Morocco win to wrap up first block of Africa’s qualifiers
Morocco claimed an opening win on Tuesday night to wrap up Africa’s first two matchdays in the 2026 World Cup Qualifying competition.
The 2022 World Cup semifinalists played just one match across the first two matchdays (as Group E has been reduced to five teams with the withdrawal of Eritrea), but they already top their group with three points thanks to a 2-0 away triumph over 10-man Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.
The Atlas Lions secured the three points thanks to an opening strike from Hakim Ziyech and an own goal by the Taifa Stars’ Bakari Mwamnyeto – and the hosts also had Novatus Miroshi sent off midway through the second half for a second bookable offence.
Morocco’s win means four teams in Group E sit on three points, including Niger, who were 2-1 winners over Zambia at Stade de Marrakesh thanks to first-half strikes from Amadou Moutari and Boubacar Goumey.
The afternoon kick-offs were headlined by South Africa missing out on the chance to go clear at the top of Group C – instead they were leapfrogged by their opponents Rwanda, who claimed a 2-0 win in Butare thanks to first-half goals from Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha.
In the same Group C, Lesotho and Benin drew 0-0 in Durban.
A late penalty from Youssef Msakni saw Tunisia win 1-0 away to Malawi in Lilongwe to join Equatorial Guinea on six points at the top of Group H, while Burkina Faso registered a first win in Group A by trumping Ethiopia 3-0 at Stade El Abdi, via goals from Ibrahim Toure, Bertrand Traore and Dango Ouattara.
Botswana claimed an impressive scalp by defeating Guinea 1-0 in Francistown (with a second-half strike from Kabelo Seakanyeng), and they were joined on three points in Group G by Uganda, who beat Somalia 1-0 in Berkane thanks to an early
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