Nigeria suffered a shocking 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau in the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers on Tuesday. The match saw Guinea-Bissau take an early lead through Franculino's 15th-minute goal. Mahamadou Balde doubled their advantage in the 66th minute, before Alvaro Djalo sealed the win with a third goal in stoppage time. This result leaves Nigeria second in Group L with three points, while Guinea-Bissau sit top with six points from two games.
Ghana also suffered a surprise defeat, losing 4-2 to Gambia. The Black Stars took the lead through Ernest Nuamah's penalty in the 27th minute, and Felix Afena-Gyan doubled their advantage six minutes later. However, Gambia staged a comeback, with Mohamed Badamosi pulling one back from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. Omar Colley equalized three minutes before half-time, and Ebrima Colley scored twice in the second half to secure a stunning victory for Gambia.
Despite the defeats, Nigeria and Ghana still have a chance to qualify for the AFCON finals. The top two teams in each qualifying group will reach the finals, which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda from 19 June to 17 July, 2027. In Group L, Tanzania and Madagascar drew 1-1 on Tuesday, leaving them third and fourth with one point each.
In other matches, Morocco and Senegal secured wins, while Algeria survived a scare against Burundi. The results mean that the competition for a spot in the AFCON finals is heating up. Côte d'Ivoire currently sit second in Group C with three points, and will face third-placed Somalia later on Tuesday.
The 2027 AFCON qualifiers have seen several surprises, with top teams stumbling against lower-ranked opponents. Nigeria and Ghana will look to bounce back from their defeats and secure qualification for the finals. The next round of matches will be crucial in determining the teams that will progress to the finals.
The AFCON finals will feature 24 teams, with the top two teams from each of the 12 qualifying groups advancing to the tournament. The hosts, Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, have already qualified for the finals. The tournament will run from 19 June to 17 July, 2027.
The 2027 AFCON qualifiers will continue with the next round of matches, with teams battling for a spot in the finals. Nigeria and Ghana will look to regroup and secure wins in their next matches to keep their qualification hopes alive. The competition is expected to be fierce, with several teams vying for a spot in the AFCON finals.
Key points
- Nigeria and Ghana suffered shock defeats in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
- Guinea-Bissau and Gambia secured stunning victories over Nigeria and Ghana.
- The top two teams in each qualifying group will reach the AFCON finals.
