Another clean sheet for Onana as E. Guinea, I. Coast qualify / Photo: Darren Staples - AFP
Another clean sheet for Onana as E. Guinea, I. Coast qualify
Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana kept a fourth clean sheet for Cameroon on Wednesday in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying, and Equatorial Guinea and Ivory Coast clinched finals places.
Cameroon, lacking several stars including Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo and Napoli midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, drew 0-0 with Namibia in Group J in Soweto near Johannesburg.
A foot discomfort ruled out Mbeumo while Zambo Anguissa missed the matchday 5 clash due to undisclosed "family reasons".
Already eliminated Namibia had 15 goal attempts, but only one on target against Onana, who has conceded only once in five qualifiers.
Cameroon, who clinched a place at the 2025 finals in Morocco by defeating Kenya twice last month, have 11 points with a home fixture against Zimbabwe to come on Tuesday.
By holding Cameroon, Namibia secured their first point of a disappointing campaign having reached the last 16 at an AFCON for the first time in the Ivory Coast this year.
Zimbabwe play Kenya on Friday and a draw will ensure they finish at least second and accompany Cameroon to the 24-team tournament.
A victory for Kenya will take them within one point of Zimbabwe, and keep alive hopes of a first AFCON appearance since 2019.
Equatorial Guinea and defending champions Ivory Coast secured places without playing, swelling the list of qualifiers to nine. Morocco are automatic participants as hosts.
- Liberia win -
Before matchday 5 kicked off on Wednesday, Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt and Senegal had booked places.
The Equatoguineans were assured of a top-two finish in Group E after rivals Togo lost 1-0 in Liberia, where Mohammed Sangare converted an 83rd-minute penalty for the home side.
Liberia could finish level on seven points with Equatorial Guinea, but would lose out on the head-to-head rule having been beaten twice by the central Africans.
Equatorial Guinea stunned hosts Ivory Coast 4-0 at the 2024 AFCON before bowing out in the round of 16, and now look forward to a third consecutive appearance at the tournament.
A 1-1 draw between Chad and Sierra Leone in Abidjan meant Ivory Coast are guaranteed to be among the qualifiers from Group G.
Zambia can seal the other place if they defeat Ivory Coast in Ndola on Friday, but a draw or loss would keep Sierra Leone in contention.
Abu Dumbuya put Sierra Leone ahead after 29 minutes and Mahamat Thiam levelled five minutes later from a penalty. It was the first goal scored by Chad in five group matches.
Sudan, a country engulfed by civil war, will qualify at the expense of four-time champions Ghana on Thursday if they avoid defeat against Niger.
T.Murphy--MP
