AFCON 2017 QUALIFIERS: The groups at a glance

Qualification matches for African Cup of Nations, AFCON 2017, entered the second round of matches with teams locking horns across Africa over penultimate weekend, jostling for supremacy over one another.

Standing in the groups after Day-2 of matches shows that gradually, the pretenders are now been separated from the contenders. But not with some scrappy results from such games involving current cup holders, Cote D’Ivoire, playing their second goalless draw of the qualifier against Sierra Leone, having drawn their first game against Gabon. That results place the defending champions third on the table in group I with just 2 points, a group they should win easily.

While 2013 cup winners, Nigeria was lucky to have earned a draw in Dar es Salaam. The Super Eagles in their away fixture against Tanzania played a barren draw, which leaves them in second place on the log with 4 points in group G with Egypt on top of the log with 6 points after a 1-5 away demolition of Chad.

Other top African teams like Algeria won their second game with a 1-3 convincing win away from home over Lesotho to top group J with maximum 6 points. Cameroon sits atop group M with 6 points having won away at Gambia by a similar result in their first fixture (0-1) at home against Mauritania who is second on the table pulling a surprise result by beaten South Africa at home 3 – 1. Senegal made it two wins out of two with a 2-0 win over Namibia, toping group K with 6 points, while Ghana ran away with a slim 1-0 win over Rwanda to lead in group H.

Morocco stands second in group F having won against Sao Tome and Principe by three goals to nothing to tie 6 points with group leaders Cape Verde though with the same points albeit a superior goal aggregate. Cape Verde has continued to show promise with the results they have gotten so far, continuing their impressive showing at the last Nations cup.

Teams like Swaziland Mauritania and Uganda have shown so far that they are ready to compete; with Uganda toping group D with 6 points beating Comoros by a lone goal away from home. While Burkina Faso trail in second place with 3 points in a group they are favourites to win. Disappointing so far are notable names like South Africa who is presently stuck at the bottom of group M with 1 point out of a possible 6, Guinea is also at the bottom of the log in group L with 1 point, losing to Swaziland and earning a draw with away to Zimbabwe.

It would be too early to rule out the possibility of upsets and surprises with the way the games have played out and the story that the standings in the group tables are telling. But we can only be patient and wait for match Day-3 which comes up March 24, 2015 hoping to see the kind of results that would throw thing open or consolidate the positions of the table toppers.

Below are the group tables

GROUP A

GROUP B

GROUP C

                GROUP D

GROUP E

GROUP F

GROUP G

GROUP H

GROUP I

                GROUP J

GROUP K

GROUP L

GROUP M