AFCON 2023 (Q): Zambia and South Africa join the qualified teams

Ten of the twenty-four nations that will be present in Côte d'Ivoire for the 34th edition of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations next January are now known. Zambia and Equatorial Guinea have joined Côte d'Ivoire, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Tunisia and Egypt.

Zambia in, Comoros out, Côte d'Ivoire worrying
This is what we call doing things in a big way. Despite needing a draw to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, Zambia did better, much better. The Zambians inflicted a real beating on Côte d'Ivoire, the host country of the competition next January. The final score was 3-0. The Chipolopolos opened the scoring in the 31st minute with an unlikely own goal from Côte d'Ivoire captain Serge Aurier. In the second half, Patson Daka (48th) and Kings Kangwa (55th) added to the tally.

📹 HIGHLIGHTS: 🇿🇲 3-0 🇨🇮

Zambia secure their #TotalEnergiesAFCON qualification in style with a huge win over hosts Côte d'Ivoire 👏#TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 pic.twitter.com/TdUXLu3tbw

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) June 17, 2023

With this win, Zambia have qualified for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. They now top Group H with 12 points. Côte d'Ivoire drop to second with 10 points. For Côte d'Ivoire, this match reveals the work to be done by coach Jean-Louis Gasset with six months to go before the CAF Africa Cup of Nations on home soil.

The Comoros, on the other hand, were eliminated despite beating Lesotho 1-0. It was a big disappointment for the Comoros, who had caused a sensation in Cameroon by reaching the last eight in their first appearance at an African Cup of Nations finals.

South Africa dominate Morocco, Equatorial Guinea qualify
Equatorial Guinea narrowly beat Tunisia on Matchday 5 of the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Nzalang Nacional won by the narrowest of margins (1-0). In a match that had been indecisive for a long time, the hosts scored the only goal of the game late on (85th). And it was Nsue who gave his side victory from the penalty spot. With this win, Equatorial Guinea (12 pts) take top spot in Group J and qualify for the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Second-placed Tunisia (10 pts) are also through.

South Africa, who missed out on the last edition of the CAN in Cameroon, have also made a date with Côte d'Ivoire. Bafana Bafana beat Morocco 2-1. In Group K, without the suspended Zimbabwe, the South Africans can no longer be joined by Liberia (1 pt). They have seven points. Morocco (6 pts) are also qualified and will be able to reclaim top spot in the group when they meet Liberia in the last match.

Things get complicated for the Central African Republic, while Benin have come a long way
The Central African Republic had the opportunity to qualify for their first African Cup of Nations this Saturday in Cameroon, where they played host to Angola. They needed a win to do so. But the Central Africans, perhaps inhibited by what was at stake, lost 2-1. This made their task much harder. Now third in the group, they must beat Ghana on the final day to qualify.

📹 HIGHLIGHTS: 🇨🇫 1-2 🇦🇴

Angola are one step closer to #TotalEnergiesAFCON with a win over Central African R. 👀#TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 pic.twitter.com/ujcazmq4yT

— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) June 17, 2023

Benin, too, will have to wait until the final matchday to hope to be among the 24 nations present in Côte d'Ivoire next January. The Cheetahs could only manage a 1-1 draw against Senegal, who had already qualified. They conceded the opening goal to Abdoulaye Seck (42nd) before equalising thanks to a masterful strike from defender Abdoul Moumini (79th). With 5 points, Benin are in second place just ahead of Mozambique (4 pts), who travel to Rwanda (1 pt) on Sunday. We will have to wait until the final matchday to find out which country will accompany Senegal.

Countries already qualified for AFCON 2023

Côte d'Ivoire, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Egypt, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea