South Sudan qualify for group stage of AFCON 2025 qualifiers

South Sudan have qualified for the group stage of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 qualifiers.

After holding Sao Tome and Principe to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the preliminary round last week, the hosts Bright Star playing at the same Municipal Stadium in Berkane, Morocco on Tuesday settled for goalless draw to qualify on an away goal’s rule.

The South Sudan head coach Nicolas Dupius said although they have made it to the group stage of the qualifiers, there is still a lot of work to be done. “We need to keep preparing well for the many matches ahead of us,” he added.

The other teams from the CECAFA Zone Djibouti and Somalia failed to make it past the preliminary round hurdle.

Somalia held hosts Eswatini to 2-2 draw in a match played at the Mbombela Stadium in South Africa on Tuesday. But Eswatini went on to qualify on a 5-2 goal aggregate. Djibouti also managed to hold hosts Liberia to a goalless draw, but bowed out on a 2-0 goal aggregate.

Chad also joined the group stage of the qualifiers after ejecting Mauritius 3-1 on aggregate.

The four (4) preliminary round winners will now join the 44 exempted teams for the group stage.