September 13 – African powerhouse Cameroon completed the lineup of the Africa Cup of Nations, punching a ticket with a 3-0 win against Burundi. Namibia also confirmed their presence at next year’s finals to wrap up qualifying.
Bryan Mbuemo, Christopher Wooh and veteran striker Vincent Aboubakar provided the goals for the Indomitable Lions to clinch their places at next year’s finals as winners of Group C. The Brave Warriors of Namibia finished runners-up to book a ticket for the fourth time in their history.
Previously, The Gambia had ensured their ticket at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations with a dramatic 2-2 draw against Congo Brazzaville in Marrakesh on Sunday night. The region was struck by a major earthquake that left 2,681 people dead according to Morocco’s interior ministry. The natural disaster scarred the Scorpions, who slept outside near the hotel’s pool.
Against Paul Put’s Congo, they rallied with late strikes from Newcastle United’s Yankuba Minteh and Muhammed Badamosi to ensure a point, the runners-up place behind Mali, and a ticket to next year’s finals in Ivory Coast. At the last Afcon, The Gambia were the revelation of the tournament, reaching the last eight as debutants.
The finals in January 2024 will not see any debutants. Over the weekend, Mozambique, Mauritania, and the Democratic Republic of Congo secured their places at the 24-team tournament, which will be hosted by Ivory Coast in January next year. Powerhouses Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco and Algeria will be among the finalists.
The finalists
Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Cote d’Ivoire (Hosts), DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Zambia
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