Nigeria suffered a humiliating 3-0 defeat to Guinea-Bissau on a day of shocks in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
The Super Eagles, three-time AFCON champions, missed out on the 2026 World Cup, and their hopes of featuring at next year’s tournament in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda suffered a significant setback in Bissau.
Franculino Dju curled Guinea-Bissau into a 15th-minute lead before Mama Balde fired in off the post to double that advantage. Alvaro Djalo added a third in stoppage time, sending Guinea-Bissau three points clear of Nigeria at the top of Group L, which contains a Tanzania side that has already qualified as hosts, meaning only the group winners will progress.
Ghana face an uphill battle to reach the AFCON finals after the Black Stars suffered a second successive defeat.
Following their 2-0 loss to Ivory Coast in their opening Group C game, Carlos Queiroz’s men were beaten 4-2 at home by Gambia.
Ghana appeared in command after a penalty from Ernest Nuamah and a goal from Felix Afena-Gyan gave them a 2-0 lead. However, Gambia produced a superb comeback, Muhammed Badamosi pulling one back from the penalty spot and Omar Colley levelling matters before half-time.
Ebrima Colley completed the turnaround, and then settled the contest with his second in the first minute of stoppage time.
Ivory Coast left it late to see off Somalia 2-0, an 89th minute goal from Coventry City’s Yann Gboho breaking the deadlock before Newcastle’s United Bazoumana Toure fired in on rebound in stoppage time.
Meanwhile, Morocco made it two wins from two in Group A by beating Lesotho 2-0 away from home.
The Atlas Lions, controversially awarded the 2025 title after the result of their final with Senegal was overturned by CAF, prevailed thanks to goals from Brahim Diaz and Azzedine Ounahi.
Nicolas Jackson set up Aston Villa team-mate Ibrahim Mbaye for the only goal of the game as Senegal got their first win in Group J, claiming a 1-0 away victory against Ethiopia having started with a 1-1 draw against Mozambique.
Egypt responded to the frustration of their opening draw with Angola by thrashing South Sudan 5-0, Tottenham forward Omar Marmoush scoring twice in a Group B rout in Juba.
But Cape Verde, whose progress to the knockout rounds made them one of the stories of the World Cup, are without a point from their two Group K games after losing 2-1 at home to Rwanda.
Benchimol gave Cape Verde the lead, but goals from Claude Niyomugabo and Elie Iradukunda Tatou turned the game around. Cape Verde are now six points shy of a qualification place.
Algeria avoided a major shock in Group I as they came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 with Burundi. In Group G, a second-half own goal spared Cameroon’s blushes, the Lions of Teranga coming from 1-0 down to earn a 1-1 draw with Congo.
Other AFCON qualifying results
Comoros 1-0 Namibia
Mozambique 4-1 Sudan
Madagascar 1-1 Tanzania
Uganda 1-0 Libya
Zambia 2-0 Togo
Benin 2-1 Mauritania
Gabon 2-0 Niger
Liberia 0-1 Mali
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: 101greatgoals.com
