AFCON 2027 qualifiers: 10 talking points from matchday one - Punch Newspapers

The opening matchday of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers produced a mixture of strong starts, dramatic comebacks and surprise results across the continent. AFCON 2027 qualifiers’ Matchday One games were played from September 24 to 26. According to the Confederation of African Football on Sunday, continental heavyweights Nigeria, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, Algeria, and Cameroon all began their campaigns with victories, while Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe and Sudan also recorded notable wins. Here are 10 talking points from Matchday One: 1. Nigeria fight back against Madagascar The Super Eagles came from behind to beat Madagascar 2-1 in Group L. Ehsan Kari put Madagascar ahead in the 16th minute, but George Ilenikhena equalised in first-half stoppage time before substitute Moses Usor completed Nigeria’s comeback in the 65th minute. Nigeria’s victory leaves them level on three points with Guinea-Bissau ahead of their meeting on Tuesday. 2. Guinea-Bissau stun co-hosts Tanzania Guinea-Bissau recorded one of the standout results of the opening round by beating Tanzania 2-0 away. Franculino Djú opened the scoring in the 33rd minute before Mama Baldé doubled the advantage in the 58th. Tanzania are already qualified for the 2027 tournament as co-hosts, meaning Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria and Madagascar are competing for the remaining qualifying place in Group L. 3. Zimbabwe complete dramatic comeback Zimbabwe produced one of the most dramatic results of Matchday One after recovering from two goals down to beat Sierra Leone 3-2. Alie Conteh and Sallieu Tarawallie gave Sierra Leone a 2-0 lead, but Marshall Munetsi pulled one back in the 72nd minute before Tawanda Chirewa equalised four minutes later.See more Punch stories on Google.Add Punch on Google Munetsi completed the comeback with his second goal in the 88th minute. 4. Egypt held at home by Angola Record seven-time African champions Egypt were frustrated by Angola in Cairo as the two sides played out a goalless draw. Egypt thought they had taken the lead through Mostafa Zico in the 21st minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside. Angola subsequently held on for a valuable away point. 5. Senegal denied victory in Vieira’s first competitive game Patrick Vieira’s first competitive match as Senegal coach ended in a 1-1 draw against Mozambique. Nicolas Jackson put Senegal ahead in the 32nd minute, but Geny Catamo equalised in first-half stoppage time. Gunmen kill 27 in South Africa shootings Nigeria, UAE sign MoU against transnational drug syndicates Madagascar heroics place Nwabali ahead Okonkwo, Okoye in Eagles keeper battle Neither side could find a winner after the break. 6. Côte d’Ivoire make winning start under Renard Côte d’Ivoire began Hervé Renard’s second spell in charge with a 2-0 victory over Ghana in Bouaké. Malick Yalcouyé opened the scoring in the 44th minute before Franck Kessié converted a penalty in the 58th minute. The Elephants joined The Gambia on three points at the top of Group C. 7. Morocco and Algeria among big winners Morocco opened their Group A campaign with a 2-0 victory over Gabon, while Algeria defeated Zambia 3-1 in Group I. Noussair Mazraoui and Soufiane Rahimi scored for Morocco, while Algeria’s goals came from Jaouen Hadjam, Ibrahim Maza and substitute Anis Hadj Moussa. 8. Cameroon and Mauritania score three Cameroon defeated Comoros 3-1 to make a winning start in Group G. David Ningo and Bryan Mbeumo put the Indomitable Lions two goals ahead before Warmed Omari pulled one back for Comoros. Danny Namaso restored Cameroon’s two-goal advantage in the 81st minute. Mauritania also scored three goals, beating the Central African Republic 3-1 in Group F. 9. Rwanda and Mali begin with 3-1 wins Rwanda and Mali both recorded 3-1 victories in Group K. The Amavubi defeated Liberia, while Mali beat Cape Verde, with Nene Dorgeles scoring twice for the Eagles. The results put both sides on three points after the opening round. 10. South Africa take early Group D lead South Africa began their campaign with a 2-1 victory over Guinea in Pitso Mosimane’s first match back in charge. Ime Okon and Samukele Kabini scored for Bafana Bafana, while Seydouba Cisse briefly restored parity for Guinea. Kenya and Eritrea drew 1-1 in the other Group D fixture, leaving South Africa top of the group with three points. Kenya, one of the three co-hosts, are already guaranteed a place at the finals, meaning only the highest-ranked non-host nation in Group D will qualify. The second round of fixtures is scheduled to begin on September 28, with several teams that dropped points in their opening matches looking to respond immediately. Saheed Oyelakin Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.

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