Three contenders collide in one big Group C madness: Benin, Nigeria and South Africa face off with margins so fine
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 14.10.25. | 11:24
Super Eagles must defeat Benin at home, and hope that Bafana Bafana stumble against Rwanda (7 pm)
The African WC preliminary qualifiers have reached the boiling point. Six national teams - Cape Verde, Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Algeria, and Ghana - have already packed their bags for the World Cup. Tonight, three more will try to join them, in a final round filled with tension, pressure, and broken calculators.
All eyes are on Group C, where everything is still in play and at stake. Benin (17 points), South Africa (15), and Nigeria (14) are split by a heartbeat. The Super Eagles await Benin in a do-or-die clash that will decide everything. At the same time, South Africa host Rwanda in Mbombela, praying that destiny smiles on them.
Nigeria's coach, Eric Chelle, tried to remain calm in the storm:
"My instinct is to be positive about my players. We need to win - that's all. Every detail, every goal could change everything."
For Bafana Bafana, the equation is cruel: beat Rwanda, and hope Nigeria do them a favour.
The two recent draws against Zimbabwe and Benin have left Hugo Broos' side hanging by a thread.
"We can't think about Nigeria. We must focus on our own job," said the Belgian coach, visibly trying to ease the pressure. "It took us some time to recover from Friday's game. We didn't expect to drop points against Zimbabwe, even though we knew it wouldn't be easy. What I saw in our last training session gives me hope - the players look ready. We have to focus on ourselves; we can't control what happens in Nigeria," concluded Broos.
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Meanwhile, in Group B, it's almost a done deal: Senegal are one step away from sealing their place at the World Cup. Sadio Mane and company face already-eliminated Mauritania, knowing a win will be enough. The Democratic Republic of Congo, however, are lurking in the shadows, hoping for a miracle while it faces Sudan.
Africa's qualifying campaign is wild, unpredictable, unforgiving. Tonight, three more nations will learn whether they're bound for America… or left to dream for another four years.
WC QUALIFICATION AFRICA - MATCHDAY 10
Friday
South Sudan - Senegal 0-5 (0-1)
/Sarr 29, 54, Mane 46, Jackson 60 pen, Ndiaye C. 75/
Gambia - Gabon 3-4 (2-2)
/Minteh 23, Sidibeh 45+2, 47 - Aubameyang 20, 42, 62, 78/
Seychelles - Ivory Coast 0-7 (0-4)
/Sangare 7 pen, Agbadou 17, Diakite 32, Guessand 39, Diomande 55, Adingra 67, Kessie 90/
Sudan - Mauritania 0-0
Togo - DR Congo 0-1 (0-1)
/Bakambu 7/
Lesotho - Nigeria 1-2 (0-0)
/Kalake 83 - Troost-Ekong 55 pen, Adams 80/
Rwanda - Benin 0-1 (0-0)
/Tosin 80/
Sao Tome - Tunisia 0-6 (0-3)
/Chaouat 36, Saad 39, 43, Gharbi 47, Ben Romdhane 68 pen, 90/
Zimbabwe - South Africa 0-0
Sunday
Zambia - Niger 0-1 (0-0)
/Sosah 56/
Chad - Central African Republic 2-3 (0-2)
/Ecua 53, Mouandilmadji 87 - Mokonou 3, Baboula 31, Namnganda 90+3/
Burkina Faso - Ethiopia 3-1 (0-0)
/Kabore 65, 82, 90+6 - Ayten 84/
Djibouti - Sierra Leone 1-2 (1-1)
/Farah 29 - Bah 45+2, Tarawallie 72/
Egypt - Guinea-Bissau 1-0 (0-0)
/Hamdi 10/
Ghana - Comoros 1-0 (0-0)
/Kudus 47/
Mali - Madagascar 4-1 (2-0)
/Nene 39, Sinayoko 10,64, Diarra 90+5 - N'Zi 90/
Monday
Equatorial Guinea - Liberia 1-1 (1-1)
/Bikoro 14 - Andrews 27/
Sao Tome - Malawi 1-0 (0-0)
/Afonso 62 pen/
South Sudan - Togo 0-0
Tunisia - Namibia 3-0 (1-0)
/Abdi 28 pen, Mejbri 55, Sassi 64/
Cameroon - Angola 0-0
Cape Verde - Eswatini 3-0 (0-0)
/Rocha Livramento 48, Semedo 54, Stopira 90+1/
Lesotho - Zimbabwe 1-0 (0-0)
/Kalake 90+3/
Mauritius - Libya 0-0
Tuesday
16.00: (20.0) Seychelles (13.0) Gambia (1.08)
19.00: (1.65) Algeria (3.60) Uganda (5.80)
19.00: (1.57) Guinea (3.60) Botswana (7.25)
19.00: (1.37) Nigeria (4.50) Benin (10.0)
19.00: (1.20) S.Africa (5.90) Rwanda (20.0)
19.00: (9.00) Somalia (4.80) Mozambique (1.37)
22.00: (1.28) Dr Congo (5.40) Sudan (12.0)
22.00: (1.30) Gabon (5.00) Burundi (12.0)
22.00: (1.13) Ivory Coast (8.00) Kenya (22.0)
22.00: (1.02) Morocco (15.0) Congo (95.0)
22.00: (1.15) Senegal (7.75) Mauritania (19.0)
***odds are subject to change***
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