AFCON: Burkina Faso beats Comoros, Uganda to wait

Qualifiers for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon after penultimate round of group matches this weekend:
Guinea-Bissau (Group E winners)
Morocco (Group F winners)
Egypt (Group G winners)
Ghana (Group H winners)
Algeria (Group J winners)
Senegal (Group K winners)
Zimbabwe (Group L winners)
Cameroon (Group M winners)

**Mali  (Mathematically – Group C winners or one of best two runners-up)
Note: Gabon are automatic entrants as the host nation

Contenders for other six places:
Liberia, Tunisia, Togo (Group A)
Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic (Group B)
Burkina Faso, Uganda (Group D)
Ivory Coast (holders), Sierra Leone (Group I)
**Best two runners-up from 11 four-team groups

Johannesburg, South Africa | AFP |

Burkina Faso battled to a 1-0 win away in Moroni, Comoros to ensure the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Group D  will be decided in the final game in September. Half-time was goalless.

Uganda, who have not qualified for the African tournament since 1978, won 2-1 in Botswana to go three points clear at the top of Group D Saturday – a lead that’s been wiped out on Sunday.

The 13 group winners qualify for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, while the runners-up also qualify if they are one of the two runners-up with the best records when qualification ends in September.

If, and that has always been the issue, if, Cranes win their final game, they will be one of two second based placed teams, that make it to Gabon. Four other teams, CAR, Tunisia, Mali (already qualified) and Benin can end up with 13 points, but if CAR and Tunisia get the 13 points, they will deny their 2nd placed teams, as that will leave them at 10 and 12 points respectively.

Mali and Benin play each other in the final match, so even if both get 13 points, one will be group leader – leaving Uganda as the second team at 13.

Groups in contention for two second best qualification places

Group A 
Liberia      5 3 1 1 10 4 10
Tunisia      5 3 1 1 12 2 10
Togo          5 2 2 1  6  4  8
Djibouti     5 0 0 5  1 19 0
Final games
Tunisia vs Liberia
Togo vs Djibouti

Group B
DR Congo     5 4 0 1 12 5 12
C.A.R.           5 3 1 1 8  7   10
Angola          5 1 1 3 6  7   4
Madagascar 5 0 2 3 4 11 2
Final game
DR Congs vs CAR

Group C
Mali            5 4 1 0 8 1 13
Benin         4 2 2 0 8 4 8
S.Sudan     5 1 0 4 3 11 3
E.Guinea   4 0 1 3 1 4 1
Final games
Benin vs Equatorial Guinea
Mali vs Benin

Group D
B. Faso       5 3 1 1 4 1 10
Uganda      5 3 1 1 5 2 10
Botswana   5 2 0 3 4 6 6
Comoros     5 1 0 4 2 6 3
Final games
Uganda vs Comoros
Burkina Faso V Botswana

On Saturday, Luwagga Kizito gave the visitors an early lead and Onkabetse Makgantsi levelled soon after half-time.

Botswana supporters were still celebrating the equaliser in north-eastern city Francistown when Khalid Aucho snatched the winner.

In Mauritius, Ghana joined the qualifiers for Gabon 2017 when they beat Mauritius 2-0.

Second half strikes from Andre Ayew and Christian Atsu were enough earn Ghana a 2-0 win over Mauritius on Sunday in Belle Vue to confirm their place at next year’s finals in Gabon.

The Black Stars join hosts Gabon, Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Zimbabwe and Senegal.

In other results, Egypt and Senegal qualified Saturday for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon after 2-0 away victories over Tanzania and Burundi respectively.

Roma striker Mohamed Salah scored in each half for the Egyptian Pharaohs in Dar es Salaam.

The Egyptians are back in the biennial African football showcase after failing to qualify for the last three tournaments having won the previous three.

English Premier League pair Sadio Mane of Southampton and Mame Biram Diouf of Stoke City were the scorers for the Senegalese Teranga Lions.

***

Sunday Results
Liberia         2-2   Togo
Comoros      0-1   Burkina Faso
Mauritius    0-2   Ghana
Madagascar 1-6   DR Congo
Kenya          2-1   Congo
Swaziland    1-0   Guinea
Zimbabwe   3-0  Malawi
Lesotho       1-2  Ethiopia
CA Republic 3-1 Angola
Benin v Equatorial Guinea – postponed to June 12
Bye: Ivory Coast

Saturday results
Botswana          1     Uganda   2
South Sudan    0     Mali         3
Guinea-Bissau 3     Zambia   2
Sao Tome         1     Cape Verde 2
Libya                 1    Morocco  1
Tanzania          0     Egypt       2
Sierra Leone   1      Sudan     0
Burundi           0     Senegal    2
Namibia           1    Niger        0
Gambia            0    South Africa 4
Mauritania      0    Cameroon   1
Djibouti            0    Tunisia    3
Rwanda           2     Mozambique 3
Seychelles       0      Algeria    2

Standings P W D L F A Pts

B.Faso        5   3   1  1  4  1   10
Uganda      5   3   1  1  5  2   10
Botswana   5   2   0  3  4  6   6
Comoros    5   1   0  4  2  6   3
(When two teams are tied on the qualification table, number of points obtained in games between the teams concerned is considered by CAF)