The qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Africa began on Wednesday with four matches taking place. The matches were held in Butare, Malabo, Kinshasa, and El Jadida, marking the start of the journey to qualify for the next global tournament, which occurs every four years.
Zimbabwe made their return to competitive play after being banned by Fifa in January 2022. They played against Rwanda in a Group C match and managed to secure a 0-0 draw at Stade Huye. This was their first competitive match in a while, and it was an important result for them.
The draw between Zimbabwe and Rwanda was also beneficial for the other teams in Group C, namely Bafana Bafana and Nigeria.
Since no team was able to secure maximum points, both Bafana Bafana and Nigeria would view this result positively.
Despite having two Ligue 1 players, Marvelous Nakamba from Premier League’s Luton Town, former Kaizer Chiefs defender Teenage Hadebe, Terrence Dzvukamanja from SuperSport United, and Mamelodi Sundowns Divine Lunga, the Warriors appeared rusty.
Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Namibia
Equatorial Guinea emerged victorious with a 1-0 win over Namibia in a match held at Nuevo Estadio de Malabo.
Emilio Nsue scored the only goal of the game in the 67th minute, separating the two teams.
Unfortunately, Namibia was without the services of Peter Shalulile, a forward from Mamelodi Sundowns, but Deon Hotto from Orlando Pirates played the entire match.
Other players from the Premier Soccer League, such as Lloyd Kazapua, Riaan Hanamub, and Elmo Kambindu, also represented Namibia in this Group H encounter.
Dr Congo 2 -0 Mauritania
DR Congo secured a 2-0 win against Mauritania in their first Group B match at Stade des Martyrs de la Pentecote.
The opening goal came from Brentford midfielder Yoane Wissa in the 62nd minute, followed by Theo Bongonda extending their lead with just nine minutes left on the clock.
Ethiopia 0-0 Sierra Leone
The match between Ethiopia and Sierra Leone ended in a goalless draw, resulting in both teams earning one point in Group A. The game took place in Morocco, which served as a neutral venue.
Unfortunately, Ethiopia had to play without Abubeker Nasir, a striker from Mamelodi Sundowns, due to ongoing fitness issues. Nasir has not been able to participate in competitive football this season.
The qualifiers will continue on Thursday, with nine matches scheduled to take place across Africa.
Some of the notable matches include Egypt hosting Djibouti and Nigeria welcoming Lesotho in Uyo.
In another game, Morocco will play against Eritrea at home. Morocco aims to return to the World Cup, having reached the semi-finals in the previous tournament.
