E
Ernest Victor
Guest
The reigning African champions, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea have successfully clinched their berths for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which is set to take place in Morocco.
Remarkably, both teams achieved this without the need to step onto the pitch in November 2024, as the penultimate round of 2025 AFCON qualifying fixtures kicked off on Wednesday.
The Ivorian football team officially secured their position in the finals after a series of impressive performances. Their place is now guaranteed as they will undoubtedly finish among the top two in Group G.
This confirmation was made possible by Sierra Leone’s intense match against Chad, which ended in a 1-1 draw, thus sealing Chad’s elimination from the qualification race.
The Ivorian side have accumulated a robust total of nine points from four matches. Presently, they lead Group G, with Zambia trailing closely behind in second place with seven points after an equal number of games.
On the other hand, Sierra Leone find themselves in a precarious position, having garnered five points thus far and still with one match left to play.
Their chances of qualifying for the tournament appear slim, especially given the strength of their group rivals. Unfortunately, Chad’s campaign has ended following the recent draw, adding another chapter to their struggles in this qualification journey.
In Group E, the atmosphere was electrified by Liberia’s narrow yet critical 1-0 victory over Togo in a tense encounter held in Monrovia. This hard-fought win led to the elimination of both Liberia and Togo.
However, the outcome simultaneously ensured that Equatorial Guinea would progress to the finals of the tournament. The national team of Equatorial Guinea has amassed seven points from their four qualifying matches to date, showcasing their resilience and determination.
In contrast, Liberia now stand with just four points from five matches, while Togo languishes at the bottom of the group with only two points to their name throughout their qualifying campaign.
Even in a hypothetical scenario where Liberia could finish with the same number of points as Equatorial Guinea, they would still fall short in the standings due to the unfavourable head-to-head record between the two sides, thereby further solidifying Equatorial Guinea’s advancement.
Currently, the list of teams that have already qualified for the AFCON finals includes traditional powerhouses such as Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, the Ivory Coast, and Cameroon. These teams are joined by other notable contenders, including Angola, Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Morocco, and Senegal.
But the excitement surrounding the tournament isn’t over yet. A series of additional qualifying matches is slated to take place on Thursday, featuring nine more fixtures across the continent.
Heavyweights like Nigeria, Sudan, and Tunisia are poised to make their mark, as they seek to secure their tickets to the prestigious tournament in Morocco.
The post Ten Teams Already Qualified For 2025 AFCON With Two Games To Go appeared first on Naija News.