Tunisia Clinches AFCON 2025 Spot, Libya’s Hopes Rekindled
Tunisia has secured their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), set to be hosted by Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Their hard-fought 3-2 victory against Madagascar sealed the deal, while Sudan’s hopes were dashed by a crushing 4-0 defeat to Niger in the fifth round of qualifying matches. Libya, meanwhile, kept their qualification dreams alive with a crucial 1-0 win over Rwanda.
The Eagles of Carthage owe their qualification to a last-gasp winner from Nice defender Ali Abdi. The match, a rollercoaster of emotions, saw Tunisia take an early lead through Hamza Rafia, who capitalized on a rebound in the 6th minute. However, a goalkeeping howler from Tunisian keeper Amanallah M’Hamdi gifted Madagascar an equalizer just 14 minutes later. Seifeddine Jaziri restored Tunisia’s lead before halftime, but Ibrahim Amada leveled the score again in stoppage time, leaving the teams locked at 2-2 at the break.
The second half saw relentless pressure from Tunisia, punctuated by Madagascar’s counter-attacking attempts. The drama intensified when Wajdi Kechrida received a red card for Tunisia with just minutes remaining. But in a stunning turn of events, substitute Amor Layouni orchestrated a late attack, culminating in Abdi’s dramatic headed goal in the 93rd minute, sending Tunisian fans into a frenzy.
Elsewhere, Sudan suffered a heavy defeat against Niger, further complicating the Group F standings. This was Niger’s first win in the qualifiers, shaking up the group led by Angola, who have already secured qualification with a perfect 12 points. Sudan sits second with 7 points, while Niger’s victory propelled them to third place with 4 points, leaving Ghana at the bottom with just 2 points from four matches. The final group matches will see Sudan face
