Ethiopia have registered their first win in group J of the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

After suffering two defeats in the earlier matches, the Walias picked a 1-0 win away to Mozambique on Friday evening.

Kekean Markneh Maleko netted an 87^th goal to silence the home crowd at the Zimpeto Stadium in Maputo.

Mozambique had earlier created several scoring opportunities, but Ethiopia defended well and utilized their chance later in the match.

Senegal who beat Sudan 4-1 on Thursday lead Group J with 7 points, while Mozambique are second on 4 points, while Sudan and Ethiopia each have 43 points.

In the other matches played on Friday Burundi held hosts Zambia to a 1-1 draw in a Group I match played at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola.

Edward Chilufya Jr gave Chipolopolo the lead after 65 minutes, but Jean Claude Girumugisha leveled matters after 82 minutes. It was Burundi’s second point earned in the qualifiers after losing one match and drawing another.

Kenya also picked a 2-2 draw away to South Africa in a Group D match played at the Orlando Stadium in Johannesburg.

Amos Wanjala netted an won goal to give Bafana Bafana the lead after 9 minutes, but Micheal Olunga scored from the spot to make it 1-1 for Kenya going into the interval.

After 77 minuts Relebohile Mofokeny restored South Africa’s lead, but Ryan Wesley Ogam scored late on 90 minutes to make sure Harambee Stars earned a point.

Tanzania suffered a 3-1 Group D defeat away to Nigeria at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium in Uyo.

 Alhassan Yusuf gave Nigeria the lead, before Cyprian Thobia Kachwele made it 1-1 after 39 minutes. Aftre recess Emmanuel Arokodore netted a brace to ensure Nigeria picked a comfortable win.

The Amavubi of Rwanda also suffered their first defeat in the qualifiers falling 3-2 away to Mali in a Group K encounter.

On Thursday Somalia suffered a 2-1 defeat away to Ghana in a Group C tie, while Eritrea also lost 2-1 to Guinea in a Group D match.

Action for CECAFA teams continues on Saturday with Uganda Cranes hosting Botswana in a Group H match at the Hoima City Stadium, while South Sudan face Angola away in a Group B match.

Collected results for CECAFA teams

Ghana 2 Somalia 0

Guinea 2 Eritrea 1

Senegal 4 Sudan 1

Zambia 1 Burundi1

Mozambique 0 Ethiopia 1

South Africa 2 Kenya 2

Nigeria 3 Tanzania1

Mali 3 Rwanda 2

Two teams from the CECAFA Zone Rwanda and Sudan have collected wins in the group stage of the 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

The Amavubi saw off Liberia 3-1 in a Group K match played at the Amahoro Stadium in Kigali on Friday evening.

Playing in-front of the Football loving President Paul Kagame, Abeddy Biramahire gave the hosts the lead after onlyt two minutes to send the fans cheering.

Joy-Lance Michels netted his first goal in national colours with a second goal after 33 minutes. But the visitors pulled one back through Sylvanus Nimely five minutes later.

Rwanda were awarded a penalty before the interval, and the FK Shabah striker Joy-Lance Micheals made no mistake from the spot. The were no goals in the second half.

In another match played on Friday, in a battle of CECAFA teams  Sudan edged Ethiopia in a Group J match played at the Juba National Stadium in South Sudan. Mohamed Mamoun Eisa netted the lone goal late in the second half.

South Sudan, Somalia and Burundi suffered away defeats in ohter matches played on Friday. South Sudan lost 2-1 to Malawi in Group B tie, while Somalia also lost 2-1 away to The Gambia. Burundi fell 1-0 to Togo in a match played at the Regue Stadium in Lome.

On Thursday Uganda Cranes picked a point away to Tunisia after a 1-1 draw in the Group H match, while Tanzania suffered a 2-0 defeat to Guinea Bissau in a Group L match played at the New Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.

Kenya will host Eritrea in a Group D match in Nairobi on Saturday.

The national team of Sudan has intensified preparations in Taif, Saudi Arabia ahead of their 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier matches.

Sudan will host Ethiopia in Juba on September 25^th and face Mozambique four days later in Maputo in Group J matches.

James Kwesi Appiah, the Sudan head coach has made it clear that they are looking forward to making a good start in the qualifiers because their target is to qualify for the AFCON 2027.

“We have had players joining the team in groups because many have been busy with their teams in CAF competitions,” added Appiah.

Nine other teams in the CECAFA Zone are also preparing ahead of Day 1 of the AFCON qualifiers.

South Sudan under a new coach Christian N’Sengi-Biembe are also preparing to play away to Malawi in a Group B match, while Rwanda will host Liberia in a Group K tie on the September 25^th.

Eritrea who qualified from the preliminary stage will play away to Kenya, while Somalia travel to face The Gambia in Group D and C matches respectively. Uganda and Burundi will travel to face Tunisia and Togo respectively.

The AFCON 2027 will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Day 1 matches for CECAFA teams

Group B: Malawi vs South Sudan

Group C: Gambia vs Somalia

Group D: Kenya vs Eritrea

Group H: Tunisia vs Uganda

Group I: Togo vs Burundi

Group J: Sudan vs Ethiopia

Group K: Rwanda vs Liberia

Group L: Tanzania vs Guinea

CECAFA teams Sudan and Ethiopia have been placed in Group J 2027 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) PAMOJA qualifiers.

In the draw conducted at the Egyptian Football Association headquarters in Cairo, Egypt on Tuesday, the two CECAFA teams were placed alongside Senegal and Mozambique.

The draw was conducted by former African football stars Max-Alain Gradel (Cote d’Ivoire), William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria), Essam El Hadary (Egypt) and Trésor Mputu (DR Congo).

Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania will co-host the tournament from June 19 June to July 17, 2027. Co-hosts will take part in qualifiers but have secured their places as co-hosts, so one team from their pool will join them.

The first matches of the group qualifiers will kick-off in September, 2026.

Group D also has two CECAFA teams Kenya and Eritrea together with South Africa and Guinea. Somalia who are making a return to the group stage of the qualifiers after several years are placed alongside Ivory Coast, Ghana and The Gambia.

The 48 teams that will play in the qualifiers have been placed into 12 groups, with the top two in each pool advancing to the continental finals.