AFCON: Group Stage For Cameroon 2021 Begins

The group phase of 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will begin this Wednesday as 48 teams aim to salvage their first points as they seek to gain entry to Cameroon.

Nigeria hosting Benin in Group L is the standout fixture in the stage that is expected to offer everything from soccer that’s totally nuts to player’s strikes.

Another big clash of the day is a Group B fixture between Burkina Faso and Uganda that is scheduled to take place in Ouagadougou.

The top two teams from each of 12 groups will earn a ticket where they will join hosts Cameroon in the finals.

Benin will be looking for the first win against Nigeria in the last five years, there has been four wins and one win since 2014.

The Super Eagles will be the overriding favourites based on their preparations for this match; they are coming off a 1-1 draw against Brazil in an international friendly in October.

Benin also played out a draw in their last fixture as they were held 2-2 by Zambia, but in their last six matches, they have not registered a single win.

Nigeria are ranked third on the African continent in the latest FIFA rankings (35th in the world). Benin are placed 18th in Africa (82nd in the world).

Uganda will be looking to brush Burkina Faso in a match set to be played at Stade due 4 Aout de Ouagadougou.

The Cranes have participated in the last two Africa Cup of Nations finals and will be hoping to qualify for the third one.

Johnny McKinstry, the Uganda coach, will be looking to impress by masterminding a win over the Stallions.

Malawi will entertain South Sudan in the other match of Group B that will be played at Bingwa Mutharika Stadium in Blantyre on Wednesday.

2021 AFCON qualifiers Wednesday’s fixture:
13:00 GMT

Malawi v South Sudan
Central Africa v Burundi

16:00 GMT

Nigeria v Benin
Namibia v Chad
Cameroon v Cape Verde
Guinea Bissau v eSwatini
Sierra Leone v Lesotho

19:00 GMT

Burkina Faso v Uganda
Sudan v Sao Tomé
Angola v The Gambia
Senegal v Congo