Equatorial Guinea, Zambia qualify for Africa Cup of Nations finals

Equatorial Guinea and Zambia qualified for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals on Saturday as World Cup semi-finalists Morocco lost in their first competitive game since their Qatar heroics.

Equatorial Guinea and Zambia took the list of teams confirmed for next January’s finals to nine with more expected on Sunday, when a further nine qualifiers take place across the continent.

Morocco qualified in March without playing but lost 2-1 to South Africa in Johannesburg to cede the leadership of Group K.

Zambia, coached by former Chelsea manager Avram Grant, hammered Ivory Coast 3-0 to make sure they would take the sole qualifying place from Group H with the Ivorians already in the finals as hosts of January’s tournament.

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Zambia secure their #TotalEnergiesAFCON qualification in style with a huge win over hosts Côte d'Ivoire ????#TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 pic.twitter.com/TdUXLu3tbw

— CAF (@CAF_Online) June 17, 2023

Equatorial Guinea needed only a draw at home to already qualified Tunisia but beat them 1-0 in Malabo to go two points clear at the top of Group J. Veteran Emilio Nsue tucked away an 85th-minute penalty to secure the victory.

The Central African Republic would have qualified for the first time had they won their home game against Angola but the 2-1 loss in Group E put the Angolans on course for a place in the finals.

Holders Senegal, already through to defend their title, lost their 100% record in Group L as Benin held them to a 1-1 draw in Cotonou.

There were also wins for Botswana and the Comoros Islands on Saturday but both were out of contention to reach the finals.

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Here’s how Saturday’s #TotalEnergiesAFCONQ2023 games panned out ✅

give me this french pic.twitter.com/NkNohwCCxf

— CAF (@CAF_Online) June 17, 2023

The top two teams in each of the 12 groups qualify for the tournament in January.