Matchday 1 of the Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifiers delivered comebacks, away wins and early statements from several of Africa's leading national teams. Here is the latest score roundup, key players, group picture and what to watch as Matchday 2 begins.
Updated: 28 September 2026 | Coverage: Matchday 1
AFCON 2027 qualifying scores: Matchday 1
The opening round produced 28 completed matches across the qualifying groups. Several teams made strong starts, while Egypt, Senegal, Ghana and other established sides dropped points.
Thursday, 24 September
Friday, 25 September
Saturday, 26 September
Players who shaped Matchday 1
A number of individual performances stood out across the opening round, particularly in matches decided by late goals or second-half turnarounds.
- Marshall Munetsi, Zimbabwe: scored twice in the final 20 minutes to complete Zimbabwe's recovery from 2-0 down against Sierra Leone.
- Nene Dorgeles, Mali: scored twice as Mali defeated Cape Verde 3-1.
- George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor, Nigeria: both scored as Nigeria recovered from Madagascar's early lead to win 2-1.
- Ibrahim Maza and Anis Hadj Moussa, Algeria: scored after half-time as Algeria turned a 1-1 game against Zambia into a 3-1 victory.
- Noussair Mazraoui and Soufiane Rahimi, Morocco: scored in Morocco's 2-0 win over Gabon.
- Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié, Côte d'Ivoire: scored in the Elephants' 2-0 victory over Ghana.
- Yoane Wissa and Chancel Mbemba, DR Congo: both found the net in the 2-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea.
- Bryan Mbeumo and Danny Namaso, Cameroon: contributed goals in Cameroon's 3-1 win against Comoros.
Key Matchday 1 storylines
Zimbabwe's comeback was one of the round's biggest moments
Zimbabwe trailed Sierra Leone 2-0 but overturned the deficit to win 3-2. Marshall Munetsi scored in the 72nd and 88th minutes, while Tawanda Chirewa supplied the equaliser four minutes after Munetsi's first goal. The result immediately put Zimbabwe alongside DR Congo at the top of Group E after the opening round.
Egypt held as Angola take a point in Cairo
Egypt were unable to turn possession and attacking opportunities into a goal against Angola. The 0-0 draw left both sides with one point after Matchday 1, while Malawi moved to the early top of Group B after beating South Sudan 2-1.
Nigeria recover after an early scare
Madagascar took a 16th-minute lead through Ehsan Kari, but Nigeria responded through George Ilenikhena just before half-time. Substitute Moses Usor then completed the turnaround in the 65th minute. Nigeria consequently began Group L with three points, level with Guinea-Bissau on points but behind on goal difference.
Senegal and Ghana begin with defeats or draws rather than wins
Senegal were held 1-1 by Mozambique, while Ghana lost 2-0 to Côte d'Ivoire. Nicolas Jackson gave Senegal the lead before Geny Catamo's stoppage-time equaliser. Côte d'Ivoire, meanwhile, secured three points through goals from Malick Yalcouyé and Franck Kessié.
Strong starts for Morocco, Algeria and Cameroon
Morocco beat Gabon 2-0, Algeria defeated Zambia 3-1 and Cameroon overcame Comoros 3-1. Each collected three points and established an early position near the top of their respective groups.
Standings snapshot after Matchday 1
The following is the early group picture after the opening round. Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are co-hosts of AFCON 2027 and have already secured places at the finals; the qualification implications therefore differ from the other groups.
| Group | Early leader(s) | Points | Opening-round result |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | Morocco, Niger | 3 | Morocco 2-0 Gabon; Niger 2-1 Lesotho |
| B | Malawi | 3 | Malawi 2-1 South Sudan; Egypt 0-0 Angola |
| C | Côte d'Ivoire, Gambia | 3 | Côte d'Ivoire 2-0 Ghana; Gambia 2-1 Somalia |
| D | South Africa | 3 | South Africa 2-1 Guinea; Kenya 1-1 Eritrea |
| E | DR Congo, Zimbabwe | 3 | DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea; Zimbabwe 3-2 Sierra Leone |
| F | Mauritania | 3 | Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic; Burkina Faso 1-1 Benin |
| G | Cameroon, Namibia | 3 | Cameroon 3-1 Comoros; Namibia 1-0 Congo |
| H | Botswana, Libya, Tunisia, Uganda | 1 | Both opening matches ended 1-1 or 2-2 |
| I | Algeria, Togo | 3 | Algeria 3-1 Zambia; Togo 1-0 Burundi |
| J | Sudan | 3 | Sudan 1-0 Ethiopia; Mozambique 1-1 Senegal |
| K | Mali, Rwanda | 3 | Mali 3-1 Cape Verde; Rwanda 3-1 Liberia |
| L | Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria | 3 | Guinea-Bissau 2-0 Tanzania; Nigeria 2-1 Madagascar |
What to watch in Matchday 2
The second round comes quickly, giving teams that dropped points little time to regroup. It also provides the opening-round winners with an opportunity to strengthen their positions.
- Zimbabwe vs DR Congo: a meeting of two Group E winners.
- Ghana vs Gambia: Ghana need a response after losing to Côte d'Ivoire.
- Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria: two Group L winners meet in an important early fixture.
- Lesotho vs Morocco: Morocco can build on their opening victory.
- South Sudan vs Egypt: Egypt have an immediate opportunity to improve their Group B position.
- Burundi vs Algeria: Algeria enter the fixture after a three-goal win over Zambia.
- Ethiopia vs Senegal: Senegal will seek their first qualifying win after drawing with Mozambique.
- Comoros vs Namibia: both teams enter the match with contrasting opening results.
Matchday 2 fixtures
| Date | Fixtures |
|---|---|
| 28 September | Central African Republic vs Burkina Faso; Equatorial Guinea vs Sierra Leone; Zimbabwe vs DR Congo; Botswana vs Tunisia |
| 29 September | Comoros vs Namibia; Burundi vs Algeria; Ethiopia vs Senegal; Lesotho vs Morocco; Madagascar vs Tanzania; Mozambique vs Sudan; South Sudan vs Egypt; Cape Verde vs Rwanda; Ghana vs Gambia; Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria; Uganda vs Libya; Zambia vs Togo; Benin vs Mauritania; Congo vs Cameroon; Gabon vs Niger; Liberia vs Mali; Somalia vs Côte d'Ivoire |
| 30 September | Eritrea vs South Africa |
| 1 October | Guinea vs Kenya |
| 6 October | Angola vs Malawi |
Analysis: What Matchday 1 tells us
The opening round produced a broad spread of competitive results rather than a single dominant storyline. Several established sides collected maximum points, but draws involving Egypt and Senegal and Ghana's loss to Côte d'Ivoire show how quickly the qualifying groups can become complicated.
Away results were particularly valuable. Guinea-Bissau won 2-0 in Tanzania, while Niger, Gambia, Mali, Sudan and Togo also began with victories. Because the qualification race is decided over a limited number of group matches, points collected away from home can become especially significant as the schedule progresses.
The scoring patterns also produced several notable individual performances. Munetsi's two late goals against Sierra Leone, Dorgeles' brace for Mali and the second-half contributions of Algeria's Maza and Hadj Moussa were among the clearest examples of players directly changing the outcome of their opening matches.
The next round should provide a clearer early separation in several groups. Teams currently level on three points will meet directly in some sections, while sides that opened with draws or defeats face immediate pressure to collect points.
Sources
Results, scorers, group positions and fixture information were checked against CAF's official coverage and Ahram Online's Matchday 1 results roundup.
- CAF — Group-by-group: How the AFCON PAMOJA 2027 qualifying race stands after Matchday One
- CAF — Nigeria fight back as Gambia, Rwanda and Guinea-Bissau make winning starts
- CAF — Algeria and Morocco make winning starts as Egypt are held by Angola
- Ahram Online — Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers results & scorers
