After Liberia and Eswatini set the tone with emphatic victories in the first leg of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 qualifiers, Chad stepped up to the plate, clinching a slender 1-0 win over Mauritius on Friday.
Liberia asserted their dominance at home, securing a 2-0 victory over Djibouti, while Eswatini displayed their prowess as they cruised to a comfortable 3-0 win over Somalia, kickstarting their campaign in the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 qualifiers.
Coach Kevin Nicaise’s Chad secured a vital lead in the two-legged affair with their narrow victory over Mauritius. As attention turns to the return leg in Mauritius on Tuesday, 26 March, Chad faces the daunting task of maintaining their advantage against the islanders.
Meanwhile, in Berkane on the same evening, Sao Tome and Principe and South Sudan battled to a goalless draw, leaving everything to play for in their upcoming encounter.
The stalemate will be a source of relief for South Sudan, who now have the opportunity to capitalize on home advantage and secure a victory against their opponents, who failed to capitalize on chances in the first leg.
The preliminary stage of the qualifiers sees the lowest-ranked eight nations, as per the FIFA Rankings, competing in a home-and-away knockout format. The four remaining nations will progress to join the 44 teams engaged in the group stages of the qualifiers.
As the action intensifies, all eyes are on the return leg fixtures scheduled for Tuesday, 26 March, where Eswatini will take on Somalia, Liberia will face Djibouti, South Sudan will clash with Sao Tome and Principe, and Chad will lock horns with Mauritius in a bid to solidify their positions in the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 qualifiers.
