Chad, Eswatini, Liberia and South Sudan have all progressed to the main stage of qualifying for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after winning their preliminary round ties on Tuesday.
The four teams will join the 44 highest-ranked sides on the continent in the main group-stage draw. Africa Football Governing Body, The Confederation of African Football is yet to announce the date of the qualifying draw or when the finals will be played in Morocco next year. The staging of the expanded Fifa Club World Cup in June and July 2025 is a possibility that it will clash with the 2025 Nations Cup.
Eswatini, Liberia and South Sudan avoided defeats against lower-ranked opponents while Chad beat Mauritius who are four places above them in Fifa’s world rankings. Eswatini had beaten Somalia 3-0 in the away leg and two early goals early in the second half were enough, although Somalia fought back for a 2-2 draw. Chad traveled to Mauritius with a 1-0 advantage but the hosts leveled the tie on aggregate in the first half. Chad equalized in the 76th minute and scored the winner in injury time to win 3-1 on aggregate.
Liberia drew 0-0 with Djibouti, with their 2-0 victory from the first leg enough for the Lone Stars to qualify for the next round. South Sudan also qualify after a goalless second leg in their ‘home’ match against Sao Tome and Principe in Berkane, Morocco, with a 1-1 draw in the first meeting enough to go through on away goals.
