CAN 2024 qualifiers: what to remember from the 3rd and 4th rounds

Peter Shalulile celebrates Namibia's opening score against Cameroon on the fourth day of the CAN 2024 qualifiers. AFP - PHILL MAGAKOE

Text by: Ndiasse Sambe Follow

3 min

Started on March 22 by Benin-Rwanda 1-1, the third and fourth days of the CAN qualifiers ended on Wednesday, March 29 with the same Rwanda-Benin poster (1-1). First lessons: big ones who do not waste time, small ones who permanently lose their illusions and others who still keep hope.

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Qualified

Author of a full card with four wins in four games, Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia and Burkina, did not tremble in these qualifiers and won their ticket two days from the end. The Lions and Fennecs were the only ones to manage the full card with four wins in four games. The Tunisians and Burkinabé remain undefeated and thanks to their ten points (3 wins and one match) have composted their ticket before the hour. The Moroccans were the first to invite themselves to Côte d'Ivoire without even having played their third match. In this group of three, Zimbabwe being suspended, the Moroccans, with two victories in two days, are mathematically assured of finishing in the first two places. But the South Africans did better by qualifying with only one victory: the one against Liberia in the pool of three that they share with Morocco.

🇧🇫 Burkina Faso reserves its ticket in Ivory ✈️

Coast The 'Stallions' make their 13th appearance #TotalEnergiesAFCON 🏆 #TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 pic.twitter.com/BDCvhPDZtZ

— CAF - FR (@caf_online_FR) March 28, 2023

Eliminated (or almost)

This is a new disappointment for Madagascar who had already missed the CAN 2022 after reaching the quarterfinals in 2019 for its first and only participation in a CAN. After four rounds, the Barea scored only one point in their pool and said goodbye to qualification. Botswana will also not see the land of elephants. With only one point in four rounds in Pool J, the Zebras have lost their last hopes of playing their second African Cup finals. Their neighbours Lesotho will also not be on the trip to Ivory Coast with a single point and a final place in Pool H. Same sanction for Sao Tome and Principe, which has never participated in an CAN and which will follow that of 2024 on TV, after a poor point won in four matches and especially 19 goals conceded.

With a point, all is not yet lost for Togo in Group B, but the Sparrowhawks no longer have their destiny in their hands. They will have to beat Eswatini at home, hope for a defeat of Cape Verde at home against Burkina on the 5th day and finally, for the last day, beat Cape Verde by three goals to materialize the feat. Mission impossible?

Taming the Indomitable Lions 😉

A historic victory for Namibia put them one point away from their fourth #TotalEnergiesAFCON campaign 👏 #TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 | @Official_NFA pic.twitter.com/BplzCNLb1c

— CAF (@CAF_Online) March 28, 2023

So close...

Will the time for the Central African Republic finally come? The hope is high for a first qualification to the CAN after having revived in these last two days thanks to the victories over Madagascar (3-0; 2-0). Friends Geoffrey Kondogbia are one victory away from a historic qualification: they will see Abidjan if they win at home against Angola on the 5th day.

CAN 2024 Qualifying: Calendar, results, rankings

Winner of the CAN in 2012, absent from the last three editions, Zambia is close to a comeback. Second in Pool H, behind Ivory Coast automatically qualified, the Chipolopolos need only one point in the last two days to review the CAN.

Namibia can also believe in it after its exploit in the double confrontation against Cameroon (1-1; 2-1). In Pool C to three, after the disqualification of Kenya, the Brave Warriors can win their fourth qualification to the CAN if they do not lose against Burundi on the 5th day. Same mission for Equatorial Guinea which needs only one point in two days to accompany Tunisia in Côte d'Ivoire.

*Teams qualified after the fourth day: Ivory Coast (host country) Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Morocco, South Africa.

Teams eliminated: Botswana, Madagascar, Lesotho, Sao Tome and Principe, Liberia

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