JOHANNESBURG: Cape Verde, a west African island nation of fewer than 550,000 inhabitants, beat Cameroon 1-0 on Tuesday to strengthen hopes of playing at the World Cup for the first time.
The Blue Sharks need three points in October from matches away to Libya and at home to Eswatini to win Group D, which eight-time World Cup qualifiers Cameroon had been expected to dominate.
Italy-based Dailon Livramento, a 24-year-old forward born in Rotterdam to Cape Verdean parents, was the hero in Praia, scoring the 54th-minute match winner.
It was his third goal of 2026 World Cup qualifying, following the brace that gave Cape Verde a shock matchday 6 win in Angola last March.
Victory over Cameroon was particularly joyful after the Indomitable Lions won 4-1 when the teams met in Yaounde last year.
Cape Verde have 19 points, four more than Cameroon, who visit Mauritius and host Angola in the final two rounds of a marathon qualifying competition that began in 2023.
Cameroon, whose eight appearances at the global showpiece are an African record, suffered a double blow. The loss them to fifth among second-placed teams.
Only the top four group runners-up qualify for a mini-tournament. The winner of that advances to inter-continental play-offs next March with two World Cup slots up for grabs.
Being on the verge of a maiden World Cup appearance marks a dramatic turnaround for Cape Verde, who finished last in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group, winning only one of six matches.
DRAMATIC SENEGAL COMEBACK
Local Pedro Leitao Brito, a 55-year-old popularly known as Bubista, has been the national coach since 2020. Turkey-based attacker Ryan Mendes, 35, captains the team.
Cape Verde are ranked 73rd in the world, 22 places below five-time African champions Cameroon. Their best international showing was reaching the Cup of Nations quarter-finals last year.
Meanwhile, Senegal overcame a two-goal deficit to beat long-time Group B leaders Democratic Republic of Congo 3-2 in Kinshasa and take a two-point advantage.
Cedric Bakambu and Newcastle United signing Yoane Wissa scored for the Congolese before a second-half revival by the Senegalese culminated in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr firing the winner.
Wins for Senegal away to South Sudan and at home to Mauritania during October will clinch a third straight World Cup appearance.
Nigeria are in danger of missing a second successive World Cup after drawing 1-1 away to Group C leaders South Africa in Bloemfontein.
Super Eagles defenders scored both goals in the first half with captain William Troost-Ekong diverting a cross into his own net and Calvin Bassey nodding the equaliser off a cross.
Nigeria trail South Africa by six points. Their hopes of making it the 2026 tournament in North America probably hinge on finishing second and securing a play-offs slot.
A win would have qualified Egypt for the World Cup from Group A, but they had to settle for a 0-0 draw away to second-placed Burkina Faso. The Pharaohs need more two points to seal a fourth qualification. — AFP
African 2026 World Cup qualifying results
Group A
In Paynesville, Liberia
Sierra Leone 2 (Momoh Kamara 37, Koroma 90+6) Ethiopia 0
In Ouagadougou
Burkina Faso 0 Egypt 0
Group B
In Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of Congo 2 (Bakambu 26, Wissa 33) Senegal 3 (Gueye 39, Jackson 54, P.M. Sarr 87)
In Lome
Togo 1 (Fofana 6) Sudan 0
In Nouadhibou, Mauritania
Mauritania 0 South Sudan 0
Group C
In Soweto, South Africa
Zimbabwe 0 Rwanda 1 (Mugisha 40)
In Bloemfontein, South Africa
South Africa 1 (Troost-Ekong 25-og) Nigeria 1 (Bassey 44)
In Abidjan, Ivory Coast
Benin v Lesotho - kick-off delayed due to power failure
Group D
In Praia
Cape Verde 1 (Livramento 54) Cameroon 0
In Luanda
Angola 3 (Nzola 17, Fredy 57, Zini 63) Mauritius 1 (Francois 21)
Group E
In Zanzibar City
Tanzania 0 Niger 1 (Sosah 58)
Group F
In Nairobi
Kenya 5 (Ogam 7, 38, Sichenje 35, Olunga 45+5, 67) Seychelles 0
In Franceville, Gabon
Gabon 0 Ivory Coast 0
In Nairobi
Gambia 2 (Fadera 34-pen, Adams 76) Burundi 0
Group H
In Francistown, Botswana
Namibia 3 (Shalulile 41, 66, 71) Sao Tome e Principe 0
Note: Sierra Leone, Zimbabwe, Benin, Gambia and Namibia staged home matches at neutral venues as they do not have Fifa-approved stadiums.
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