World Cup Qualifiers Continue at Full Speed. As the international break nears its end, the latest matches have reshaped the group standings.
Group A Matches
Two matches were played in Group A yesterday. In the first match, this season’s in-form team, Burkina Faso, secured a 2-1 away victory against Guinea-Bissau. Shakhtar Donetsk striker Lassina Traoré scored both goals for Burkina Faso, while Zidane Banjaqui found the net for Guinea-Bissau.
With this result, Burkina Faso climbed to second place in the group with 11 points, trailing only Egypt.
In the other match, Ethiopia delivered a dominant performance. SuperSport United’s Abubeker Nasir and Mechal’s Bereket Desta each scored a hat-trick, with one of their goals coming from a penalty. Djibouti managed to score only once, thanks to Samuel Akinbinu.
Despite this impressive victory, Ethiopia remains in fourth place with just six points, while Djibouti remains at the bottom of the group with only one point.
Group I Matches
Two matches were also played in Group I. The first saw Ghana take on Madagascar. Ghana’s star players put on a commanding display, translating their performance into a 3-0 victory.
Arsenal’s Thomas Partey scored twice, while West Ham United’s Mohammed Kudus added another goal. Captain Jordan Ayew provided the assists for all three goals.
With this win, Ghana extended their lead over their closest rivals, Madagascar, by five points, taking a significant step towards qualification.
In the other match, the Central African Republic and Mali played to a goalless draw. Mali missed the opportunity to move up to second place following Madagascar’s defeat. The Central African Republic, meanwhile, remains in fifth place with five points after six matches.
Group F Match
In Group F, last year’s AFCON champions, Ivory Coast, secured a narrow 1-0 victory over Gambia. Borussia Dortmund striker Sébastien Haller scored the only goal of the match. The battle for the top spot in the group between Ivory Coast and Gabon remains intense.
Group H Matches
Two matches took place in Group H as well. Tunisia secured a late victory against Malawi, scoring twice in the final 10 minutes. Seifeddine Jaziri and FC Copenhagen’s Elias Achouri found the net for Tunisia.
Meanwhile, Liberia claimed a 2-1 win over São Tomé and Príncipe, with goals from Nicholas Andrews and Jimmy Farkarlun.
Following these results, Tunisia extended their lead at the top of the group by four points over their nearest rivals. Liberia, on the other hand, gained a crucial advantage in the race for second place.