By Victor Kanayo
Ahead of the final qualifying round, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has reckoned that the 24 nations qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations to be staged in Côte d’Ivoire 2023 will be known in few days.
A look at the latest clashes in various groups, with nine places still up for grabs at Africa’s biggest football spectacle next year is presented as captured by CAF.
Group A
Nigeria and Guinea Bissau are the two teams who will play in the Côte d’Ivoire tournament. The Super Eagles with 12 points and the Djurtus qualified on Matchday 5 of these qualifiers at the expense of Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe.
Qualified: Nigeria and Guinea Bissau
Group B
Like Group A, the two qualifiers for Africa’s biggest football showpiece in Group B are already known. They are Burkina Faso (10 pts) and Cape Verde (10 pts). Togo and Eswatini remain on the sidelines.
Qualified: Burkina Faso and Cape Verde
Group C
In this three-team group, Namibia (5 points), Burundi (4 points) and Cameroon (4 points) are all within a good chance of qualifying. Cameroon and Burundi meet on 12 September, and if one of the two teams wins the other will be automatically eliminated.
Group D
Current silver-medalists from the last edition Egypt, are through with 12 points and are joined by Guinea on 9 points. Both sides will be in Cote d’Ivoire at the expense of Malawi and Ethiopia who fell short.
Qualified: Egypt and Guinea
Group E
Three teams for two slots. Ghana (9 points), Angola (8 points) and the Central African Republic (7 points) are still fighting it out for a place in Cote d’Ivoire.
Madagascar, with 2 points, has been eliminated. Angola will play their qualifier at home against Madagascar with Ghana taking on the Central African Republic.
The Black Stars, leaders of the group, have nine points but could be eliminated on goal difference if Angola beat Madagascar and the Ghanaians lose in their home match in Kumasi.
