THE AFRICA TIMES | NIGERIA — The Super Eagles of Nigeria secured a narrow 1-0 victory against Libya’s Mediterranean Knights. The match took place in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday night. This was Matchday 3 of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers. Nigeria scored in the 87th minute. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru, a substitute, capitalized on a chance created by Moses Simon. This goal broke Libya’s stubborn defense, securing the win. The Super Eagles now lead Group D with seven points. Libya sits at the bottom with one point. Fisayo Dele-Bashiru (in jersey number 10) celebrates with teammates after scoring the only goal as Nigeria beat Libya 1-0 in an AFCON qualifying match at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, Uyo on October 11, 2024. Photo: @NGSuperEagles Group D Developments Benin’s Victory Over Rwanda In another Group D match, Benin Republic’s Cheetahs defeated Rwanda’s Amavubi 3-0. Steve Mounie scored an early goal at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. This set the tone for Benin’s dominant performance. Andréas Hountondji and Hassane Imourane also scored for Benin. Mounie’s goal was his 19th for his country. Benin now holds the second position in the group with six points. Rwanda is third with two points. Other AFCON Qualifying Matches South Africa’s Dominance South Africa’s Bafana Bafana triumphed over the Republic of Congo with a 5-0 victory. The match occurred at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. This win equals South Africa’s second-largest victory ever. Teboho Mokoena scored twice, while Bathusi Aubaas, Lyle Foster, and Iqraam Rayners also scored. A win against Congo in Brazzaville on Tuesday would secure South Africa’s qualification for AFCON 2025. Uganda Edges South Sudan Uganda secured a victory over South Sudan with a single goal. Bevis Mugabi’s strike at the Mandela National Stadium in Kampala made the difference. The win is crucial for Uganda’s qualification hopes. Comoros Stuns Tunisia Comoros defeated Tunisia at home for the first time since 2010 in the AFCON qualifiers. Rafiki Said’s goal made the difference, despite Tunisia dominating with 15 attempts. Tunisia still leads Group A with six points. Comoros closely follows with five points. Yakuba Minteh scored in the 97th minute for Gambia against Madagascar. The match ended in a draw, with both teams now having two points each. Egypt’s Continued Success Mohamed Salah led Egypt to a 2-0 victory over Mauritania. Trezeguet opened the scoring at the Cairo International Stadium. Salah then secured the win, breaking a 70-minute deadlock. Egypt now leads Group C with six points. The team has maintained a perfect record in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers. This victory puts them in a strong position to qualify. Mohammed Salah (Right) jubilates after scoring for Egypt against Mauritania in Cairo at the AFCON 2025 qualifiers on October 11, 2024. Photo: Mohamed Hossam/EPA/Profimedia Other Key Results Ivory Coast defeated Sierra Leone 4-1, with Franck Kessie scoring twice. Nicolas Pepe also contributed a goal for the Elephants. Zambia was held to a 0-0 draw by Chad while playing at home. Senegal thrashed 10-man Malawi 4-0, with Nicolas Jackson scoring his first goal for the Teranga Lions. Cameroon defeated Kenya 4-1, led by Bryan Mbeumo. Angola, Equatorial Guinea, and Mali recorded victories. Gabon drew with Lesotho, and Mozambique drew with Eswatini. Many teams are competing for spots in the upcoming tournament. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the 24-team finals. The finals will be held in Morocco next year. Competition is fierce as teams vie for a place in the prestigious tournament.
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