Sudan and Libya secured vital wins while Guinea Bissau settled for a goalless draw against Ethiopia in Thursday’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers for Africa.
The biggest result of the afternoon was in Group B where coach Kwesi Appiah’s Sudan claimed a convincing 2-0 victory over Mauritania in Nouakchott. Saifeldin Bakhit opened the scoring for the visitors in the 15th minute, giving Sudan an early lead.
Mauritania’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Aly Abeid inadvertently scored an own goal in the 29th minute, doubling Sudan’s advantage.
The win propels Sudan to the top of Group B with seven points, three more than second-placed Senegal, who are set to host DR Congo in the group’s other game on Thursday.
Meanwhile, in Tripoli, Libya hosted Mauritius in a Group D encounter at the Martyrs of February Stadium.
The home side took the lead in the 20th minute through Faisal Al Abdri, but Mauritius equalized ten minutes later courtesy of Kevin Bru.
However, Libya regained the lead just before halftime, with Ahmed Ekrawa finding the back of the net in the 40th minute.
The 2-1 victory sees Libya go top of Group D with seven points, overtaking group leaders Cameroon and Cape Verde, who are scheduled to clash in Yaounde on Saturday.
In Group A, Guinea Bissau hosted Ethiopia at the Estádio 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with both sides eager to keep pace with group leaders Egypt and Burkina Faso.
The match ended in a 0-0 stalemate, leaving Guinea Bissau in second place with five points.
The result maintains pressure on the group’s top two teams, who are set to face each other later on Thursday.
With Egypt and Burkina Faso set to face off in Group A, and Senegal hosting DR Congo in Group B, the landscape of these groups could change significantly by the end of Thursday’s fixtures.
Meanwhile, the upcoming match between Cameroon and Cape Verde in Group D on Saturday will provide further clarity on the group’s standings.
