AFCON 2022: 17 more slots to go as B/Faso, Guinea qualify
Seventeen places are up for grabs in the African Cup of Nations after Burkina Faso and Guinea joined already qualified defending champions Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Tunisia and automatic qualifiers and hosts Cameroon .
Stallions of Burkina faso and Syli Nationale of Guinea have qualified for the African Cup of Nations billed for 2022 in Cameroon just as Wallias of Ethiopia made mincemeat of Madagascar Wednesday.
The Wallias were ruthless handing the Barea of Madagascar a 4-0 defeat.
The Burkinabe secured a place for the sixth time in their last seven attempts by forcing a 0-0 Group B draw away to Uganda near Kampala.
Uganda must avoid defeat in Malawi Monday to join Burkina Faso at the 24-team tournament, which has been delayed one year by the coronavirus pandemic.
Malawi kept hopes of a first Cup of Nations appearance since 2010 alive by edging South Sudan 1-0 through a Richard Mbulu goal in Sudan as the national stadium in Juba is being renovated.
Guinea booked a place from Group A by defeating already-qualified Mali 1-0 in Conakry via a goal from substitute Seydouba Soumah with 15 minutes remaining.
Burkina Faso and Guinea join defending champions Algeria, Mali, Senegal, Tunisia and automatic qualifiers as hosts Cameroon in securing places, leaving 17 places up for grabs.
Ethiopia rose from third to first in Group K with convincing triumph over Madagascar, who were the surprise side of the 2019 Cup of Nations in Egypt, reaching the quarter-finals as debutants.
The Ethiopians are ranked 42nd in Africa — 21 places below the Malagasys — but it was hard to believe that fact as they dominated the first half in Bahir Dar to turn over with a three-goal advantage.
Amanuel Gebremichael was first to score for a country that has featured at the Cup of Nations only once since 1976, followed by Getaneh Kebede and Abubeker Nassir.
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Egypt-based Shimelis Bekele, the only starter who plays his club football outside Ethiopia, completed the rout four minutes from time.
Ethiopia have nine points, the Ivory Coast and Madagascar seven each and Niger three with the two west African sides meeting in Niamey Friday.
There are nine fixtures scheduled for Thursday with the Comoros and the Gambia hoping to clinch first appearances