Nigeria, Uganda Close in On Afcon 2025 Tickets, Ghana Face Elimination

14 November 2024
Leadership (Abuja)

Nigeria's Super Eagles and their Ugandan counterparts are on the brink of securing their places in the finals as matchday-5 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers takes centre stage.

With both sides needing just a point to qualify for the tournament set to be hosted by Morocco, Nigeria and Uganda will lock horns with Benin in Abidjan on Thursday and South Africa in Kampala respectively on Friday.

Nigeria's West African arch rivals, Ghana, on the other hand, could be eliminated by the time they take on Angola in Luanda on Friday, as Sudan will qualify if they avoid defeat away against Niger in Lome on Thursday.

After three wins out of their earlier four games (the only draw being the Matchday 2 session with Rwanda in Kigali), the Super Eagles are riding high with 10 points, four more than second-placed Benin Republic, who suffered a glitch in Kigali in the last round of games. A win virtually guarantees Nigeria's leadership of the group going into the final-day tussles.

On the other hand, the Cheetahs, with six points, know they cannot afford any more slip-ups following the tumble in Kigali, as they could still be tossed if they lose their last two games and Rwanda, on five, earn a minimum of two points in their own final two. Even Libya, with only one point, can still leap over Benin Republic if they beat Rwanda in Kigali, the Cheetahs are bumped by the Eagles, and the Knights rout the Cheetahs in North Africa on Monday.

Meanwhile, Group A leaders Tunisia will edge closer to securing a record-extending 17th successive appearance at the finals if they defeat Madagascar in Pretoria on Thursday.

While African champions Cote d'Ivoire need just three points to be sure of an opportunity to defend their title in Morocco as they travel to Zambia to take on Chipolopolo in Ndola on Friday.

Having both already qualified Morocco and Egypt will be away to Gabon, and Cape Verde respectively on Friday. An already qualified Senegal side will take on Burkina Faso in Bamako on Thursday.

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