AFCON 2023 (Q): 5 things to remember from matchday 5

Matchday 5 of the 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifiers came to a close on Tuesday 20 June. There were a number of highlights. Sport News Africa brings you five of them, with most of the big guns already on the road to Côte d'Ivoire. While Cameroon, semi-finalists at the 2021 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, are in danger of missing out. The unusual fact is undoubtedly the red cards received... by the ball boys.

Cameroon in danger
In Group C, Cameroon are in serious danger. The Indomitable Lions had no match on Matchday 5, as their group comprises just three teams, along with Burundi and Namibia. The Burundians won 3-2. The win sees them level on 4 points with Cameroon, while Namibia lead the way with 5 points. On the 6th and final day in September, Cameroon and Burundi will face off in what will be the final for a ticket to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. But watch out for a crazy scenario, because if they draw, the three teams in this group will be level on points. Suspense guaranteed.

Suspense guaranteed in Group I
Group I of the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers is upside down after Matchday 5. With Mauritania's 3-0 win over Sudan and DR Congo's 2-0 victory in Gabon, the cards have been reshuffled. Mauritania are in the lead on 8 points, followed by the DRC on 7. Gabon are third on 7 points, while Sudan close the gap on 6. The Mauritania-Gabon and DRC-Sudan clashes on the 6th and final matchday are sure to be fascinating encounters, as the first and last teams in the group can either qualify or be eliminated. The two places for Côte d'Ivoire will be worth their weight in gold in this group.

The big boys go through... Ghana will have to wait
With the exception of Cameroon, all the other big names on the continent have qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. While Senegal, Algeria and Morocco had already secured their places last March, Egypt, Nigeria, Mali, Zambia, Guinea and Guinea Bissau have now joined the contingent.

Ghana, on the other hand, have not secured their place at CAN 2023. The Black Stars drew with Madagascar (0-0). Coach Chris Hughton was far from happy with the result, and has slammed his fist down on the table. The Ghanaians, leaders of Pool E with 9 points, are hot on the heels of Angola (2nd, 8 pts) and the Central African Republic (3rd, 7 pts). The CAR will be Ghana's opponents on the 6th and final matchday. A defeat for Ghana could mean elimination. Suffice to say, it would be a tall order.

Côte d'Ivoire: a beating and doubts
As hosts of the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Côte d'Ivoire took a heavy beating in Zambia in Group H with a 3-0 defeat. With just six months to go before the Africa Cup of Nations, this setback is bound to raise a number of questions. The first being whether Jean-Louis Gasset can take the Elephants to the top of Africa. Nothing is less certain.

Osimhen tops the scorers' charts after being sent off
Victor Osimhen was neck and neck with Sadio Mané in the scorers' charts ahead of Matchday 5. The Neapolitan, who scored twice against Sierra Leone (3-2 win), now has 7 goals in this 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign. He is ahead of Sadio Mané (5 goals), who failed to score against Benin.

The match between Tanzania and Niger also attracted attention. Egyptian referee Al Sayd issued red cards... to ball boys. The reason was that these young boys were having fun throwing in an extra ball every time Niger went on the attack. This was to allow their team, which was leading 1-0, to gain time. It is not certain that they will make the trip to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Qualif #CAN2023 : Fin de match chaotique entre la Tanzanie 🇹🇿 et le Niger 🇳🇪 ! Les ramasseurs de balles sont expulsés par l'arbitre ! 🤯 pic.twitter.com/k57NNG3I6t

— CANAL+ SPORT Afrique (@cplussportafr) June 18, 2023