A whirlwind start in which Mahmoud Trezeguet scored twice propelled Mohamed Salah-led Egypt to a 2-1 victory over Burkina Faso in Cairo as part of the third round of World Cup 2026 African qualifiers.
Turkey-based Trezeguet scored with his head after three minutes and his left foot after seven minutes to lead the Pharaohs to maintain their 100 per cent start to the qualifiers.
They top Group A by four points after three rounds over Guinea-Bissau.
The Pharaohs have been placed in Group A alongside Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, Ethiopia, Djibouti, and Sierra Leone.
Liverpool star Salah set up the first goal on his return to the national team after suffering a hamstring injury during the group stage at the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations.
Lassina Traore reduced the deficit 11 minutes into the second half, but the Burkinabe could not avoid a first loss and slipped to third.
Guinea-Bissau was surprisingly held 0-0 at home by Ethiopia, and will now prepare to host Egypt on Monday.
Egypt is among six countries boasting 100 percent records after Algeria sustained a shock 2-1 home defeat by Guinea in Group G, with Aguibou Camara firing the 63rd-minute winner.
Senegal had to beat the visiting Democratic Republic of Congo to regain first place in Group B, but were held to a 1-1 draw after Fiston Mayele equalised with five minutes remaining.
The stalemate left the Senegalese two points behind Sudan, who won 2-0 in Mauritania, and the Congolese lie third.
Crystal Palace forward Jordan Ayew scored in added time as Ghana came from behind in Group I to triumph 2-1 in Mali and rise from fifth to second.
Fiston Mayele equalised five minutes from fulltime as the Democratic Republic of Congo held hosts Senegal to a 1-1 draw in a World Cup Group B qualifier in Diamniadio.
Senegal, without injured talisman Sadio Mane, have taken five points from a possible nine in a shaky start to their bid to reach the finals with only the top team in the pool guaranteed a place in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
The West African side led through Pape Matar Sarr but dropped more points having also drawn with Togo in November.
Sudan leads the standings with seven points as they sprung a surprise with a 2-0 win in Mauritania in Nouakchott following a 15th-minute opener from Saifeldin Bakhit and an own goal by home defender Aly Abeid.
Algeria won their first two qualifiers but was beaten 2-1 at home by Guinea in another shock result.
Morlaye Sylla gave Guinea the lead but Algeria equalised following an own goal from Yasser Balde before the visitors hit the front again through Aguibou Camara.
Jordan Ayew scored a 94th-minute winner for Ghana to earn what could be a precious away win in Bamako following a 2-1 victory over Mali.
Kamory Doumbia had given the home side the lead, but Ernest Nuamah equalised and Ayew came off the bench to claim all three points.
Libya moved top of Group D with a 2-1 home win over Mauritius, with all the goals coming in the first half in Benghazi.
Faisal Al Badri converted a penalty for Libya but they were pegged back when Kevin Bru equalised. Ahmed Ekrawa scored the winner for the hosts five minutes before the break.
Malawi picked up a second win in three games as they eased to a 3-1 victory over Sao Tome and Principe in Lilongwe, while Benin beat Rwanda 1-0 in neutral Abidjan.
Tunisia edges past Equatorial Guinea
Tunisia maintained their perfect start to the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in Tunis.
In a tightly-contested Group H encounter at the Hammadi Al-Aqrabi Stadium, Mohamed Ali Ben Ramadan’s 82nd-minute penalty proved the difference as the Carthage Eagles secured their third consecutive win.
Despite Equatorial Guinea dominating large portions of the match, Tunisia’s experience ultimately prevailed, allowing them to claim all three points and cement their position at the top of the group standings.
The visitors came agonizingly close to securing their first points of the campaign but were ultimately undone by Ben Ramadan’s cool finish from the spot.
Tunisia, who had earlier dispatched Malawi and Sao Tome and Principe, squandered several chances to extend their lead in the closing stages, but their wastefulness mattered little in the end as they held on for a crucial victory.
With nine points from three matches, the Carthage Eagles hold a two-point advantage over second-placed Namibia, whom they face in a crucial clash on Sunday.
For Tunisia, the win will provide a much-needed boost after their disappointing showing at the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations, where they exited at the group stage without a victory.
As they continue their pursuit of a seventh World Cup appearance and third in succession, the Carthage Eagles will take confidence from their resolute performance against a determined Equatorial Guinea outfit.
Sudan stuns Mauritania as Libya secure vital win
Sudan and Libya secured vital wins while Guinea Bissau settled for a goalless draw against Ethiopia in 2026 World Cup qualifiers for Africa.
The biggest result of the afternoon was in Group B where coach Kwesi Appiah’s Sudan claimed a convincing 2-0 victory over Mauritania in Nouakchott.
Saifeldin Bakhit opened the scoring for the visitors in the 15th minute, giving Sudan an early lead.
Mauritania’s hopes of a comeback were dashed when Aly Abeid inadvertently scored an own goal in the 29th minute, doubling Sudan’s advantage.
Meanwhile, in Tripoli, Libya hosted Mauritius in a Group D encounter at the Martyrs of February Stadium.
The home side took the lead in the 20th minute through Faisal Al Abdri, but Mauritius equalized ten minutes later courtesy of Kevin Bru.
However, Libya regained the lead just before halftime, with Ahmed Ekrawa finding the back of the net in the 40th minute.
The 2-1 victory sees Libya go top of Group D with seven points, overtaking group leaders Cameroon and Cape Verde, who are scheduled to clash in Yaounde on Saturday.
In Group A, Guinea Bissau hosted Ethiopia at the Estadio 24 de Setembro in Bissau, with both sides eager to keep pace with group leaders Egypt and Burkina Faso.
The match ended in a 0-0 stalemate, leaving Guinea Bissau in second place with five points.
Meanwhile, the upcoming match between Cameroon and Cape Verde in Group D on Saturday will provide further clarity on the group’s standings.
Malawi beats Sao Tome & Principe
Malawi reignited their 2026 World Cup qualification hopes with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Sao Tome e Principe in Lilongwe.
The Flames, who had endured a slow start to their Group H campaign, burst into life courtesy of goals from Kaonga Chawanangwa, Nkhoma Lanjesi, and Mphasi Chifundo to claim a crucial three points.
Chawanangwa set the hosts on their way with the opener after just six minutes, calmly slotting home after being played through on goal.
Lanjesi doubled Malawi’s advantage eight minutes later, rifling a low drive into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.
Sao Tome e Principe showed signs of life in the second half, with Silva Denilson reducing the deficit in the 67th minute with a well-taken strike.
However, any hopes of an unlikely comeback were extinguished 11 minutes later when Chifundo restored Malawi’s two-goal cushion with a neat finish.
The result moves the Flames into third place in Group H on six points one behind second-placed Namibia.
But they all trail leaders Tunisia, who maintained their perfect start with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea on Wednesday, to stay top with maximum points.
For Sao Tome e Principe, the defeat leaves them rooted to the bottom of the group without a point from their opening three matches, their World Cup dream fading.
With the crucial clash against Equatorial Guinea on the horizon on Monday, the Flames have reignited their hopes of securing a place at the 2026 showpiece in North America.
