FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Africa Cup of Nations - Final - Nigeria v Ivory Coast - Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara, Abidjan, Ivory Coast - February 11, 2024 Ivory Coast's Max Gradel lifts the trophy as he celebrates with teammates after winning the Africa Cup of Nations REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo
CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Holders Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea became the latest countries to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals but did not have to kick a ball to do so, as the penultimate round of qualifiers began on Wednesday.
The Ivorians, winners at the last finals which they hosted at the start of the year, are certain of finishing in the top two places in Group G after Sierra Leone were held to a 1-1 draw by Chad in Abidjan.
The Ivorians sit on nine points from four matches, with Zambia second in the group on seven from four. Sierra Leone have five points with one game to play and Chad are eliminated.
Chad moved the clash to the Ivory Coast because they are one of 18 countries barred from hosting international matches because of the poor state of their stadia.
They went a goal behind to Abu-Diaby Dumbuya’s stunning 29th-minute effort but equalised with a Panenka-style penalty from defender Mahamat Thiam five minutes later.
A 1-0 win for Liberia over Togo in Monrovia in Group E eliminated both countries and guaranteed Equatorial Guinea progress to the tournament in Morocco, which is to be played from Dec. 21, 2025 to Jan. 18, 2026. The top two sides in each of the 12 qualifying groups advance to the finals.
Equatorial Guinea, who were a surprise package at the last finals, sit on seven points from their four matches, while Liberia who have four points from five games and Togo have two.
Even if Liberia finish with same points tally as Equatorial Guinea, who host group leaders Algeria on Thursday, they cannot overhaul them in the standings because of the head-to-head record between the two.
Equatorial Guinea beat Liberia home and away last month, but on Wednesday substitute Mohammed Sangare, who came through the ranks at Newcastle United but now plays his club football in Switzerland, tucked away an 83rd-minute penalty to ensure Liberia’s first win of the group.
MAIDEN VICTORY
It was also a maiden victory for caretaker coach Thomas Kojo, drafted in last month after Romanian Mario Marinica was fired.
Earlier on Wednesday, Cameroon hung on for a goalless draw away against Namibia in their Group J clash played in Johannesburg, South Africa
Namibia came close to snatching victory midway through the second half when diminutive forward Prins Tjiueza hit the upright with a header and then slammed the rebound onto the same post as Andre Onana kept a clean sheet for a fourth time in five matches in the qualifiers.
Cameroon had already qualified from Group J while it was the first point of the campaign for the already-eliminated Namibia.
Afterwards, Cameroon coach Marc Brys bemoaned the poor organisation which saw his side arrive less than 24 hours before kick off and have to do without Brentford striker Bryan Mbeumo and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, who did not make it to the game on the time after playing in the Premier League at the weekend.
Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Ivory Coast and Cameroon are joined by Angola, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Morocco and Senegal in the finals.
More places should be decided on Thursday when a further nine qualifiers are played around the continent, with the likes of Nigeria, Sudan and Tunisia looking likely to book their tickets to Morocco.
(Editing by Toby Davis)
