The journey to the 2027 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations gathered pace with contrasting results across the preliminary round, as South Sudan delivered a commanding performance while Seychelles dug deep to earn a stalemate.
In Juba, South Sudan produced a ruthless display to dismantle Djibouti 4-0 in the first leg, putting themselves firmly on course for progression.
The Bright Stars asserted dominance early, with Teng Koul breaking the deadlock before the break to set the tone for a one-sided encounter.
After recess, South Sudan maintained their intensity, with Justine Bangasi, Peter Maker and Keer Majak all finding the back of the net to seal an emphatic victory. The match, played behind closed doors under CAF regulations, showcased the hosts’ growing confidence on the continental stage.
With a four-goal cushion, South Sudan head into the return leg on March 29 in Juba holding a significant advantage and appear well positioned to advance to the next qualification phase.
Elsewhere, Seychelles showed resilience as they held Lesotho to a goalless draw in Bloemfontein. Despite limited attacking opportunities, Seychelles remained compact defensively to frustrate their opponents, leaving the tie finely balanced ahead of the decisive second leg.
Earlier in the week, Eritrea secured a 2-0 win over Eswatini to take control of their tie, adding to the competitive edge witnessed in the opening fixtures.
Attention now turns to the remaining first-leg encounters, with Somalia set to take on Mauritius in Matola before the reverse fixture in Saint Pierre. Meanwhile, Chad will host Burundi in N’Djamena, with the return leg scheduled for Bujumbura in what promises to be another tightly contested affair.
At stake are six coveted slots in the next stage, where the successful teams will join 42 other CAF member associations in the group phase of qualifiers leading up to the 2027 finals.
