2021 AFCON Qualifiers: Tunisia, Mali Qualify

Mali ensured their place at an eighth consecutive Nations Cup finals with narrow hard-fought 2-1 win over hosts Namibia.

All three goals of Tuesday’s Group A encounter came in the opening 40 minutes of the game as Mali had a penalty saved in the second-half and Namibia hitting the post.

Red Bull Salzburg’s Sekou Koita scored after just 12 minutes for Mali as he drove forward to the edge of the area before firing a powerful shot past keeper Virgil Vries in to the top corner.

Vries was at fault for the second goal as Moussa Doumbia cut into the area and fired in a shot from a tight angle that beat the keeper at his near post.

Two minutes later Namibia pulled a goal back as Elmo Kambindu rose at the far post to head home a free-kick from Absalom Limbondi.

Both teams battled to score again after the break and Mali should have added a third from the penalty spot but Vries went the right way and saved El Bilal Toure’s effort. The penalty had been awarded for a clumsy challenge on Doumbia by subsitute Riaan Hanamub.

The Namibian almost made amends late on with a fierce shot that had beaten the Mali keeper but not the post.

Mali’s win takes them to 10 points, two ahead of second-placed Guinea with Namibia on three and still with a mathematical chance of grabbing second place.

However Chad, despite earning their first point of the campaign in Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Guinea, cannot now qualify for the finals.

Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia (Group J)

Tunisia earned their place at the Nations Cup finals despite being held in Dar es Salaam by hosts Tanzania.

The Carthage Eagles dominated the opening exchanges and hit the woodwork either side of their goal.

Tunisia took the lead after just 11 minutes through Seifeddine Khaoui of Marseille with a truly excellent finish after he was put through by a lovely piece of skill from Youssef Msakni.

With Tanzania struggling in front their fans at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium it looked like Tunisia would win easily.

Things changed just two minutes after the break as substitute Feisal Salum found the target with a stunning hit from just outside the area.

Tanzania improved in the second half and both teams had their chances but it remained deadlocked at 1-1.

The draw was enough for Tunisia to confirm their place in Cameroon as they are now guaranteed a top-two finish, thanks to their 1-0 win over Tanzania last Friday which guarantees the Carthage Eagles a better head-to-head record over the Taifa Stars.

Tanzania are in third place on four points, two behind Equatorial Guinea in second place with Libya still in with a chance despite being bottom on three points.