AFCON 2027 Qualifiers Kick Off: Super Eagles Soar, Giants Stumble in Opening Rounds

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying campaign commenced with a series of compelling encounters on Friday, seeing continental powerhouses Algeria and Morocco secure winning starts, while seven-time champions Egypt were held to a goalless draw. The opening fixtures delivered moments of brilliance, crucial comebacks, and hard-fought battles across various groups.

Algeria demonstrated a strong performance in their Group B opener, defeating Zambia 3-1. The Desert Foxes started brightly, with Jaouen Hadjam finding the net just two minutes into the match. Despite Zambia's Fashion Sakala equalizing in the 57th minute, Algeria responded decisively. Ibrahim Maza restored their lead in the 67th minute, and substitute Anis Hadj Moussa sealed the 3-1 victory in the 74th minute, marking a successful debut for new coach Brahim Hamdani.

Morocco also began their Group A journey with maximum points, overcoming Gabon 2-0. Noussair Mazraoui broke the deadlock in the 36th minute, giving the Atlas Lions a one-goal advantage at halftime. Soufiane Rahimi then secured the win in the 84th minute, ensuring all three points for the hosts. This result placed Morocco level on points with Niger, who earlier defeated Lesotho 2-1 in their respective Group A fixture.

In a contrasting outcome, Egypt faced a resilient Angolan defense in their Group B encounter, ultimately playing out a 0-0 draw. The Pharaohs had a goal from Mostafa Zico disallowed for offside in the 21st minute and despite persistent pressure, they could not break the deadlock. Both sides therefore commenced their qualifying campaign with a single point.

Mali made a convincing start to their Group K campaign, securing a 3-1 victory over Cape Verde. Martial Tia put Mali ahead after five minutes, but Cape Verde's Lopes Cabral quickly leveled the scores. However, Dorgeles proved to be the hero for Mali, restoring their lead in the 39th minute and adding his second goal six minutes into the second half, completing a brace that gave Mali a comfortable two-goal cushion to claim all three points.

In Group L, Nigeria staged a dramatic 2-1 comeback victory against Madagascar at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium. Madagascar's Ehsan Kari stunned the home crowd by heading in the opener in the 16th minute. Nigeria, however, showed resilience, with debutant George Ilenikhena scoring a crucial equalizer just before halftime. Moses Usor then completed the turnaround in the second half, securing the winning goal and an ideal start for the Super Eagles in their qualification bid.

Other opening fixtures included a 1-1 draw between Burkina Faso and Benin in Group F. Lassina Traoré converted a penalty for Burkina Faso in the 20th minute, only for Aiyegun Tosin to equalize from the spot for Benin in the 68th minute. Neither team could find a winner, resulting in both nations taking one point from their first qualifier.