…as match day 4 takes centre stage
By Our Sports Correspondent
ABUJA — The race for a place at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, tagged Pamoja 2027, enters a decisive phase this weekend as Match day 4 fixtures of the qualifiers take place across the continent on Monday, November 16 and Tuesday, November 17.
A total of 24 matches are scheduled over the two days, with African football heavyweights, defending champions, and emerging forces all in action as teams battle to strengthen their chances of qualifying for the tournament to be jointly hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
Action kicks off on Monday, November 16, with six fixtures lined up.
In the early kick-offs at 13:00 GMT, Zimbabwe host Equatorial Guinea, Namibia welcome Cameroon, while Sudan take on Senegal in what promises to be a tough encounter for both sides.
At 15:00 GMT, Somalia will host Ghana, with the Black Stars looking to secure maximum points on the road.
The day’s action will be rounded off at 16:00 GMT with Eritrea facing Guinea and Central African Republic hosting Benin.
The bulk of the Match day 4 action, however, will take place on Tuesday, November 17, with 18 matches scheduled from afternoon to night.
The early 13:00 GMT kick-offs will see Lesotho host Gabon, Malawi face Egypt, South Sudan take on Angola, Burundi battle Zambia, Ethiopia play Mozambique, and in one of the standout fixtures of the round, Tanzania host Nigeria.
The Super Eagles will be looking to continue their push for qualification when they travel to face the Taifa Stars, one of the co-hosts of the 2027 tournament. The match is expected to be a stern test for Nigeria, with Tanzania keen to prove a point in front of their home fans.
At 16:00 GMT, attention will shift to several blockbuster ties. The Gambia host defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya face South Africa in an East versus South African derby, Sierra Leone take on DR Congo, Libya battle Tunisia in a North African derby, Togo welcome Algeria, while Guinea-Bissau host Madagascar.
The late fixtures at 19:00 GMT will see Mauritania host Burkina Faso, Congo face Comoros, Botswana take on Uganda, Rwanda battle Mali, and Liberia host Cabo Verde.
The final match of Match day 4 will kick off at 20:00 GMT, with Niger hosting Morocco, one of the favourites for the title.
With qualification places at stake, Match day 4 is expected to shape the standings in the various groups, as teams that drop points now will find it increasingly difficult to catch up in the remaining rounds.
Football fans across Africa are already anticipating a match day of goals, drama and upsets, as the road to Pamoja 2027 continues.