatic second-half display to beat Sudan 4-1 and strengthen their position in Group J. The Mambas went ahead in the 24th minute through Witi, with Chamito doubling the lead almost immediately after the restart, and Guima made it 3-0 in the 58th minute. Chamito then struck again four minutes later to complete his double. Sudan pulled one back when Yaser Hamed converted a penalty in the 88th minute.
Comoros beat Namibia 1-0 in Group G to secure their first victory in the qualifiers. Benjaloud Youssouf scored the winner in the 54th minute after a goalless first half. Comoros had lost 3-1 to Cameroon in their opening qualifier. Namibia, who kicked off their AFCON campaign with a 1-0 win over Congo, could not find an equaliser despite several second-half chances.
The results leave Comoros, Namibia, and Cameroon on three points each, although the Indomitable Lions have played one game fewer ahead of their fixture against bottom-placed Congo. Morocco stay perfect with six points from their opening two Group A matches, having opened with a 2-0 home win over Gabon. Lesotho, who lost 2-1 to Niger in their first match, remain without a point.
The Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers continue, with several teams looking to secure their place in the tournament. The qualifiers have seen several upsets and dramatic wins, with Nigeria and Ghana suffering shock defeats. The next round of matches will see teams competing for crucial points to advance to the next stage.
Key points
- Morocco beat Lesotho 2-0 to move onto six points from their opening two Group A matches.
- Senegal claimed their first victory under Patrick Vieira, edging Ethiopia 1-0 away in Group J.
- Algeria came from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Burundi and remain unbeaten after two Group I matches.
