Cape Verde, an island nation off the west coast of Africa with a inhabitants of about 525,000, stayed on monitor for a primary World Cup appearance by successful 2-0 in Mauritius on Thursday.
Portugal-based Jovane Cabral scored after 22 minutes within the village of Saint-Pierre and Diney Borges, who performs for a United Arab Emirates membership, added a second purpose on 71 minutes.
Victory lifted the Blue Sharks to 16 factors in Group D, another than Cameroon, whose eight World Cup appearances is an African report.
Current Manchester United recruit Bryan Mbeumo offered two assists as Cameroon scored 3 times within the first half to beat Eswatini 3-0 in Yaounde.
The guests fell behind after solely six minutes when Present Gamedze conceded an personal purpose. Georges-Kevin N’Koudou and Arthur Avom then nettedc inside three minutes halfway by the half.
Cape Verde host Cameroon in Praia on Tuesday and, ought to the islanders triumph, they would want three factors in October from their remaining two qualifiers to win the group and qualify.
Between October 8-14, Cape Verde go to third-placed Libya, then return dwelling to face present backside staff Eswatini within the remaining matchday.
Native Pedro Leitao Brito, a 55-year-old popularly often known as Bubista, has coached Cape Verde since 2020 and took them to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals within the Ivory Coast final 12 months.
Libya rose one place to 3rd by stunning Angola 1-0 in Luanda by a Forty eighth-minute purpose from Ezoo el Mariamy.
In the meantime, Group I leaders Ghana conceded a late purpose to attract 1-1 in Chad — a consequence which ended a run of 4 straight victories by the Black Stars.
– Chad maintain Ghana –
Jordan Ayew, a son of Ghana legend Abedi ‘Pele’ Ayew, pushed a Mohammed Kudus cross into the web on 17 minutes on the new 30,000-seat nationwide stadium in N’Djamena.
However a solo run and shot by Celestin Ecua on 89 minutes drew Chad degree, and earned the central Africans a primary level after six consecutive losses.
It was an encouraging begin for Chad coach Raoul Savoy, a 52-year-old Swiss who has been accountable for one other African soccer minnow, the Central African Republic, 3 times.
Ghana have certified for the World Cup 4 occasions, together with the 2022 match in Qatar, and high the desk with 16 factors.
They’re three factors above Madagascar, who beat the Central African Republic 2-0 in Casablanca by targets from Warren Caddy and Arnaud Randrianantenaina.
Madagascar hosted the match in Morocco — 8,285 kilometres from the Maalagasy capital Antananarivo — as a result of their nationwide stadium doesn’t meet worldwide requirements.
A dramatic comeback in Group H noticed fourth-placed Equatorial Guinea overcome a two-goal half-time deficit to edge backside staff Sao Tome e Principe 3-2 in Oujda.
Ronaldo Afonso transformed two penalties for Sao Tome earlier than a 17-minute purpose blitz by the Equatoguineans ended with Jose Nabil firing the Seventieth-minute winner.
The primary African qualifiers might emerge on Friday. Shock 2022 World Cup semi-finalists Morocco will win Group E in the event that they defeat Niger in Rabat and Tanzania don’t beat Congo in Brazzaville.
The 9 group winners safe locations on the match in the US, Canada and Mexico. The perfect 4 runners-up get a second likelihood, through two units of play-offs, to be among the many 48 qualifiers.
African 2026 World Cup matchday 7 qualifying outcomes
Group A
In Bissau
Guinea-Bissau 1 (Balde 75) Sierra Leone 1 (Kamara 45+1)
Group D
In Saint-Pierre, Mauritius
Mauritius 0 Cape Verde 2 (Cabral 22, Borges 71)
In Luanda
Angola 0 Libya 1 (El Mariamy 48)
In Yaounde
Cameroon 3 (Gamedze 6-og, N’Koudou 25, Avom 28) Eswatini 0
Group G
In Tizi Ouzou, Algeria
Algeria 3 (Amoura 33, Bounedjah 72, 90+6) Botswana 1 (Kopelang 43)
Group H
In Oujda, Morocco
Sao Tome e Principe 2 (Afonso 8-pen, 42-pen) Equatorial Guinea 3 (Ganet 53, Salvador 62, Nabil 70)
In Rades, Tunisia
Tunisia 3 (Mastouri 5, Sassi 66, Saad 90+4) Liberia 0
Group I
In N’Djamena
Chad 1 (Ecua 89) Ghana 1 (Ayew 17)
In Casablanca, Morocco
Madagascar 2 (Caddy 45+2, Randrianantenaina 59) Central African Republic 0
In Berkane, Morocco
Mali 3 (Nene 28, Doumbia 70-pen, Coulibaly 76) Comoros 0
Word: Sao Tome, Madagascar and Mali staged dwelling matches at impartial venues as they don’t have FIFA-approved stadiums
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