AFCON Qualifier: Nigeria Complete Comeback, Algeria Cruise as Morocco and Mali Claim Wins

There was a full slate of action across matchday one of qualifying for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations, with several of the favourites getting off to winning starts and plenty of goals scattered across the groups.

In Group A, Morocco made a strong start to their campaign with a 2-0 win over Gabon. The Atlas Lions dominated for long spells, with Azzedine Ounahi wasteful early on before Noussair Mazraoui broke the deadlock just before half time with a fierce strike from outside the box. Morocco added a late second to seal a comfortable win and the perfect start in a group that also contains Niger. 

In the other Group A game, Niger beat Lesotho 2-1, with first-half goals from Daniel Sosah and Oumar Sako putting them in control before Lesotho pulled one back from the penalty spot late on to set up a nervy finish that Niger managed to see out.

Egypt and Angola played out a goalless draw in Group B, while Malawi beat South Sudan 2-1 in the other game in that section. Babatunde Adepoju gave Malawi an early lead, and although South Sudan levelled just after the break through Stephen Joseph Dhata, Lloyd Njaliwa restored the advantage soon after and Malawi held on for the win.

[AFCON Qualifiers: Ivory Coast Beat Ghana, Zimbabwe Stage Stunning Comeback as Cameroon Win and Tunisia Draw]

In Group C, Gambia beat Somalia 2-1, with Ebrima Colley opening the scoring from the penalty spot before Somalia levelled midway through the second half. Substitute Muhammed Badamosi scored a late winner to make sure of the points for Gambia.

Group F produced a share of the spoils, as Burkina Faso and Benin drew 1-1, both sides scoring from the penalty spot through Lassina Traoré and Osayamen Aiyegun respectively. 

Elsewhere in Group I, Togo beat Burundi 1-0, with D. Karim scoring the only goal of the game early on.

Algeria also made a winning start in the group, beating Zambia 3-1. Jaouen Hadjam opened the scoring inside two minutes before Fashion Sakala equalised for Zambia after the break. Ilyes Maza and Amine Hadj Moussa then restored Algeria's advantage, with both goals created by Mohamed Amoura, to seal all three points for the Desert Foxes.

In Group J, Senegal and Mozambique shared the points in a 1-1 draw, with Nicolas Jackson's first-half goal for Senegal cancelled out by a stoppage-time equaliser from Geny Catamo for the hosts. Sudan also picked up a win in the group, beating Ethiopia 1-0.

Group K saw plenty of goals too, with Rwanda beating Liberia 3-1 at home. Rwanda were 3-1 up by half time thanks to goals from A. Biramahire, L. Mickels and a penalty from J. Mickels, with Liberia's Sekou Nimely getting their consolation before finishing the game with ten men after a red card for K. Sherman. Mali also won convincingly, beating Cape Verde 3-1, with Diamoutene Nene scoring twice either side of half time.

Finally, in Group L, Nigeria came from behind to beat Madagascar 2-1 in Uyo, with debutants George Ilenikhena and Moses Usor turning the game around either side of half time to hand the Super Eagles a winning start without the injured Victor Osimhen. In the other Group L fixture, Guinea-Bissau beat Tanzania 2-0 away from home, with Franculino Djú and Mama Baldé scoring either side of half time.