AFCON2023Q: D-Day for Tanzania and Uganda

The 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers will continue on Thursday evening with all eyes on group F, where there is everything to play for. The second qualification spot is up for grabs, and either Uganda or Tanzania will bag it.

Leaders Algeria, with five wins in five games, have secured a ticket for the showpiece that will be staged in the Ivory Coast, and the second ticket is now up for grabs, with both East African nations standing a chance of securing the ticket.

Tanzania has a harder task as they will be playing Algeria at the May 19 Stadium in Annaba. They have seven points, and all they need to do is at least secure a draw in Algiers, and they will be home and dry. A loss will have them hoping for favours from the match between Niger and Uganda in Marrakech.

Uganda are third in the group with four points and have no room for any slip-ups. They must beat Niger in Morocco and also hope that Algeria does some damage to Tanzania’s goal difference, as the Cranes have a -3 goal difference compared to Tanzania’s -1, and a win over Niger may not be sufficient if Tanzania maintains the better goal difference. Niger, with two points, are out of contention.

The 2019 AFCON champions defeated Tanzania 2-0 in the first leg played in Dar, and Taifa Stars will be hoping to avoid a defeat or at least a thrashing in Algeria. Uganda, on the other hand, were held to a one-all draw by Niger in Kampala, and they will be hoping to beat the bottom-placed side in the return leg being played away in north Africa.

Werre yearning for Leopards debut

Ahead of the match in Marrakech, Uganda Cranes coach Milutin Sredojevic believes his team is ready for the showdown against Niger.

"After days of preparations in Kampala, I believe we are at the best level to go and compete against Niger. We already have two foreign players, Taddeo Lwanga and Abdu Aziizi Kayondo, that have been training with us, while the rest will join us in Marrakech," he told FUFA Media before the team flew to Morocco on Saturday.

Group E is equally open, and the top three teams could all go through. Ghana tops the group with nine points, followed by Angola with eight and the Central African Republic with seven. Madagascar, with two, is out of the race.

Ghana host CAR at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, where at least a draw will secure them secure an AFCON ticket. Angola, on the other hand, will host Madagascar at the Tundavala National Stadium in Lubango, knowing a win will see them earn a ticket to the Ivory Coast.

Group J is already decided. Equatorial Guinea and Tunisia are through. On Thursday, Tunisia will play host to Botswana, who are already out.

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