Upsets Galore as Benin, Cape Verde, Gabon, and Mozambique Lead World Cup Qualifying Groups
Benin, Cape Verde, Gabon, and Mozambique surprisingly took the lead in their respective World Cup qualifying groups, while other African teams like Sierra Leone and Namibia also secured crucial wins in the latest round of qualifiers.
A quartet of underdog teams - Benin, Cape Verde, Gabon, and Mozambique - surprisingly rose to the top of their respective World Cup qualifying groups on Thursday. As the African preliminaries for the 2026 World Cup approach the halfway mark, these teams have seized the initiative in their groups.
Cape Verde claimed top spot in Group D after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mauritius on home soil. Yannick Semedo's late goal proved decisive, propelling Cape Verde to the summit with 10 points, narrowly ahead of Cameroon, who have nine points.
Mozambique capitalized on two goalkeeping blunders by Ismail Watenga and the first-half dismissal of Denis Omedi to secure a convincing 3-1 victory over Uganda in Cairo. This win propelled Mozambique to the top of Group G, with an impressive record of four victories from five matches.
Mozambique now hold a three-point advantage over Algeria, the pre-tournament favorites, who are scheduled to face Botswana away on Friday. Meanwhile, in Group C, Benin squandered a two-goal lead against Zimbabwe but still managed to move to the top of the standings. Benin's nearest rivals, Rwanda and South Africa, will both be in action on Friday.
Benin took a two-goal lead against Zimbabwe within 35 minutes, courtesy of strikes from Steve Mounie and Francisco Doku. However, Marshall Munetsi pulled one back for Zimbabwe on the counter-attack. Veteran striker Knowledge Musona then equalized for Zimbabwe in the 59th minute, leveling the score at 2-2 in Durban, South Africa, where the match was held due to Zimbabwe's stadiums not meeting the required standards.
Musona had a chance to seal a comeback win for Zimbabwe with a late sliding effort, but Benin goalkeeper Marcel Dandjinou made a crucial block to deny him. In another thrilling match, Kenya secured a 3-3 draw against the Gambia in Group F, thanks to a last-gasp equalizer from debutant William Wilson. Born in Australia, the 23-year-old Wilson slammed home the final kick of the game, as Kenya twice came from behind to share the points in new coach Benni McCarthy's first game in charge.
Gabon took the lead in their group after a convincing 3-0 home victory over Seychelles, with Denis Bouanga scoring a brace to inspire his team. This win propelled Gabon to the top of the group, with a strong performance against the lower-ranked Seychelles.
In Group H, Namibia secured a crucial 1-0 away win over Malawi, thanks to Prins Tjiuezu's first-half goal. This result kept Namibia in contention, as they maintained pressure on group leaders Tunisia, who had won away in Liberia the previous day. Tunisia currently hold a two-point lead over Namibia in the standings.
Sierra Leone celebrated their first win in the qualifiers under new coach Mohamed Kallon, defeating Guinea Bissau 3-1 in Monrovia, Liberia. This victory brought Sierra Leone level with Guinea Bissau on five points, although both teams remain far behind group leaders Egypt, who have amassed 10 points.
The African qualifying campaign will continue on Friday, with 11 more matches scheduled across the continent. These qualifiers will determine a minimum of nine African representatives at the 2026 World Cup finals in North America.
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