AFCON Week 5 matches continue with unexpected scores.
Niger, which was almost certain to be eliminated after taking three losses and one draw in their first four matches, hosted Sudan and delivered a goal-scoring spree.
In just the 6th minute, Daniel Sosah opened the scoring to put Niger ahead 1-0. Youssouf Oumarou then extended the lead to 2-0 with a strike from outside the penalty area. By converting a penalty in the 45+3 minute, Daniel Sosah practically decided the game before halftime.
With a goal from midfielder Ousseni Badamassi, Niger defeated Sudan 4-0. Sudan had appeared to have nearly secured a spot in the next round, but their final match result could now alter things. With this outcome, Angola’s position as group leader has been confirmed.
In another match, Libya, whose national team had a recent fallout with Nigeria and were deemed to have forfeited a match, managed to secure a 1-0 victory against Rwanda.
Thanks to goalkeeper Mourad Al Wuhayshi’s remarkable performance and Farad Al Mesmari’s 84th-minute goal, Libya pulled off the win. This result means that both Rwanda and Libya have been eliminated from the tournament.
Elsewhere, Tunisia faced Madagascar in a high-scoring affair. Hamza Rafia gave Tunisia the lead in the 6th minute with a long-range goal. However, in the 20th minute, an own goal by Tunisian goalkeeper Amanallah Memmiche leveled the score at 1-1.
Tunisia responded with a goal by Sayfallah Ltaief in the 39th minute. But Madagascar was not ready to concede, and in 45+2 minutes, Ibrahim Amada’s long-distance shot brought the game to a 2-2 draw by halftime. The score remained unchanged until the final moments of the second half, when Tunisia’s Wajdi Kechrida received a red card in the 89th minute, leaving them with 10 players.
Yet, Tunisia was undeterred; with just one minute left in the match, Ali Abdi scored, giving them a 3-2 away victory.
The excitement in Group A is still alive. No final rankings have been confirmed, and the teams are closely watching each other’s performances.
