Nigeria and Senegal secure qualification to next round

Based on the results from Sunday’s fixtures, Nigeria (Cullen FC) and Senegal are the first set of teams to qualify from their respective groups. Nigeria was able to secure a spot in the next round by beating D.R Congo with a 3-2 scoreline, while Senegal also secured a ticket to the semi’s with a 1-0 scoreline against Equitorial Guinea.

However, a closer look at both groups indicates there is still a lot to play for. Group A currently has Cote d’ivoire in 2nd place with 3 points. However, Eq. Guinea and Tanzania, both with 1 point each, could still make a claim for the 2nd spot based on their results from the next games.

Likewise in Group B, the 2nd spot is still up for grabs as Burkina Faso still has a chance to qualify. Burkina Faso were able to showcase their strengths today with a hard-fought 2-2 draw against Cameroon. The only team that is mathematically out of reckoning is D.R Congo, with 2 losses.

D.R Congo’s performance today against Nigeria was however commendable, as they rallied from a 3-goal deficit to score 2 goals – and were well on their way to scoring a 3rd if they had a little bit more time.

Tanzania on the other hand still has a lot to play for. The game against Cote d’ivoire started on a positive note with a goal in their favor. However, this was short-lived as Cote d’ivoire tightened things up and dominated with a convincing 4-1 scoreline.

As the teams break for the week, players and coaches alike will be re-energized to ensure they put in their all to secure the last qualification spot within their respective groups.