CAN 2027 qualifiers: Guinea-Bissau stun Nigeria as Ghana fall

Guinea-Bissau and Gambia produced the standout results of the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Tuesday, 29 September. The Djurtus defeated Nigeria 3-0 in Bissau, while the Scorpions recovered from a difficult start to beat Ghana 4-2 in Accra. The two results changed the early picture in Groups L and C and put pressure on two of Africa’s most established national teams.

At the 24 de Setembro Stadium, Guinea-Bissau took control against Nigeria through Franculino’s 15th-minute goal. Mama Baldé doubled the advantage in the 66th minute before Álvaro Djaló completed the result in the fifth minute of added time. The scoreline gave the Djurtus a clear victory over the Super Eagles and moved them to the top of Group L after two rounds.

Nigeria remain second in Group L following their opening-day victory over Madagascar, but the margin for error is limited. Madagascar drew 1-1 with Tanzania in the other match, leaving Tanzania with a point from the round. The group has an unusual qualification structure because Tanzania are among the tournament hosts, meaning only the team that finishes first will qualify from the pool. Guinea-Bissau therefore hold an important early advantage, while Nigeria must respond in their next fixtures.

Ghana’s defeat followed a different script. The Black Stars had appeared to be in command after scoring twice in less than three minutes following the half-hour mark. Gambia, however, scored twice before half-time to restore parity. Substitute Ebrahima Colley then struck twice in the second half as the Scorpions completed a 4-2 comeback in front of the Accra crowd. The victory placed Gambia at the top of Group C, ahead of Côte d’Ivoire.

Côte d’Ivoire kept their perfect start with a 2-0 victory over Somalia. The Elephants have won both of their matches, but Gambia’s result gives the Scorpions the immediate lead in the group standings. Ghana now face the task of recovering points after a home defeat that turned a promising position into a damaging result within one evening.

Morocco also made it two wins from two in Group A, beating Lesotho 2-0. The Atlas Lions lead the group with six points, with Gabon in second after a 2-0 victory over Niger. Egypt hold the advantage in Group B after overwhelming South Sudan 5-0. Angola and Malawi have yet to complete the round, with their match scheduled for 6 October.

The second round also produced important results elsewhere. Cameroon drew 1-1 with Congo in a match played behind closed doors in Brazzaville. Congo took the lead through Geltany Bantsiele in the 24th minute, but Melvin Zinga’s own goal in the 53rd minute brought Cameroon level. The Indomitable Lions remain top of Group G, while Comoros moved into contention by beating Namibia 1-0. In Group E, the Democratic Republic of Congo defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 and lead the section. Yoane Wissa and Gaël Moutoussamy scored before half-time, while Marshall Munetsi’s 91st-minute goal was not enough for Zimbabwe. Equatorial Guinea beat Sierra Leone 1-0 in the other match.

Rwanda moved top of Group K by defeating Cape Verde 3-1, leaving the Blue Sharks bottom after two defeats. Mali are second after beating Cape Verde’s fellow group opponent by the same score, with Dorgeles Nene scoring twice and Martial Tia adding the other goal. In Group J, Senegal earned Patrick Vieira’s first victory as coach by beating Ethiopia 1-0 through Ibrahim Mbaye’s 11th-minute goal. Mozambique lead the group after a 4-1 win over Sudan, having taken four points from their opening two games.

Algeria remain first in Group I on four points despite being held 2-2 by Burundi. The Fennecs fell 2-0 behind inside the opening 12 minutes before recovering a draw. Zambia moved into second after a 2-0 victory over Togo. Benin lead Group F and remain unbeaten after beating Mauritania 2-1, while Burkina Faso won 1-0 away to the Central African Republic. Tunisia surrendered a lead in a 2-2 draw with Botswana in Group H, where Uganda beat Libya 1-0.

The schedule now turns to the remaining second-round fixtures. Eritrea will face South Africa in Group D on Wednesday, while Guinea meet Kenya on Thursday, 1 October. Angola and Malawi then complete Group B’s round on 6 October. The early standings already show several contrasting campaigns: Guinea-Bissau and Gambia have gained momentum from major victories, while Nigeria and Ghana must repair their positions before the qualification race becomes more demanding.