The African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup witnessed a day of contrasting fortunes on Tuesday. Sudan surged to the top of Group B, while Madagascar, Mali, Kenya, and Cote d’Ivoire all played out draws in their respective groups.
Mauritius, meanwhile, secured a crucial win over bottom-dwellers eSwatini.
In Juba, at the inaugural match of the newly constructed stadium, Sudan showcased their pedigree by dispatching hosts South Sudan 3-0 to leapfrog Senegal at the summit of Group B.
Walieldin Khedr’s thumping header gave the visitors a first-half lead, and they never looked back. Yasir Mozamil doubled the advantage after the break before Mohamed Abdelrahman put the result beyond doubt with a late strike.
The result leaves Sudan with ten points from four games, two clear of Senegal, as they stake their claim for a place at the 2026 World Cup. South Sudan, meanwhile, remain rooted to the foot of the group with just two points.
In Johannesburg, Madagascar and Mali played out a tense 0-0 draw in a cagey Group I encounter. The game’s major talking point came early on, as Madagascar’s Louis Démoléon was shown a straight red card for violent conduct, forcing his side to play over 70 minutes with ten men.
Despite their numerical disadvantage, Madagascar dug deep to claim a hard-earned point, moving them up to second in the group with seven points. Mali, meanwhile, sit fourth with five points, as Ghana lead the way.
Elsewhere, Kenya and African champions Cote d’Ivoire shared the spoils in a goalless stalemate in Lilongwe.
The Elephants, boasting stars like Franck Kessie and Nicolas Pepe, were expected to brush aside the Harambee Stars but found themselves frustrated by a resolute Kenyan defensive display.
The result sees Cote d’Ivoire maintain their lead atop Group F with ten points, while Kenya climbs to third with five points, keeping their slender qualification hopes alive.
In St. Pierre, Mauritius secured a vital 2-1 victory over Eswatini in Group G, boosting their hopes of reaching the World Cup for the first time. Mike Gaspard and Lindsay Rose netted for the hosts, with Junior Magagula’s strike proving mere consolation for the visitors.
The win lifts Mauritius to fifth in the group with four points, while Eswatini remains rooted to the bottom, still awaiting their first point of the campaign.
As the qualifiers reach the crucial stage, the race for the coveted World Cup berths is heating up, with many daring to dream of historic qualification.
