The international football window in the month of October is upon us as African teams jostle for a ticket to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco with qualifying matches in matchday three and four, respectively.
The round three matches, which will begin on Thursday, October 11, with six matches across board and 24 matches in total, will see some of the best talents on the continent on display.
As these teams are looking to either continue their smooth start to the qualifying campaign or revive their poor outing in the qualifiers so far, BrainBurst takes a look at all the groups and the fixtures ahead of the matchday 3 and 4.
Group A
This group contains Tunisia, Comoros, Madagascar and Gambia, and after two round of matches, the Carthage Eagles sit atop the group with six points and a hundred percent record so far.
Comoros are on two points after two draws and will be looking to register their first win in the group.
Meanwhile, Gambia and Madagascar, who are third and fourth respectively, both have an identical record with one point apiece after a loss and a draw.
In the upcoming double-header, Tunisia will battle Comoros, while Madagascar will take on Gambia with big chances expected in Group A.
Fixtures
Madagascar vs Gambia
Tunisia vs Comoros
Group B
Led by Morocco’s Atlas Lions, Group B, which also has Central African Republic, Lesotho and Gabon, has provided fans with end-to-end action in the first two matchdays.
The Moroccans have picked up maximum points with two wins from the opening games. Gabon are in second place with three points, same as C.A.R, who are third. Lesotho, bottom of the group, make up the standings, as they have yet to pick up a point after two defeats.
October’s international window will see Morocco and Central African Republic lock horns in back-to-back encounters, while Gabon and Lesotho are up for a tough battle against each other.
Fixtures
Gabon v Lesotho
Morocco vs Central African Republic
Group C
Another group with at least one team with maximum points, Group C, has Egypt, Cape Verde, Botswana and Mauritania.
The Pharaohs have won both of their games, scoring seven goals and conceding none, and they will be up against a Mauritanian side, third in the group with three points.
Cape Verde, on the other hand, are second in the group with three points and they have Botswana as an obstacle in their next two matches, with the latter at the bottom of the group without a point.
Fixtures
Cape Verde vs Botswana
Egypt v Mauritania
Group D
The Super Eagles of Nigeria are the leaders of Group D with four points from a win and a draw in their opening games.
Led by interim coach Augustine Eguavoen, they are up against bottom team Libya, who have just one point on board.
Meanwhile, Benin bounced back from their opening defeat to Nigeria, by securing a win in their second game to sit second in the group with three points.
Up next for the Cheetahs is Rwanda, who are unbeaten in the group but have not recorded a win yet, as they sit third with two points.
Fixtures
Nigeria v Libya
Benin v Rwanda
Group E
2019 AFCON winners, Algeria, lead this group with six points alongside Togo, Equatorial Guinea and Liberia.
The Desert Foxes won their first two games and sit atop Group E with six points. Their next obstacle is Togo, who are second in the group with two points after two draws.
Equatorial Guinea and Liberia, who have endured struggles in their opening games with one point each, are provided with an opportunity to kickstart their qualifiers when they face each other.
Fixtures
Algeria vs Togo
Equatorial Guinea v Liberia
Group F
Group F has Angola, Ghana, Sudan and Niger.
The Palancas Negras have started well so far with two wins in as many games. They will lock horns against Niger, who are bottom of the group with just a point.
Meanwhile, the biggest surprise of the group is Ghana’s Black Stars languishing in third place with just a point having failed to win any of their two games so far.
The four-time AFCON winners are up against Sudan, who are in second place with three points.
Fixtures
Ghana vs Sudan
Angola v Niger
Group G
Reigning African champions Cote d’Ivoire are atop the group with six points from a possible six, scoring four goals and keeping a clean sheet in their two games.
Group G also has Sierra Leone, Zambia and Chad.
The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire will take on Sierra Leone as they are looking to quickly wrap up their ticket to the tournament in Morocco.
Meanwhile, 2012 winners Zambia are with three points from their opening two games, and they will take on Chad over the next two matchdays.
Fixtures
Cote d’Ivoire vs Sierra Leone
Zambia vs Chad
Group H
With DR Congo, Tanzania, Guinea and Ethiopia, Group H has served up intense matchups.
The group is controlled by DR Congo with six points but on the Leopards’ heels in Tanzania, with the Taifa Stars in second with four points.
The two teams will face up over two crunch games to determine the group leader.
Elsewhere, third-placed Ethiopia and Guinea, who are bottom of the group, are desperately in need of points. They will lock horns against each other for a chance to close the gap between them and the group leaders.
Fixtures
DR Congo vs Tanzania
Guinea vs Ethiopia
Group I
Mali, Mozambique, Eswatini, and Guinea-Bissau make up Group I.
Mozambique are top the group, while the Eagles of Mali are right behind them with both teams on four points.
Coming in hot is Guinea-Bissau, whose three points place them in third, while Eswatini, who have yet to win a game are at the bottom of the group.
Over the next two matchdays, Mozambique will have the opportunity to increase their lead at the top when they take on the lower-ranked Eswatini, while Mali and Guinea Bissau will face off in an intense battle that promises all the right actions.
Fixtures
Mozambique vs Eswatini
Mali vs Guinea-Bissau
Group J
Group J has Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
The Kenya are the group leaders with four points and a better goal difference than five-time winners Cameroon, who have the same points. Zimbabwe are third with two points, while bottom-placed Namibia are without a point.
The Indomitable Lions will battle the Harambee Stars of Kenya in a battle of the group leaders.
Namibia, in needs of vital points are up against Zimbabwe in a difficult match.
Fixtures
Cameroon v Kenya
Namibia vs Zimbabwe
Group K
Group K has Uganda and South Africa at the top with four points apiece, while Congo and South Sudan are third and fourth, respectively.
However, the Cranes, who are the group leaders with a better goal difference than Hugo Broos’ men, are up against the Bright Stars of South Sudan.
Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana will battle the Red Devils of Congo, who have three points from their opening couple of games.
Fixtures
Uganda v South Sudan
South Africa v Congo
Group L
Burkina Faso and Senegal occupy the top spots in Group L with both teams of four points after a draw and a win in their opening two games.
The Stallions, however, are in first position with a better goal difference, and are up against Burundi, who are hoping for a slip up from the top two teams, as they currently occupy the third spot with three points.
Malawi, the only other team in the group, are bottom with no points on board, Their worries, however, will skyrocket, with Senegal’s Teranga Lions up next for them.
Fixtures
Burkina Faso vs Burundi
Senegal v Malawi
What are your thoughts on the upcoming matches? Share your predictions and analysis in the comments below!
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