AFCON 2027 Qualifiers: Ethiopia cruise past São Tomé to take first-leg advantage

Ethiopia delivered a commanding performance on Friday in the preliminary round of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers, securing a 3-0 away victory over São Tomé and Príncipe in the first leg of their tie.

The convincing win puts Ethiopia firmly in control of their tie, leaving them in a strong position to advance to the next round with minimal pressure heading into the return leg.

Burundi Dominate Chad in First Leg

Elsewhere, Burundi produced one of the standout performances of the round with a comprehensive 4-0 win over Chad at the Stade Olympique Maréchal Idriss Déby Itno.

Burundi made an early breakthrough through Jordi Liongola in the sixth minute, setting the tone for a dominant display. Bienvenue Kanakimana doubled the lead in the 32nd minute, leaving Chad struggling to respond before the break.

The visitors maintained control in the second half, with Abdoul Karim adding a third in the 63rd minute before Mossi Nduwumwe sealed the emphatic result with a fourth goal in the 74th minute.

Somalia Held as Tie Remains Open

In another fixture, the Somalia national football team were held to a goalless draw by the Mauritius national football team, leaving their qualification hopes finely balanced ahead of the return leg.

Race for Qualification Intensifies

The preliminary stage marks the beginning of the road to AFCON 2027, with 12 of Africa’s lowest-ranked nations battling for six places in the group stage qualifiers.

With dominant first-leg performances, Ethiopia and Burundi have placed themselves in strong positions to progress, while Chad and others face an uphill task in the decisive second-leg encounters.