AFCON Qualifiers, Sunday 5 June – AS IT HAPPENED

by Staff Reporter

Sunday Jun 05, 2016. 19:56

Welcome to LIVE coverage of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for Sunday, June 5, 2016.

We will be keeping you up to date with the latest news from all the matches taking place around the continent today and what it means for those teams dreaming of place in Gabon 2017.

Some of the big names in action today include Ghana, Burkina Faso, DR Congo, Guinea, Angola, Togo and Zimbabwe.

Today’s matches, all times CAT

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13h00 – Mauritius 0-2 Ghana – Group H - FT
13h30 – Madagascar 1-6 DR Congo – Group B - FT
14h00 – Comoros 0-1 Burkina Faso – Group D - FT
14h00 – Kenya 2-1 Congo – Group E - FT
15h00 – Lesotho 1-2 Ethiopia – Group J - FT
15h00 – Swaziland 1-0 Guinea – Group L - FT
15h00 – Zimbabwe 3-0 Malawi – Group L - FT
16h00 – CAR 3-1 Angola – Group B
18h00 – Liberia 2-2 Togo – Group A

19h55 - Togo scored two late goals to hold Liberia to a 2-2 stalemate in Monrovia.

19h20 - Liberia have doubled their lead in Monrovia. Half-an-hour remaining.

19h05 - REMINDER: The following teams have already booked their place at the 2017 African Cup of Nations: Gabon (hosts), Morocco, Algeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau and Zimbabwe.

18h55 - Dorbor's eighth minute goal the difference at the break between Liberia and Togo.

18h15 - Liberia have taken an early lead Monrovia. The Lone Stars will return to the top of Group A with victory this evening.

18h00 - Just a friendly reminder, the game between Benin and Equatorial Guinea has been postponed to the 12th of June.

17h50 - Angola have pulled a goal back from a set-piece, but it is too little too late with CAR on their way to victory. CAR face the Democratic Republic of Congo in the final round of qualifiers in Kinshasa.

17h40 - CAR running away with it in Bangui. The hosts lead Angola 3-0  with 10 minutes remaining. Victory will move them within two points of the Democratic Republic of Congo with one game remaining.

17h15 - Ethiopia have kept their hopes of qualification alive, beating Lesotho 2-1. South Africa based Getaneh Kebede with a brace.

17h00 - Zimbabwe beat Malawi 3-0, Swaziland edge Guinea 1-0. The Warriors will be heading to Gabon next year! Clinical display by the Southern Africans who will be a real force at the showpiece.

16h50 - Cuthbert Malajila makes it 3-0 for Zimbabwe. The Mamelodi Sundowns man is so good in the air....assist by Musona.

16h40 - Sabelo Ndzinisa has put Swaziland a goal up against Guinea in Mbabane. Zimbabwe still lead Malawi 2-0 in Harare. First half goals from Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat. 

16h30 - AmaTuks forward Getaneh Kebede doubled Ethiopia's lead in Maseru before  Thaba Ntso pulled a goal back for the hosts. Still 2-1 in the Lesotho capital.

16h00 - Full time in Moroni and Nairobi: Burkina Faso edged Comoros 1-0 to move back to the top of Group D ahead of Uganda on head-to-head results, while Kenya beat Congo 2-1 in Group E. This means Guinea-Bissau have qualified for their first ever Nations Cup finals!

15h52 - Half time in the trio of 15h00 matches. Zimbabwe lead Malawi 2-0 and will qualify for the 2017 finals as things stand, because the other Group L match between Swaziland and Guinea is locked at 0-0. In Maseru, Getaneh Kebede has scored to put Ethiopia 1-0 up at Lesotho in Group J.

15h46 - Alain Traore scores for Burkina Faso! The Stallions lead 1-0 in the Comoros with just a few minutes left - victory will lift them back to the top of Group D ahead of Uganda.

15h42 - Another goal for Zimbabwe! Khama Billiat - who has enjoyed a superb season in South Africa - turns home Onismor Bhasera's low cross to make it 2-0 to the Warriors!

15h40 - Twenty minutes to kick-off in the second Group B match between CAR and Angola in Bangui. The hosts have to win to keep up hopes of catching DRC at the top of the log.

15h35 - If you fancy following dedicated live coverage of the Zimbabwe v Malawi match, we have a play-by-play right here.

15h30 - Goal for Kenya! The Harambee Stars lead Congo 2-1 in Nairobi thanks to a 68th minute strike from Eric Johanna.

15h25 - Full time in Group B, DRC crushed Madagascar 6-1! John Rakotonomenjanahary scored a consolation goal for Barea, while the Leopards' sixth was netted by Jordan Botaka. DRC now have a five-point lead at the top of their pool.

15h20 - Goal in Harare! Knowledge Musona (pictured below) converts a penalty (which he himself won) to put Zimbabwe 1-0 up against Malawi.



15h12 - Another goal for Cedric Bakambu, DRC lead 5-0 in Madagascar! The Leopards have taken a potentially decisive step toward qualification.

15h05 - Underway in all the matches kicking off at this hour. The focus falls on Group L, where a win for Zimbabwe, combined with a draw between Swaziland and Guinea, will see the Warriors secure qualification.

15h00 - Full time in Belle Vue, Ghana have beaten Mauritius 2-0! The Black Stars have therefore secured top spot in Group H with a game to spare and confirmed qualification for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals.

14h55 - Another goal for Paul-Jose M'Poku, DRC now lead Madagascar 4-0 in Mahajanga.

14h52 - Also half time in Moroni, where Comoros and Burkina Faso are locked at 0-0. Here's Zimbabwe's XI for their match against Malawi: Mukuruva, Zvirekwi, Nhamoinesu, Murolwa, Bhasera, Katsande, Billat, Mahachi, Nakamba, Musona, Ndoro.

14h49 - Half time in Nairobi, Kenya and Congo are drawing 1-1 in their Group E clash.

14h41 - Now 2-0 to Ghana! The floodgates open in Belle Vue, with Christina Atsu scoring to put some daylight between the Black Stars and Mauritius.

14h40 - Now just 20 minutes away from kick-off in three further matches:

In Maseru, Lesotho host Ethiopia in Group J, Swaziland and Guinea clash in a Group L match in Lobamba, while the pool's other fixture takes place in Harare and sees Zimbabwe host Malawi.

14h37 - Finally a goal for Ghana! Andre Ayew puts the Black Stars ahead with less than 20 minutes of regulation time to play. Ghana are surely on course to seal qualification now...

14h30 - Half time in Mahajanga, DRC are 3-0 up and cruising. In Nairobi, we've had two relatively early goals to see Kenya and Congo drawing 1-1. Ismael Gonzalez opened the scoring for the visitors, but the Harambee Stars hit back quickly through Ayub Timbe.

14h20 - DRC are now 3-0 up against Madagascar! It's Yannick Bolasie with the third goal for the Leopards, who look to be on course for an easy three points in Group B.

14h10 - Back underway in the Group H match between Mauritius and Ghana. The matches in Nairobi and Maseru have also kicked off.

14h00 - Another goal for DRC! Paul-Jose M'Poku has scored the Leopards' second goal, they lead Madagascar 2-0 away.

13h55 - Half time in Belle Vue, it's still goalless between Mauritius and Ghana. The Black Stars have dominated the match, but remain frustrated in their search for the opening goal.

13h50 - Goal in Mahajanga! Cedric Bakambu (pictured below) has netted early on for the Leopards, it's Madagascar 0-1 DRC.



13h45 - A quarter hour from the start of two further matches:

In Nairobi, Kenya host Congo in Group E, with the visitors needing a win to keep up their hopes of overhauling Guinea-Bissau at the top of the log.

In Maseru, Lesotho host Ethiopia in Group J, with the pair battling for ascendancy in the race for second place. Algeria, thanks to their win over the Seychelles on Thursday, have already secured top spot and qualification.

13h30 - Past the midway point of the first half in Belle Vue, still 0-0 between Mauritius and Ghana.

13h20 - The DR Congo line-up ahead of their match in Madagascar: Matampi, Issama, Mbemba, Zakuani, Lomalisa, Maghoma, Bompunga, Mpoku, Mubele, Bakambu, Bolasie.

13h15 - Now 15 minutes away from kick-off in the second match of the day, which sees Madagascar host DR Congo in a Group B clash in Mahajanga. A win for the Leopards will secure top spot and qualification if Central African Republic fail to beat Angola in a match later this afternoon.

13h10 - If you want to follow dedicated, live coverage of the Mauritius v Ghana clash, click here.

13h07 - Kick-off in Belle Vue, only seven minutes later than the scheduled start. Avram Grant's Ghana start as favourites, but remember that 'Club M' have beaten both Mozambique and Rwanda at home in this campaign.

12h55 - Here's Ghana's starting XI, as per their FA's Twitter page:

#Black Stars XI to face Mauritius:
Brimah, Afful, Baba,Mensah, Boye, Wakaso, Atsu, Afriyie, Jordan, Andre (captain), Acheampong

— Ghana FA (@ghanafaofficial) June 5, 2016

12h50 - Welcome! We begin with news of the first match of the day, which sees Mauritius and Ghana clash in a Group H clash in Belle Vue. The Black Stars need just a draw to ensure they finish top of the pool and secure qualification for the 2017 AFCON.