Niger, Ghana look to secure their first win in the Afcon qualifiers
Niger and Ghana will be looking to secure their first win in the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they go head to head at the Stade Municipal de Berkane on Monday.
The Black Stars kicked off their quest for a place in Morocco with a surprise home defeat against Angola last Thursday, one day after Zaki Badou‘s men were beaten by Sudan in the group opener.
Ghana’s 24-year unbeaten streak at Kumasi’s Baba Yara Sports Stadium came to an end on Thursday when they suffered a 1-0 defeat against their Central African rivals Angola.
Ghana were guilty of a lack of sting at the attacking end of the pitch as Red Star Belgrade forward Milson struck in the third minute of stoppage time to hand the Black Sable Antelopes a famous victory.
Prior to that, Ghana were unbeaten in four straight competitive matches, including consecutive victories over Mali and Central African Republic in the World Cup qualifiers, where they have picked up nine points from four games to sit second in Group I, level on points with first-placed Comoros.
Having featured in each of the last 10 AFCON editions since missing out in 2004, head coach Otto Addo will hope his side can bounce back from Thursday’s disappointments as they look to get their quest for a place in Morocco up and running.
Ghana head into Monday’s clash unbeaten in five of their last six competitive games away from home – picking up four wins and one draw — with a 1-0 defeat against Comoros in November 2023, being the exception.
Ghana, we could expect the Premier League quartet of Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Jordan Ayew to lead the attack once again.
Skipper Thomas Partey has started each of Arsenal’s opening three games this season and the 31-year-old should retain his role at the heart of the park for the Black Stars, alongside Elisha Owusu, who made his debut in March 2022
Alidu Seidu, Mohammed Salisu, Abdul Mumin and Brighton and Hove Albion man Tariq Lamptey should form the back four once again, shielding Lawrence Ati between the sticks.
Niger on the other hand were denied a dream start to their 2025 AFCON qualifying campaign as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Sudan when the two nations squared off in the Group F curtain-raiser on Wednesday.
Looking to restore some pride following their opening-day defeat, we expect Niger and Ghana to go all out on Monday and this makes for an exciting contest at the Stade Municipal de Berkane.
On paper, the Black Stars boast a superior and more experienced squad and we are tipping them to secure all three points, albeit by a narrow margin.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
High-flying Angola host Sudan in Group F
Angola and Sudan return to action in Group F of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers when they go head to head at the Estadio 11 de Novembro on Monday.
Having picked up opening-day victories in midweek, both nations will head into the game looking to maintain their solid start to the campaign and open up a three-point lead at the top of the group.
Angola kicked off their quest for a spot in Morocco next year on a high as they snatched a 1-0 victory over four-time African champion Ghana in their Group F opener on Thursday.
Red Star Belgrade striker Milson grabbed the headlines at the Baba Yara Sport Stadium as he netted in the 93rd minute to hand Angola a last-gasp victory and end the Black Star’s 24-year unbeaten run in Kumasi.
Angola have now won their last five games across all competitions, scoring 14 goals and keeping two clean sheets, and are unbeaten in nine consecutive matches since a 1-0 friendly defeat against Morocco on March 22.
On the other hand, Sudan turned in an impressive team display in the Group F curtain-raiser last Wednesday as they picked up a 1-0 victory over Niger when the two nations squared off at the Juba Stadium.
Sudan have now won each of their last four competitive matches, including three consecutive victories over Congo DR, Mauritania and South Sudan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
James Kwesi Appiah‘s men, who are 121st in the latest FIFA World Rankings, currently hold a one-point lead in Group B of the World Cup qualifiers, having picked up three wins and one draw from their opening four matches.
After missing out on the 2023 AFCON in Ivory Coast, Sudan set out in search of a second consecutive victory in their opening two qualifying matches as they aim to return to the continental showpiece for the first time since their group-stage exit in 2021.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
Burundi welcome Senegal to the Bingu National Stadium
Having made a dream start to their Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Burundi entertain the challenge of Senegal at the Bingu National Stadium on Monday afternoon.
On the other hand, Senegal make the journey to Lilongwe aiming to bounce back from a late heartbreak in their opening draw encounter against Burkina Faso last time out. The 2021 champions are expected to be one of the major contenders to take home next year’s continental prize and will be keen to sign off on September’s round of qualifying matches with all three points.
Monday’s clash against Burundi will be the third AFCON qualifier featuring the teams, and Senegal will fancy their chances of continuing their perfect record in this fixture having won both of the previous two meetings by a combined score of 5-1.
Burundi have now won consecutive games for the first time since 2020 and are without defeat in four straight outings. They will be looking to use their momentum to take yet another step in the right direction towards booking their ticket to Morocco.
Senegal were far from their best against Burkina Faso and were made to pay for their complacency. However, we are backing Cisse’s men to resume normal service in this one and get the job done at the end of the 90 minutes.
Credit: sportsmole.co.uk
FIXTURES
Burundi 13:00 Senegal
Niger 15:00 Ghana
Equatorial Guinea 15:00 Togo
Madagascar 16:00 Comoros
Uganda 16:00 Congo
Lesotho 18:00 Morocco
Angola 19:00 Sudan
Ethiopia 19:00 DR Congo
