African Cup Qualifiers: Upsets and Narrow Wins Characterize Match Day

In Monday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, Ghana ended in a 1-1 draw with Niger, while Morocco and Senegal narrowly won against unfancied opponents. Angola, DR Congo, and Uganda maintained their strong start, whereas Morocco, despite their guaranteed spot, made nine changes and won against Lesotho.

In a surprising turn of events during Monday's Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, several heavyweight contenders faced unexpected challenges. Ghana was held to a 1-1 draw by Niger after conceding a late goal, while Morocco and Senegal scraped narrow victories against underdog teams.

Angola, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Uganda, on the other hand, continued their positive starts to the campaign that began last week. Ghana initially took the lead with Alidu Seidu's stunning long-range shot but were unable to hold onto their advantage, leading to a late equalizer from Niger's Oumar Sako.

Morocco, despite being the next finals' host and guaranteed a place in the 24-team tournament, participated in the preliminaries and narrowly defeated Lesotho, thanks to Brahim Diaz's last-minute individual effort. Senegal, playing a full-strength side, won a penalty against Burundi, with Ismailia Sarr converting to secure a 1-0 victory.

(With inputs from agencies.)