AFCON 2023 (Q): What's at stake on a decisive Matchday 4
Ivory Coast 2023: who will join Morocco? At least four nations can seal their qualification on Matchday 4.
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Since former CAF president Ahmad Ahmad and his team expanded the AFCON to 24 teams in 2019, Africa's big nations have almost always made it to the continental tournament. Ivory Coast 2023 should be no exception. Morocco, the continent's top nation right now, already have their ticket, for example. Several other major African names are also on the verge of joining the Atlas Lions.
Related: AFCON 2023 (Q) - fixtures and results for Matchdays 3 and 4
Senegal, Burkina Faso and Mali are in the same position. These three nations could even wrap up top spot on this Matchday 4, having won every game in the first half of these AFCON 2023 qualifiers.
Togo, South Africa, Madagascar and Uganda in danger
Even Nigeria, who were beaten at home by Guinea-Bissau (1-0), are not in danger. With a win in Bissau, the Super Eagles would go back to the top of Group A and all but secure qualification.
Togo, by contrast, have their backs against the wall. Absent from the last two editions of the AFCON, the Eperviers are also very close to missing out on Ivory Coast 2023. Bottom of Group B with 1 point, they can no longer afford a slip. They must beat the Etalons at home to keep their qualification hopes alive. A defeat combined with a Cape Verde win in Eswatini would be fatal for them. South Africa, Madagascar and Uganda are in the same predicament.
Dotting the i's in Group I
Points will be at a premium in Group I. DR Congo's 3-1 win (3 pts) over Mauritania (4 pts) has completely reopened the group. No nation is pulling clear at present. It will be even more cut-throat if Sudan (3 pts) manage to derail Gabon (7 pts), the current leaders of this wide-open group. In the other tie, the Leopards have no desire at all to watch Ivory Coast 2023 on TV, as they did with the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon. The Mourabitounes, for their part, hope to keep their qualifying momentum going.
ROUND 3: ✅
Here’s how the #TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 groups stand 🔢 pic.twitter.com/LWKUFC8DLv
— CAF_Online (@CAF_Online) March 25, 2023