CAPE TOWN: The tiny Comoros Islands, Mali, Zambia and Zimbabwe added their names on Friday to the list of teams who have qualified for next year’s 24-team Africa Cup of Nations but four-time champions Ghana were eliminated.

Nineteen teams have now secured placed in tournament that will take place in Morocco, leaving five places up for grabs.

Ghana went into their away game against already-qualified Group ‘F’ winners Angola looking for a first win of the 2025 preliminaries.

Their tenuous hopes were lifted after 19 minutes when Jordan Ayew scored with a stunning freekick but a close-in header from substitute Zini in the second half secured Angola a 1-1 draw that ended Ghana’s run of 10 successive Cup of Nations finals appearances.

The draw left Ghana bottom of the table, four points adrift of Sudan in the second qualifying place, with one round left.

Comoros, a tiny island nation off the southeastern coast, scored in the final minute through Myziane Maolida to snatch a 2-1 win over the Gambia and qualification from Group ‘A’.

Shock winners over former champions Tunisia last month, the Comorans fell behind in the first half to an Alassana Jatta goal, but Rafiki Said equalised five minutes later.

Zambia’s 1-0 win over holders Ivory Coast in Ndola also put them into the finals as Kennedy Musonda scored two minutes before halftime. The Ivorians had already qualified from Group ‘G’.

Kamory Doumbia netted after 19 minutes to earn Mali a 1-0 Group ‘I’ win over Mozambique in Maputo and a 10th straight qualification for the African football showcase.

Mozambique need a point from their final fixture, in Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday, to qualify. A win for fellow contenders Guinea-Bissau would see second place decided by the head-to-head rule.

Zimbabwe had been barred from the last edition of the continental championship, after government interference in the running of their association led to an 18-month FIFA ban, but bounced back to book their place despite a 1-1 home draw with Kenya.

Scotland-based attacker Tawanda Maswanhise had Zimbabwe 1-0 ahead before halftime of the Group J match played in Polokwane, South Africa, because Zimbabwe do not have a stadium that meets the Confederation of African Footballs standards for international competition.

Kenya had to win to keep alive their hopes and pulled a goal back in the 52nd minute through Jonah Ayunga but could not find the all-important second.

Hosts Morocco are also competing in the qualifiers and beat Gabon 5-1 away in Franceville with a double from Brahim Diaz making it five wins out of five in Group ‘B’.

Egypts 1-1 draw earlier on Friday in the Cape Verde Islands saw them drop their first points in Group ‘C’.

Had Botswana beaten Mauritania, they would have gone through with Egypt from the group but had their hopes dashed in a 1-1 draw.

South Africa replaced Uganda as Group ‘K’ leaders after winning a showdown between two already-qualified countries 2-0 in Kampala.

Both goals came in the second half from substitutes with Thapelo Morena punishing a defensive blunder to break the deadlock and Patrick Maswanganyi doubling the lead.

Published in Dawn, November 17th, 2024