The remaining AFCON Week 3 matches will be played today. In Group A, Tunisia, sitting at the top of the standings, aims to solidify its leadership by securing a victory against Comoros. Meanwhile, the other two teams in the group, Gambia and Madagascar, will face off in a bid to seize the second-place opportunity.
In Group B, Morocco, one of the tournament’s strong teams and a World Cup semi-finalist, wants to reach 9 points, similar to Tunisia, to take a significant step toward qualifying for the knockout stages. Following them is Gabon, who previously lost 4-1 to Morocco, and they will be looking for a win against Lesotho, which could impact the leadership race as the tournament progresses.
In Group C, if Egypt manages to defeat Mauritania, it will create a 6-point gap between them and the second-placed team. Nigeria, considered the most valuable team in the tournament according to Transfermarkt values, aims to secure 3 points against Libya in the absence of Victor Osimhen. However, the competition in Group D is still ongoing. The match between Benin and Rwanda could influence the standings within the group. Nigeria seems poised to benefit if their two rivals end up in a draw.
In Group E, things are going as Algeria wishes. After a win against Togo, the Algerian national team has instilled hope in Equatorial Guinea and Liberia, the teams they will face today. While it seems challenging for these two teams to take the leadership position, a fierce battle for second place is expected. In the final match of Group F today, Angola will go head-to-head with Niger. A potential victory for Niger could complicate the group dynamics. Angola must win or at least draw to prevent this from happening.
The team that started the tournament strongly aims to secure a more solid position against any potential threat from Ghana. In Group G, Ivory Coast, despite the injuries of two star players, seeks to achieve victory against Sierra Leone. The Ivorian team has shown glimpses of their former glory, having recorded 8 wins and 2 draws in their last 10 official matches. They aim to take the trophy home this year. Meanwhile, Zambia wants to secure its second victory against Chad.
In Group H, the lead that the Democratic Republic of Congo has established is truly intimidating. Ethiopia aims to secure a win against Guinea to join the race for second place. In Group I, often referred to as one of the ‘groups of death,’ Mozambique aims to win against Eswatini. Mali seeks to halt its progress with a 3-point gain against Guinea-Bissau. In Group J, Kenya and Cameroon will face each other for leadership. If the match ends in a draw, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Cameroon will each have 5 points.
In Group K, Uganda will face South Sudan. Winning this match would give them a tremendous advantage. Meanwhile, South Africa aims to earn 3 points against Congo. In Group L, Senegal, with a strong squad, will go against Malawi. Despite Burkina Faso’s impressive rise, Senegal does not want to relinquish its leadership position.
