Benin stun Nigeria, Algeria bounce back to win | SuperSport
football10 June 2024 19:15| © SuperSport
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Steve Mounie © Backpagepix
Algeria rallied from a half-time deficit to win away at Uganda and strengthen their place atop Group G in African qualifying for the Fifa World Cup 26™, while Egypt kept a firm grasp of their advantage in Group A with a draw at Guinea-Bissau.
Nigeria were left reeling again in a loss in Benin in Group C, while Botswana earned a vital victory over Somalia to thrust themselves back into Group G contention.
How qualifying worksThe nine group winners will qualify automatically for the FIFA World Cup 26™.
The four best runners-up will then compete for one place at the FIFA Play-Off Tournament.
Group A
Guinea-Bissau 1-1 EgyptBurkina Faso v Sierra Leone
Egypt maintained their four-point cushion at the top with a draw at Guinea-Bissau.
Mama Balde had the home fans in Benin on their feet late in the first half, when he pounced on a loose ball and fired into net for the lead.
Egypt responded in the second half and carved out the equaliser through Mohamed Salah, whose left-footed effort curled into the top corner of net.
Egypt now have 10 wins, four draws and just one defeat in their last 15 World Cup qualifiers.
Group CBenin 2-1 Nigeria
Nigeria’s qualifying campaign took another wrong turn in a defeat to Benin.
The Super Eagles now have just three points from four matches, while Benin seized first place in the group.
It started off well for Nigeria, who broke the deadlock thanks to a composed right-footed finish from Raphael Onyedika just shy of the half-hour mark.
But Benin would respond with aplomb with a pair of goals before half-time.
Jodel Dossou took advantage of a lapse from the Nigerian defence to score, followed by Steve Mounie steering home a shot in front of net to give the hosts a lead that they held until the full-time whistle.
Group G
Somalia 1-3 BotswanaUganda 1-2 Algeria
Thabang Sesinyi-inspired Botswana piled the misery on Somalia with a 3-1 win in Maputo.
The Zebras opened the scoring after 10 minutes, as Sesinyi headed home his first of this qualifying campaign.
The away side continued to call the shots and doubled their advantage just after the break when Sesinyi set up Mosha Gaolaolwe to score, before Kabelo Seakanyeng added another from the penalty spot.
Sak Hassan pulled one back for the hosts with a little over 15 minutes to go, but it proved nothing more than a consolation.
The result sees Botswana soar into second place, joined on six points by the other four Group G sides, while Somalia remain bottom and without a point to their name.
Algeria are now three points clear at the top following their comeback victory at Uganda.
Travis Mutyaba gave Uganda a lead early on with a sizzling, left-footed strike from outside the area, but Algeria went right to work on trying to find an equaliser.
After hitting the post right before half-time, the visitors pulled level just 50 seconds into the second stanza on a right-footed blast from Houssem Aouar.
The momentum was with Algeria and the visitors would take the lead when Said Benrahma polished off a lightning-quick counter-attack to clinch the three points.
Group H
Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Malawi
A late Iban Salvador goal proved enough for Equatorial Guinea to sink Malawi and claim their first win of the campaign.
Los Elefantes controlled the game but couldn't make their dominance count, until Salvador found the net in the 82nd minute after a well-worked Jannick Buyla set-piece.
The result means Equatorial Guinea remain fifth, but are now just three points behind their visitors in fourth.
© FIFA.com
