The line-up for the group phase of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations – Morocco 2015 is now complete.
The identity of the seven teams was known after the second leg matches of the second round of the qualifiers at the weekend.
The teams are: Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Sierra Leone and Uganda.
The biggest casualties were Kenya and Tanzania, who will yet again have to wait for another two years to realise their dream of participating at the continent’s showpiece football event for the first time in as many years.
Sierra Leone had the easiest of paths, going through without kicking a ball following the withdrawal of Sierra Leone from the second leg. The Leone Stars won the first leg 2-0 in Freetown.
Kenya settled for a barren draw with Lesotho in Nairobi on Sunday, enough to see the latter through 1-0 on aggregate while Tanzania slipped to a 2-1 loss to Mozambique in Maputo. Elias Pelembe Dominguez scored the winner seven minutes from time. Tanzanian sensation Mbwana Samata canceled Josemar’s first half lead mid-way through the second half.
In Nouakchott, the Cranes of Uganda silenced hosts Mauritania, thanks to Robert Ssentongo’s late strike and seal their place 3-0 on aggregate.
Earlier on Saturday, Malawi and Rwanda edged Benin and Congo on penalties to go through while a 1-1 draw in Bissau against Guinea Bissau pushed Botswana into the final round.
The group phase will commence on 5 September 2014 through to 19 November 2014 with the winners and runners-up of each group, plus the best third-placed team, qualifying for the final tournament scheduled from 17 Jan to 8 Feb 2015 in Morocco.
Composition of Groups
Group A: Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Rwanda
Group B: Mali, Algeria, Ethiopia, Malawi
Group C: Burkina Faso, Angola, Gabon, Lesotho
Group D: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, DR Congo, Sierra Leone
Group E: Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Uganda
Group F: Zambia, Cape Verde, Niger, Mozambique
Group G: Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Botswana
No comments! Be the first commenter?