2015 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers Deliver Drama and Surprises Across the Continent
The race to the 2015 African Cup of Nations is heating up, with the second round of qualifiers on Wednesday continuing to produce thrilling matches and shifting dynamics within the groups.
Togo’s campaign remains bleak as the Hawks are yet to secure a point after two matches. Their narrow 3-2 defeat at home to Ghana, who bounced back from a disappointing draw with Uganda, has left Togo struggling. Despite Emmanuel Adebayor’s goal, Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan and teammates secured a crucial win in Lomé. Meanwhile, Uganda’s 2-0 victory over Guinea keeps them atop Group E, intensifying competition.
In Group A, Nigeria and South Africa played out a goalless draw, while Congo emerged as group leaders following a 2-0 victory over Sudan in Brazzaville. The Congolese side, nicknamed the Red Devils, continue to impress under Claude Leroy’s guidance.
Burkina Faso also maintained momentum with a commanding 3-0 win over Angola, highlighted by a brace from Jonathan Pitroipa. Contrastingly, Gabon had to settle for a 1-1 draw in Lesotho despite Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s presence.
Ivory Coast suffered a stunning 4-1 defeat in Yaoundé against Cameroon, marking coach Hervé Renard’s first setback. The Indomitable Lions shone with two goals each from Vincent Aboubakar and Clinton N’Jie, while DR Congo kept pace with a 2-0 win over Sierra Leone.
Group G features a tense showdown between Tunisia and Senegal, both undefeated with six points each. Tunisia edged Egypt 1-0 in Cairo courtesy of a Ben Youssef strike, while Senegal secured a 2-0 win over Botswana thanks to goals from Sadio Mané and Dame Ndoye.
French coach Christian Gourcuff celebrated a positive start on Algerian soil with a narrow 1-0 victory over Mali, further shaping Group B’s contest. Malawi kept their hopes alive with a thrilling 3-2 home win over Ethiopia, who now face an uphill battle after two losses.
Cape Verde continues its impressive run in Group F with a 2-1 home win against Zambia’s Chipolopolo. Mozambique and Niger shared spoils in a 1-1 draw, adding further complexity to the group standings.
Complete Results:
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Group A: Congo Brazzaville 2-0 Sudan (Goals: Doré, Oniangue); South Africa 0-0 Nigeria
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Group B: Malawi 3-2 Ethiopia (Nyondo x2, Banda; Kebede, Saleh); Algeria 1-0 Mali (Medjani)
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Group C: Angola 0-3 Burkina Faso (Bancé, Pitroipa x2); Lesotho 1-1 Gabon (Lekhanya; Madinda)
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Group D: Cameroon 4-1 Ivory Coast (Njié x2, Aboubakar x2; Yaya Touré); Sierra Leone 0-2 DR Congo (Mubele, Bokila)
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Group E: Togo 2-3 Ghana (Ayité, Adebayor; Gyan, Agyemang-Badu, Atsu); Uganda 2-0 Guinea (Geoffrey Massa x2)
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Group F: Mozambique 1-1 Niger (Domingues; Cissé); Cape Verde 2-1 Zambia (Jose Andrade, Ryan Mendes; Mulenga)
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Group G: Botswana 0-2 Senegal (Mané, Ndoye); Egypt 0-1 Tunisia (Ben Youssef)
As the qualifiers progress, the stakes rise with several teams asserting dominance while others fight desperately to keep their hopes alive. The journey to Morocco 2015 promises more excitement in the weeks ahead.
