Guinea Bissau topped their standings and qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations without kicking a ball on Sunday, adding their name to a list of unlikely achievements in the African game in recent years.
Guinea Bissau, who have never been inside the top 100 of FIFA’s world rankings, are to play in next year’s competition in Gabon for the first time after being assured of top place in Group E in qualifying.
Their triumph came after the Republic of the Congo let slip an early lead and lost 2-1 away against Kenya in Nairobi on Sunday to leave Guinea Bissau in an uncatchable position at the top of the standings.
Photo: AFP
The former Portuguese colony, with a population of just 1.7 million and no professional league, have been beset by financial problems and is regularly unable to enter teams in continental competition or pay for foreign coaches.
However, they beat 2012 champions Zambia 3-2 at home on Saturday to move to 10 points in the group, with the Congo’s failure 24 hours later handing them their greatest sporting achievement.
It matches the feat of Botswana, the Cape Verde Islands, Libya and Niger, who have been to recent tournaments, and Equatorial Guinea, surprise semi-finalists at last year’s tournament.
Ghana and Zimbabwe also qualified for next year’s tournament to join Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Senegal, who had previously booked their places.
Two late goals from captain Dede Ayew and Christian Atsu handed Ghana a 2-0 away win over Mauritius and a runaway lead in Group H.
Zimbabwe hammered Malawi 3-0 in Harare on Sunday after Knowledge Musona converted an early penalty, and Khama Billiat and Cuthbert Malajila added two more.
Zimbabwe qualify because Swaziland beat Guinea 1-0 in the other Group L encounter. Zimbabwe are three points ahead of Swaziland going into the final round of qualifiers in September, but cannot be overtaken by them on a head-to-head reckoning.
Burkina Faso would secure their place if they beat Botswana at home in their last match in September after keeping on course with a tough 1-0 win away over the Comoros Islands.
The Burkinabe share top place in Group D with Uganda, but have the advantage in the head-to-head stakes.
Cedric Bakambu and Paul-Jose Mpoku scored twice each and Yannick Bolaise added another as the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) hammered Madagascar 6-1 away, but qualification is not yet assured from Group B after the Central African Republic beat Angola 3-1 in Bangui to stay two points behind in Group B.
DR Congo host the Central African Republic in their last group game in September, needing only a point to be assured of a return to the tournament, where they finished third last year.
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