Four of the seven matchups in the Final Round of qualifying for the 2023 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations got underway on Wednesday as fourteen teams continue their campaigns to reach the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France. The seven winners in the final round will advance to the final tournament in Morocco where the finalists and third placed team will represent Africa at the Olympic Games football competition.
Egypt and Senegal both got off to winning starts in the home legs of their clashes against Zambia and Mali. Pyramids FC attacker Ibrahim Adel finished an excellent team movement with a thunderous shot from the edge of the penalty area past goalkeeper Francis Mwansa in the 73rd minute. Abdulrahman Atef scored Egypt’s second in the 88th minute to give the defending AFCON U-23 champions a 2-0 advantage when the teams meet again for the return leg in Lusaka.
Senegal controlled play from the beginning in their 3-1 victory against neighbors Mali and it was African Nations Championship and AFCON U-20 star Lamine Camara who gave the hosts the lead in the 14th minute with a superb free kick. European-based players contributed Senegal’s two other goals with Austria Vienna’s Ibrahima Dramé scoring in the first half and Abdallah Sima of Ligue 1 side Angers converting a penalty kick in the second half. Thiemoko Diarra scored the only goal for Mali around the hour mark to give his side an away goal before the return leg in Bamako.
Nigeria, the only African nation to win an Olympic gold medal in football from their triumph in 1996, were held to a 0-0 draw by a strong Guinea team at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja. The Olympic Eagles have plenty of work to do but will be relieved to play the return match in Morocco due to Guinea lacking a suitable stadium by CAF standards. Wednesday’s other match ended in a 0-0 draw between Sudan and hosts Niger before the teams meet again next week at the Al-Hilal Stadium in Omdurman, Sudan.
Highlights from the victories for Egypt and Senegal are below.
Scores
Nigeria 0-0 Guinea
Niger 0-0 Sudan
Egypt 2-0 Zambia
Senegal Mali
Highlights
Egypt 2-0 Zambia
Senegal 3-1 Mali (Senegal’s goals)
