On Sunday, September 10th, the final round of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers delivered exciting outcomes across three matches. This pivotal day brought forth moments of triumph and reflection for nations including Nigeria, Congo, Togo, Cape Verde, The Gambia, and Sao Tome and Principe.
Nigeria, comfortably leading Group A with 12 points ahead of their match against Sao Tome and Principe, exhibited their dominance with a resounding 6-0 victory.
The Super Eagles, already assured of qualification, welcomed the group’s bottom team, Sao Tome and Principe, who had only secured 1 point and were eliminated. This win propelled Nigeria to 15 points, leaving Guinea-Bissau in second place with 10 points ahead of their Monday clash against Sierra Leone.
Togo and Cape Verde, on the other hand, faced a relatively inconsequential final day. The Togolese national team, having bid adieu to AFCON qualification in Ivory Coast, managed to clinch a 3-2 victory on home turf, securing the third position in Group B.
After this match, Burkina Faso maintained its group leadership with 11 points, while Cape Verde held onto the second spot with 10 points.
The other match on Sunday featured Gambia against Congo. This game, played in Marrakech amidst a national period of mourning following a devastating earthquake near the Moroccan city that claimed over a thousand lives, concluded in a 2-2 draw.
Gambia’s late equalizer in the 90th minute allowed them to retain their second-place standing in Group G, securing their qualification for AFCON for the second time.
The results:
Nigeria vs Sao Tomé-and-Principe
6-0
Togo vs Cap vert
3-2
The Gambia Vs Congo
2-2