AFCON 2023 (Q): Morocco beaten, Benin survive a scare, two more teams qualify

Zambia in, Comoros out, Ivory Coast worrying

That is what you call doing things in style. Needing only a draw to qualify for AFCON 2023, Zambia did better, much better. The Zambians handed hosts Ivory Coast, who stage the tournament next January, a real hammering. Final score 3-0. The Chipolopolos took the lead in the 31st minute through an unlikely own goal by Ivorian captain Serge Aurier. In the second half, Patson Daka (48th) and Kings Kangwa (55th) added to the tally.

With this win, Zambia are through to AFCON 2023. They now top Group H with 12 points. Ivory Coast slip to second with 10 points. For Ivory Coast, this match shows the work facing coach Jean-Louis Gasset with six months to go before the home AFCON.

The Comoros, on the other hand, are eliminated despite their 1-0 win over Lesotho. It is a big disappointment for the Comorians, who had caused a sensation in Cameroon by reaching the last 16 on their first appearance at an AFCON finals.

📹 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

South Africa beat Morocco, Equatorial Guinea qualify

Equatorial Guinea edged Tunisia on matchday 5 of the AFCON 2023 qualifiers. Nzalang Nacional won by the narrowest of margins (1-0). In a match that stayed finely balanced for a long time, the hosts scored the only goal late on (85th). Nsue gave them the win from the penalty spot. Thanks to this result, Equatorial Guinea (12 pts) go top of Group J and qualify for AFCON 2023. Tunisia (10 pts), in second, have also qualified.

Absent from the last AFCON in Cameroon, South Africa have also booked their place in Ivory Coast. Bafana Bafana beat Morocco 2-1. In Group K, which is missing suspended Zimbabwe, the South Africans can no longer be caught by Liberia (1 pt). They have seven points. Morocco (6 pts) have also qualified and can reclaim top spot in the group in the final game against Liberia.

Things get complicated for Central African Republic, Benin survive a scare

Central African Republic had the chance to qualify for their first AFCON this Saturday in Cameroon, where they hosted Angola. A win was required. But the Central Africans, perhaps inhibited by what was at stake, lost 2-1. That makes their task harder. Now third in the group, they must beat Ghana on the final matchday to qualify.

Benin will also have to wait until the final matchday to hope to be among the 24 nations in Ivory Coast next January. The Cheetahs could manage no better than a draw (1-1) against Senegal, who had already qualified. They had in fact conceded the opener through Abdoulaye Seck (42nd) before levelling with a magnificent strike from defender Abdoul Moumini (79th). With 5 points, Benin are second, just ahead of Mozambique (4 pts), who travel to Rwanda (1 pt) this Sunday. It will take until the final matchday to know which country will join Senegal.

📹 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

The countries already qualified for AFCON 2023

Ivory Coast, Algeria, Morocco, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Egypt, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea