UYO, Nigeria, September 25, 2026: Nigeria entered Africa Cup of Nations qualifying without Victor Osimhen and fell behind at home to Madagascar after 16 minutes.
Two players making their senior international debuts changed the night.
George Ilenikhena equalized in first-half stoppage time, Moses Usor scored the winner after the break, and the Super Eagles recovered to win 2-1 as Friday’s AFCON 2027 qualifying program delivered 14 matches across the continent.
Nigeria’s comeback was only one of several important opening-night developments.
Morocco began life under Mohamed Ouahbi with a 2-0 victory over Gabon. Algeria beat Zambia 3-1. Mali defeated Cape Verde 3-1. Patrick Vieira’s first competitive match as Senegal coach ended in a 1-1 draw against Mozambique. Egypt were frustrated by Angola in a goalless draw.
Elsewhere, Guinea-Bissau beat co-host Tanzania 2-0, Sudan edged Ethiopia, Rwanda scored three against Liberia, Niger defeated Lesotho, Malawi and Gambia won 2-1, Togo beat Burundi, and Burkina Faso shared the points with Benin.
Friday followed an opening Thursday slate that had already produced Zimbabwe’s remarkable comeback from 2-0 down against Sierra Leone. The Sports Encounter’s full report on the first night of AFCON 2027 qualifying tracked that comeback alongside wins for Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, DR Congo and Namibia.
AFCON 2027 Qualifying Friday Results
| Group | Match | Result | Key Scorers |
|---|---|---|---|
| L | Tanzania vs Guinea-Bissau | 0-2 | Dju, Balde |
| A | Niger vs Lesotho | 2-1 | Sosah, Sako; Motebang |
| B | Malawi vs South Sudan | 2-1 | Adepoju, Njawila; Dhata |
| C | Gambia vs Somalia | 2-1 | Colley, Badamosi; Nije |
| I | Togo vs Burundi | 1-0 | Dermane |
| J | Sudan vs Ethiopia | 1-0 | Eisa |
| K | Rwanda vs Liberia | 3-1 | Biramahire, L.J. Mickels, J.L. Mickels; Nimely |
| L | Nigeria vs Madagascar | 2-1 | Ilenikhena, Usor; Kari |
| A | Morocco vs Gabon | 2-0 | Mazraoui, Rahimi |
| B | Egypt vs Angola | 0-0 | None |
| F | Burkina Faso vs Benin | 1-1 | Traoré; Tosin |
| I | Algeria vs Zambia | 3-1 | Hadjam, Maza, Hadj Moussa; Sakala |
| J | Mozambique vs Senegal | 1-1 | Catamo; Jackson |
| K | Mali vs Cape Verde | 3-1 | Tia, Nene twice; Lopes Cabral |
The group stage features 48 nations across 12 sections. In most groups the top two qualify for the 2027 finals, while groups containing co-hosts Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania have only one additional qualification place available. CAF’s official qualifying guide confirms the format and the Matchday 1 schedule.
Nigeria’s Newcomers Answer the Osimhen Question Immediately
Nigeria’s Friday story began with the player who was missing.
Osimhen had been ruled out of the opening qualifiers with a muscle injury, removing the Super Eagles’ most established center-forward from matches against Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau.
The absence placed greater responsibility on Eric Chelle’s remaining attackers.
Madagascar made that problem feel much larger after Ehsan Kari struck in the 16th minute.
Ilenikhena responded in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.
The goal was his first for Nigeria because it came in his first senior appearance.
Usor then scored the winning goal in the 65th minute.
He was also making his senior international debut.
Two newcomers therefore supplied both goals in a match Nigeria had entered without its leading striker.
The Nigeria Football Federation had emphasized before kickoff that the team wanted to avoid another qualifying campaign shaped by a late scramble. Chelle had specifically targeted an aggressive start to the group in the NFF’s official pre-match briefing.
The performance was not comfortable, but the result delivered the three points Chelle had demanded.
Nigeria’s wider 2026 form had already shown signs of depth beyond its biggest names. In May, TSE covered a 3-0 World Cup warm-up victory over Jamaica in which Alhassan Yusuf scored twice.
Friday offered a different version of the same idea.
This time, the supporting cast rescued a competitive qualifier.
Group L Is Already More Dangerous Than Nigeria Wanted
Nigeria’s victory does not give them control of Group L.
Guinea-Bissau made sure of that earlier in the day.
Dju scored in the 33rd minute and Balde added another in the 58th as Guinea-Bissau defeated Tanzania 2-0.
The context makes the result especially important.
Tanzania are already qualified for AFCON 2027 as co-hosts.
That means Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar are effectively fighting for only one qualification place from the group.
CAF highlighted that unusual pressure before Matchday 1 in its Groups J-L preview.
Guinea-Bissau finish the opening round above Nigeria on goal difference.
The two teams meet next.
That turns Tuesday’s Guinea-Bissau-Nigeria fixture into an early direct contest between the two non-host teams that opened with victories.
Morocco Begin the Ouahbi Era With a Clean Result
Morocco entered the new qualifying cycle from a very different position.
The Atlas Lions were Africa’s deepest-running team at the 2026 World Cup, reaching the quarterfinals before France ended their campaign.
They have also changed coaches.
Mohamed Ouahbi’s first AFCON qualifier ended with a 2-0 victory over Gabon in Rabat.
Noussair Mazraoui opened the scoring in the 36th minute.
Soufiane Rahimi added the second in the 84th.
The result gives Morocco three points alongside Niger in Group A after Niger beat Lesotho 2-1.
Morocco’s recent tournament experience gives the new coach a strong base.
TSE documented how the Atlas Lions survived a dramatic World Cup Round of 32 against the Netherlands in their penalty-shootout victory.
They then overwhelmed Canada 3-0, with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice, in TSE’s Morocco-Canada Round of 16 report.
France eventually stopped them 2-0 in the quarterfinals, despite another major Yassine Bounou performance. TSE’s analysis of that defeat showed the level Morocco had reached by the end of the World Cup.
Ouahbi’s first challenge is to keep that level from becoming a tournament memory rather than a new standard.
Friday was an uncomplicated first step.
Algeria Produce Friday’s Strongest Heavyweight Scoreline
Algeria’s 3-1 victory over Zambia was the clearest statement among the late fixtures.
Jaouen Hadjam scored after only two minutes.
Fashion Sakala brought Zambia level in the 57th.
Ibrahim Maza restored Algeria’s advantage in the 67th minute, and Anis Hadj Moussa added the third seven minutes later.
The sequence after Zambia’s equalizer was especially important from a results perspective.
Algeria did not allow the match to settle into uncertainty.
Two goals in seven minutes turned 1-1 into 3-1 and gave the hosts immediate control of Group I alongside Togo.
Togo beat Burundi 1-0 through Dermane’s 17th-minute goal.
Algeria’s World Cup had contained similar examples of recovery.
They overturned a deficit against Jordan in June, a match examined in TSE’s report on Algeria’s 2-1 comeback.
The campaign later carried them into the Round of 32, where TSE assessed the balance between Riyad Mahrez’s creativity and Algeria’s defensive vulnerabilities before their meeting with Switzerland.
Friday offered a cleaner formula.
Algeria conceded once and still scored enough to make the response decisive.
Vieira’s Senegal Begin With a Draw Instead of a Statement
Patrick Vieira’s first competitive match as Senegal coach produced a point rather than the start he wanted.
Nicolas Jackson put Senegal ahead in the 32nd minute against Mozambique.
Geny Catamo equalized in first-half stoppage time.
The score remained 1-1.
Senegal therefore leave Matchday 1 behind Sudan in Group J.
Sudan beat Ethiopia 1-0 earlier through an 86th-minute Mohamed Eisa goal.
That creates early pressure before Senegal travel to Ethiopia in Matchday 2.
Vieira inherited a team whose expectations remain unusually high despite an underwhelming World Cup.
TSE examined that challenge when the Dakar-born former France captain was appointed in our analysis of Patrick Vieira’s arrival as Senegal coach.
His first competitive result does not constitute a crisis.
It does remove the luxury of a perfect start.
The World Cup had already shown how quickly margins can turn against Senegal. They finished among the tournament’s best third-placed teams before losing 3-2 to Belgium in the Round of 32. TSE’s review of the World Cup’s eight third-place qualifiers documented how narrow that pathway became once the knockout stage began.
AFCON qualification gives Vieira a different type of test.
Here, consistency over six matches matters more than one elimination game.
Egypt Control the Ball but Cannot Break Angola
Egypt’s 0-0 draw with Angola was Friday’s most notable scoreless result.
The Pharaohs had the greater share of attacking territory but could not convert it into a goal.
Mostafa Ziko had an effort ruled out for offside in the first half, while Angola created enough threat to force Mostafa Shobeir into an important save before halftime.
The point leaves Egypt already behind Malawi in Group B.
Malawi beat South Sudan 2-1.
Adepoju opened the scoring in the 20th minute. Dhata equalized for South Sudan shortly after halftime, but Njawila restored Malawi’s lead in the 64th.
Egypt’s draw is not damaging by itself.
It simply makes the next match away to South Sudan more important than it would have been after a home win.
Mali Respond After Cape Verde Equalize
Mali’s 3-1 victory over Cape Verde was another result shaped by the response to an equalizer.
Tia gave Mali the lead after five minutes.
Sidny Lopes Cabral equalized only five minutes later.
Nene Dorgeles restored Mali’s advantage in the 39th minute and scored again in the 51st.
The second goal removed the uncertainty and gave Mali three points in Group K.
Rwanda also won in the same section, beating Liberia 3-1.
Biramahire scored after two minutes before Lennart-Julian Mickels and Jordan Torunarigha-related names would be easy to confuse in secondary reporting, so the safest verified score record remains the result itself and the listed match scorers.
What matters for the group is straightforward.
Mali and Rwanda begin on three points.
Cape Verde and Liberia begin with none.
Guinea-Bissau Deliver One of Friday’s Most Valuable Away Wins
The scale of Guinea-Bissau’s result should not be lost beside the bigger names.
A 2-0 victory away to Tanzania is valuable even though the co-hosts are already guaranteed a place at the finals.
In fact, that automatic qualification makes the points more important for Guinea-Bissau.
Every result against Tanzania still counts in the standings, but only the highest-placed non-host team can qualify from Group L.
Winning in Tanzania therefore gives Guinea-Bissau an immediate advantage over Madagascar and puts Nigeria under direct pressure before the teams meet.
Niger Join Morocco at the Top of Group A
Niger’s 2-1 victory over Lesotho means Morocco do not begin Group A alone on three points.
Sosah opened the scoring in the 38th minute.
Sako doubled the advantage before halftime.
Motebang converted a late penalty for Lesotho, but Niger held on.
The result matters because Morocco travel to face Lesotho next while Gabon host Niger.
One strong Matchday 2 result could therefore create early separation in the group.
Sudan Start Faster Than Senegal in Group J
Sudan’s 1-0 victory over Ethiopia looked modest on the scoreboard but becomes more valuable when placed beside Senegal’s draw.
Eisa’s 86th-minute goal gives Sudan three points and sole possession of first place after the opening round.
The group now moves quickly.
Mozambique host Sudan next.
Senegal travel to Ethiopia.
Sudan have already created a small cushion before those games begin.
Burkina Faso and Benin Cancel Each Other Out
Burkina Faso and Benin drew 1-1 in Group F.
Traoré scored a first-half penalty for Burkina Faso.
Tosin answered from the spot in the 68th minute.
The draw leaves both countries behind Mauritania, who opened their campaign on Thursday with a 3-1 victory over Central African Republic.
That makes Matchday 2 more consequential for both.
Friday’s Early AFCON 2027 Group Picture
| Group | Early Leader(s) | Key Friday Consequence |
|---|---|---|
| A | Morocco, Niger | Both begin with three points |
| B | Malawi | Egypt and Angola already two points behind |
| C | Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia | Both have opening victories |
| F | Mauritania | Burkina Faso and Benin settle for one point |
| I | Algeria, Togo | Both win; Algeria lead on goal difference |
| J | Sudan | Senegal and Mozambique begin with one point |
| K | Mali, Rwanda | Both record multi-goal victories |
| L | Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria | Guinea-Bissau lead Nigeria on goal difference |
Why Group L Already Looks Different From an Ordinary Qualifying Group
The hosts change everything.
Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are automatically qualified for AFCON 2027.
CAF therefore allows only the highest-ranked non-host team to qualify from each group containing one of those countries.
For Nigeria, that means finishing second behind Tanzania would not automatically be enough if another non-host side were above them.
For Guinea-Bissau, Friday’s win could become one of the most valuable away results of the entire campaign.
For Madagascar, losing in Nigeria creates pressure before they even return home.
This is why Nigeria’s comeback mattered beyond avoiding embarrassment in Uyo.
Three points were required.
The debutants delivered them.
What Were Friday’s Biggest AFCON 2027 Performances?
George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor, Nigeria
Scoring on an international debut is memorable.
Two debutants scoring both goals in a comeback qualifier without Osimhen is substantially more valuable.
Nene Dorgeles, Mali
Dorgeles scored twice after Cape Verde had equalized and helped turn a potentially difficult match into a 3-1 victory.
Algeria’s Response After Zambia Equalized
Zambia made it 1-1 in the 57th minute.
Algeria scored twice within the next 17 minutes.
That was one of Friday’s clearest examples of a favorite responding immediately to pressure.
Guinea-Bissau’s Away Performance
The 2-0 victory in Tanzania gives Guinea-Bissau three points, a two-goal advantage and an important head start in the one-place race among Group L’s non-host teams.
What Comes Next in AFCON 2027 Qualifying?
Matchday 2 begins almost immediately.
Nigeria travel to Guinea-Bissau in the most important early Group L fixture.
Morocco face Lesotho while Niger travel to Gabon.
Senegal visit Ethiopia after failing to win in Mozambique.
Algeria travel to Burundi.
Mali visit Liberia.
Egypt travel to South Sudan.
The compressed schedule leaves very little time for teams to absorb Friday’s results.
That makes Matchday 1 valuable, but not decisive.
Friday’s main lesson is simpler.
Nigeria found new scorers.
Morocco and Algeria handled expectation.
Mali responded to pressure.
Senegal and Egypt left themselves more work to do.
For continuing international football and AFCON coverage, follow The Sports Encounter’s soccer section.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Were the AFCON 2027 Qualifying Results on Friday?
Guinea-Bissau beat Tanzania 2-0, Niger beat Lesotho 2-1, Malawi beat South Sudan 2-1, Gambia beat Somalia 2-1, Togo beat Burundi 1-0, Sudan beat Ethiopia 1-0, Rwanda beat Liberia 3-1, Nigeria beat Madagascar 2-1, Morocco beat Gabon 2-0, Egypt drew 0-0 with Angola, Burkina Faso drew 1-1 with Benin, Algeria beat Zambia 3-1, Mozambique drew 1-1 with Senegal, and Mali beat Cape Verde 3-1.
Who Scored for Nigeria Against Madagascar?
George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor scored Nigeria’s goals. Both players were making their senior international debuts.
Did Victor Osimhen Play for Nigeria?
No. Osimhen was ruled out of the opening qualifiers because of a muscle injury.
Who Scored for Morocco Against Gabon?
Noussair Mazraoui scored in the 36th minute and Soufiane Rahimi added the second in the 84th.
What Was the Algeria vs Zambia Score?
Algeria won 3-1 through goals from Jaouen Hadjam, Ibrahim Maza and Anis Hadj Moussa. Fashion Sakala scored for Zambia.
Did Patrick Vieira Win His First Senegal Qualifier?
No. Senegal drew 1-1 away to Mozambique in Vieira’s first competitive match as head coach.
Who Scored for Senegal?
Nicolas Jackson gave Senegal the lead in the 32nd minute before Geny Catamo equalized for Mozambique in first-half stoppage time.
What Happened in Egypt vs Angola?
The match finished 0-0 in Cairo, leaving Egypt and Angola with one point each after Matchday 1.
Why Is Group L Different From Most AFCON Qualifying Groups?
Tanzania are automatically qualified as co-hosts. Only the highest-ranked team among Nigeria, Madagascar and Guinea-Bissau can take the remaining qualification place from the group.
When Is the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations?
AFCON 2027 is scheduled for June 19 to July 17, 2027, and will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.