Senegal draw with Mozambique, and Nigeria edge past Madagascar, but Cape Verde beaten by Mali in AFCON qualifying openers.
Published On ۲۶ Sep ۲۰۲۶
Former France star Patrick Vieira debuted as Senegal coach by drawing ۱-۱ in Mozambique, and Nigeria survived a scare to edge Madagascar ۲-۱ in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Friday.
Cape Verde, admired for holding eventual ۲۰۲۶ World Cup winners Spain and taking Argentina to extra time before bowing out, crashed ۳-۱ away to Mali.
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Egypt were held ۰-۰ at home by Angola while Morocco and Algeria won comfortably against Gabon and Zambia respectively.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson put controversial ۲۰۲۶ AFCON runners-up Senegal ahead after ۳۲ minutes with a close-range tap off a low cross.
But Geny Catamo from Portuguese giants Sporting levelled in first-half added time, firing a shot from outside the box through a crowded goalmouth into the far corner of the net.
Senegal had plenty of second-half possession in Maputo, but could not find a way past a well-organised Mozambican defence.
Originally scheduled for Senegal, the matchday one fixture in Group J was moved to Maputo as no stadium in the West African nation currently meets international standards.
Vieira, ۵۰, was a midfielder in the French teams that won the ۱۹۹۸ World Cup and ۲۰۰۰ European Championship, and also starred for Arsenal.
But he has had less success as a coach with clubs in the United States, France, England and Italy. He left Genoa last November with the club winless and bottom of Serie A.
Dakar-born Vieira has inherited from sacked Pape Thiaw a Senegal team in transition during a dramatic year in which they were stripped of the AFCON title and flopped at the World Cup.
The Teranga Lions temporarily walked off the pitch to protest a penalty awarded in the AFCON final to hosts Morocco, who missed the kick when Senegal returned.
Senegal won ۱-۰ after extra time only for the African confederation CAF to later award Morocco a ۳-۰ victory.
An appeal by the West Africans against the decision will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October ۸.
After losing to France and Norway at the World Cup, Senegal hammered Iraq to squeeze into the round of ۳۲, where they fell to Belgium after surrendering a two-goal lead.
Against Mozambique, Senegal were without recently retired goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and injured striker Sadio Mane. Fellow stalwarts Kalilou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye were on the bench.
Nigeria, shock non-qualifiers for the past two World Cups, fell behind at home to Madagascar when Ehsan Kari scored after ۱۶ minutes in Uyo.
A Super Eagles side lacking injured star striker Victor Osimhen were then rescued by two international debutants.
Saudi Arabia-based George Ilenikhena, ۲۰, burst through to equalise in first-half added time and substitute Moses Usor from Austrian champions LASK snatched the ۶۵th-minute winner.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, a star at the World Cup, gifted Mali their third goal in the defeat before a wildly excited crowd of ۵۰,۰۰۰ in Bamako.
He dashed outside his area to control the ball with his chest, then lost possession and Dorgeles Nene struck the loose ball into an unguarded net.
Mali, arguably the strongest football nation never to win the AFCON, dominated from start to finish and led within five minutes through Martial Tia.
Cape Verde levelled when a Sidny Cabral free-kick was deflected into the net. Mali regained the lead as half-time approached through Nene.
