Senegal and Cameroon moved to within one victory of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations after favourable results in their groups on Friday.
Both nations had won their opening matches of the third round on Thursday. Cameroon beat Namibia 2-0 in Douala, while Senegal produced a 4-1 victory over Sudan in Dakar.
Those results took both teams to seven points at the halfway stage of their respective qualifying campaigns. Friday’s matches then widened the gap between the two sides and their nearest challengers, despite neither team playing.
In Group J, Ethiopia secured a surprise 1-0 win away to Mozambique, with Markneh scoring the decisive goal in the 87th minute. The result left Mozambique on four points, having missed the chance to draw level with Senegal at the top of the table.
Ethiopia moved up to three points after recording their first victory of the qualifying campaign. Senegal now lead Mozambique by three points and are four clear of both Ethiopia and Sudan.
The champions of Africa in 2022 could confirm their place at the tournament in the next round. They must beat Sudan in Juba, South Sudan, while Mozambique would also need to win away to Ethiopia.
Cameroon were handed another boost when Comoros were held to a goalless draw by Congo at Malouzini. The Comoros had chances to claim all three points, but Idris Mohamed struck the crossbar late in the match as the hosts were forced to settle for a point.
The result in the Cameroon section, referred to as Group G in the Friday fixtures, helped the Indomitable Lions strengthen their position. The match was also listed under Group D in the qualification standings.
Cameroon can qualify on Monday if they beat Namibia again, this time in Botswana, provided Comoros do not lose against Congo in Brazzaville.
A second consecutive victory over Namibia would take Cameroon beyond the reach of their rivals under those conditions. The two teams therefore enter the next round with a clear opportunity to secure their places before the qualifying campaign reaches its conclusion.
