The opening night of 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying produced 24 goals across eight matches, headlined by co-host Uganda ending a seven-match losing streak against Tunisia in Radès.

Ivory Coast made the biggest statement of the round with a routine win over Ghana, while Zimbabwe staged the most dramatic comeback, and Libya salvaged a draw against Botswana from two goals down. Here is how eight of the round's fixtures unfolded, and what comes next.

Tunisia 1-1 Uganda — Cranes End Seven-Match Losing Run

Tunisia were expected to cruise past Uganda in their Group H opener, arriving with a perfect record against them stretching back decades. Adem Arous's 12th-minute goal looked set to continue that dominance, giving the hosts an early lead at the Stade Olympique Hammadi-Agrebi.

Rogers Mato levelled for Uganda in the 68th minute, denying Tunisia a result that would have extended their unbeaten run over the Cranes to eight meetings. Tunisia entered the match having won all seven previous encounters between the sides, outscoring Uganda 19-2 on aggregate, including a 3-1 win at last December's AFCON.

Uganda, already guaranteed a place at the tournament as co-hosts, can now say they avoided defeat to Tunisia for the first time in the fixture's history.

  • Goalscorers: Adem Arous 12' (Tunisia); Rogers Mato 68' (Uganda)
  • Venue: Stade Olympique Hammadi-Agrebi, Radès, Tunisia
  • Group: H
  • Key stat: Uganda had lost all seven previous meetings with Tunisia by an aggregate score of 19-2 before Thursday's draw.

Libya 2-2 Botswana — Group H Opens Up for Uganda

Libya looked headed for a losing start at home after Tumisang Orebonye scored twice inside the first half to put Botswana firmly in control. Orebonye's goals, in the 30th and 42nd minutes, gave the Zebras a two-goal cushion that held all the way to the hour mark.

Libya rallied after the break, gradually taking over the game and pulling one back through Marwan Al-Hbeishi in the 87th minute. Ezoo El Mariamy then leveled from the penalty spot in the sixth minute of stoppage time, completing a dramatic share of the points.

Combined with Tunisia's draw, the result throws Group H wide open before Uganda host Libya in Hoima on 29 September.

  • Goalscorers: Marwan Al-Hbeishi 87', Ezoo El Mariamy 90+6' (pen) (Libya); Tumisang Orebonye 30', 42' (Botswana)
  • Venue: June 11 Stadium (Tripoli International Stadium), Tripoli, Libya
  • Group: H
  • Key stat: All four Group H teams picked up exactly one point on matchday one.

Ivory Coast 2-0 Ghana — Elephants Win the Round's Biggest Fixture

Hervé Renard began his second spell in charge of Ivory Coast with a win over regional rivals Ghana in Bouaké. Malick Yalcouye marked his international debut in style, opening the scoring in the 44th minute to send the hosts in front just before half-time.

Franck Kessié doubled the lead from the penalty spot in the 58th minute, ending any hope of a Ghana response. It was a difficult return for Ghana coach Carlos Queiroz, who had stepped down after leading Ghana to the World Cup's round of 32 before being reappointed only three weeks earlier, and this was his first match back in the role.

Ivory Coast now sit top of Group C after matchday one, alongside The Gambia and Somalia, who met in the group's other opener.

  • Goalscorers: Malick Yalcouye 44', Franck Kessié 58' (pen) (Ivory Coast)
  • Venue: Stade de Bouaké, Bouaké, Ivory Coast
  • Group: C
  • Key stat: This was Queiroz's first match since being reappointed Ghana coach on 3 September, two months after stepping down.

Cameroon 3-1 Comoros — Indomitable Lions Start Strongly in Garoua

Cameroon made home advantage count in Garoua, taking control of Group G with a comfortable win over Comoros. David Ningo broke the deadlock in the 39th minute, giving the Indomitable Lions the lead heading into the break.

Bryan Mbeumo extended that lead just three minutes into the second half, finishing off a swift move to make it 2-0. Comoros responded through Warmed Omari in the 51st minute, briefly threatening a comeback under new coach Hubert Velud.

Danny Namaso settled the contest in the 81st minute, restoring Cameroon's two-goal cushion and sealing three points.

  • Goalscorers: David Ningo 39', Bryan Mbeumo 48', Danny Namaso 81' (Cameroon); Warmed Omari 51' (Comoros)
  • Venue: Stade Roumdé Adjia, Garoua, Cameroon
  • Group: G
  • Key stat: Cameroon and Mauritania were the only two teams from Thursday's round to win by two clear goals while scoring three or more.

DR Congo 2-0 Equatorial Guinea — Leopards Control It at the Stade des Martyrs

DR Congo needed just four minutes to settle their Group E opener against Equatorial Guinea in Kinshasa. Captain Chancel Mbemba rose highest to meet a corner delivery, heading the hosts into an early lead. Equatorial Guinea struggled to respond, with goalkeeper Jesús Owono forced into repeated saves as DR Congo dominated possession.

Newcastle forward Yoane Wissa added a second in the 72nd minute, finishing after a lay-off from Aaron Wan-Bissaka to put the result beyond doubt.

The win gives DR Congo maximum points from the opening round, one of two wins alongside Zimbabwe in Group E.

  • Goalscorers: Chancel Mbemba 4', Yoane Wissa 72' (DR Congo)
  • Venue: Stade des Martyrs, Kinshasa, DR Congo
  • Group: E
  • Key stat: DR Congo kept a clean sheet on their first competitive match since reaching the World Cup's last 16 this summer.

Mauritania 3-1 Central African Republic — Mourabitounes Win in Casablanca

New Mauritania coach Aritz López Garai made a winning start, though the match was played in Casablanca rather than Mauritania itself, after delays in securing CAF approval for a suitable stadium at home forced the designated hosts onto neutral ground.

Aboubakary Koita opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 32nd minute after Mauritania won a spot kick. Central African Republic responded quickly after the break, with Goduine Koyalipou equalising in the 48th minute to level the contest.

Mauritania regained the lead through Dawda Camara Sankharé in the 69th minute, restoring their advantage with 21 minutes left. Mamadou Diallo completed the scoring in the 89th minute, sealing a 3-1 win that puts Mauritania top of Group F.

  • Goalscorers: Aboubakary Koita 32' (pen), Dawda Camara Sankharé 69', Mamadou Diallo 89' (Mauritania); Goduine Koyalipou 48' (Central African Republic)
  • Venue: Stade Larbi Zaouli, Casablanca, Morocco (neutral venue — Mauritania's own stadium lacks CAF certification)
  • Group: F
  • Key stat: This was the fifth meeting between the two nations, with Mauritania now holding four wins from those five encounters.

Sierra Leone 2-3 Zimbabwe — Warriors Take All Three in El Jadida

Sierra Leone looked set for an opening-day win after racing into a two-goal lead inside the first half hour, in a match played in Morocco because Sierra Leone's own stadium does not currently meet CAF's approval standards.

Alie Conteh opened the scoring in the 7th minute, and Sallieu Tarawallie doubled the advantage in the 27th to put the Leone Stars firmly in charge. Zimbabwe, under new coach Ramón Catalá, responded in dramatic fashion in the closing stages. Captain Marshall Munetsi pulled Zimbabwe back into the match in the 72nd minute, and Tawanda Chirewa levelled it at 2-2 four minutes later, before Munetsi struck again in the 88th minute to complete the turnaround.

The 3-2 comeback was the most dramatic result of the round.

  • Goalscorers: Alie Conteh 7', Sallieu Tarawallie 27' (Sierra Leone); Marshall Munetsi 72', 88', Tawanda Chirewa 76' (Zimbabwe)
  • Venue: Stade Ben Ahmed El Abdi, El Jadida, Morocco (neutral venue — Sierra Leone's own stadium lacks CAF certification)
  • Group: E
  • Key stat: Zimbabwe scored three goals in a 16-minute span to overturn a two-goal deficit, ten of the ten African nations playing "home" qualifiers in Morocco this window doing so for the same stadium-certification reason.

Namibia 1-0 Congo — Brave Warriors Edge It in Gaborone

Namibia opened their campaign as the designated home side, though the match itself was played in Botswana, since Namibia's own stadium likewise lacks CAF certification for international fixtures.

Bethuel Muzeu settled the contest just two minutes after the restart, heading home a Riaan Hanamub cross to beat goalkeeper Perrauld Ndinga. Congo, coached by 78-year-old Claude Le Roy in his second spell in charge, were unable to find a way back into the match. Le Roy, returning to the touchline after leaving Togo in 2021 and coaching Congo previously between 2013 and 2015, endured a losing start to his new spell.

The result gives Namibia three points and a share of the early lead in Group G alongside Cameroon after matchday one.

  • Goalscorers: Bethuel Muzeu 47' (Namibia)
  • Venue: Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, Botswana (neutral venue — Namibia's own stadium lacks CAF certification)
  • Group: G
  • Key stat: Namibia and Cameroon are the only two Group G sides to have won on matchday one.

Upcoming Fixtures

Matchday one continues into Friday and Saturday, with Nigeria opening their Group L campaign against Madagascar on Friday. The qualifying window runs through 6 October for matchdays one and two, before further rounds in November 2026 and March 2027.

Group H is the one to watch most closely after Thursday's results: Uganda host Libya in Hoima on 29 September, a match that could decide early momentum in a group where all four teams sit level on one point apiece.