ANALYSIS
By Kent Mensah
African countries were busy this weekend, fighting for a place at the 2012 African Cup of Nations. With 113 games played so far some now know their fate while others are still hanging in the balance.
Forty-five goals were recorded at the 21 match centres throughout the continent between Friday and Sunday. So far goalkeepers have conceded 274 goals, averaging 2.42 strikes per game since the campaign began a year ago.
Mauritius have had the most goals against them, totaling 20 from five games, followed by Chad with 18. Libya, Morocco, Ghana and Sudan are the four countries to have allowed just a goal to enter their nets. West African country Ivory Coast top the highest goals scored chart with 17 strives, followed by Senegal’s 14.
Mozambique have lost their scoring boots over the last year and can only boast a single goal thanks to that 1-0 stoppage time winner against Comoros last October.
Sixteen penalty goals were recorded with Group E earning seven of those, while four own goals closed the penultimate round.
Goal.com brings you a break-down of the group standings and many more statistics behind the grueling qualifying games with just a match left to complete in October:
GROUP STANDINGS
Mali fan| He can't wait to light up the 2012 African Cup of Nations
GROUP A
GROUP C
GROUP D
GROUP E
GROUP F
GROUP G
GROUP H
GROUP I
Kenyan flag | Will it be flying at Gabon and Equatorial Guinea?
GROUP J
GROUP K
By Kent Mensah
African countries were busy this weekend, fighting for a place at the 2012 African Cup of Nations. With 113 games played so far some now know their fate while others are still hanging in the balance.
Forty-five goals were recorded at the 21 match centres throughout the continent between Friday and Sunday. So far goalkeepers have conceded 274 goals, averaging 2.42 strikes per game since the campaign began a year ago.
Mauritius have had the most goals against them, totaling 20 from five games, followed by Chad with 18. Libya, Morocco, Ghana and Sudan are the four countries to have allowed just a goal to enter their nets. West African country Ivory Coast top the highest goals scored chart with 17 strives, followed by Senegal’s 14.
Mozambique have lost their scoring boots over the last year and can only boast a single goal thanks to that 1-0 stoppage time winner against Comoros last October.
Sixteen penalty goals were recorded with Group E earning seven of those, while four own goals closed the penultimate round.
Goal.com brings you a break-down of the group standings and many more statistics behind the grueling qualifying games with just a match left to complete in October:
QUALIFIED TEAMS
| COUNTRY | DATE OF QUALIFICATION | PAST APPEARANCES |
| Gabon | July 29, 2007 (Host) | 4 (1994, 1996, 2000, 2010) |
| Equatorial Guinea | July 29, 2007 (Host) | Debut |
| Botswana | March 26, 2011 | Debut |
| Ivory Coast | June 5, 2011 | 18 (1965, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2010) |
| Burkina Faso | Sept. 3, 2011 | 7 (1978, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2010) |
| Senegal | Sept. 3, 2011 | 11 (1965, 1968, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008) |
GROUP STANDINGS
Mali fan| He can't wait to light up the 2012 African Cup of Nations| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| MALI | 5 | 7 | 4 | 9 | Still in |
| ZIMBABWE | 5 | 6 | 3 | 8 | Still in |
| CAPE VERDE | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Still in |
| LIBERIA | 5 | 5 | 10 | 4 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Knowledge Musona, Zimbabwe (3) |
GROUP B |
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| GUINEA | 5 | 11 | 3 | 13 | Still in |
| NIGERIA | 5 | 10 | 3 | 10 | Still in |
| ETHIOPIA | 5 | 4 | 11 | 4 | Eliminated |
| MADAGASCAR | 5 | 3 | 10 | 1 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Ikechukwu Uche, Nigeria (3) |
GROUP C
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| ZAMBIA | 5 | 11 | 2 | 12 | Still in |
| LIBYA | 5 | 6 | 1 | 11 | Still in |
| MOZAMBIQUE | 5 | 1 | 6 | 4 | Eliminated |
| COMOROS | 5 | 2 | 11 | 1 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Christopher Katongo, Zambia (3) |
GROUP D
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| MOROCCO | 5 | 5 | 1 | 8 | Still in |
| CAR | 5 | 5 | 3 | 8 | Still in |
| TANZANIA | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5 | Likely |
| ALGERIA | 5 | 3 | 8 | 5 | Unlikely |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Hilaire Momi, CAR (2) |
GROUP E
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| SENEGAL | 5 | 14 | 2 | 13 | Qualified |
| CAMEROON | 5 | 9 | 3 | 8 | Eliminated |
| DR CONGO | 5 | 8 | 8 | 7 | Eliminated |
| MAURITIUS | 5 | 2 | 20 | 0 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Mamadou Niang, Senegal (5) |
GROUP F
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| BURKINA FASO | 3 | 11 | 2 | 9 | Qualified |
| GAMBIA | 3 | 4 | 5 | 3 | Likely |
| NAMIBIA | 4 | 3 | 11 | 3 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Alain Traore, Burkina Faso (3) |
GROUP G
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| NIGER | 5 | 6 | 5 | 9 | Still in |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 5 | 4 | 2 | 8 | Still in |
| SIERRA LEONE | 5 | 5 | 5 | 8 | Still in |
| EGYPT | 5 | 2 | 5 | 2 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORERS: | Katlego Mphela, South Africa (2) Ouwo M. Maazou, Niger (2) Mohamed Bangura, S. Leone (2) |
GROUP H
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| IVORY COAST | 5 | 17 | 3 | 15 | Qualified |
| BURUNDI | 5 | 6 | 7 | 5 | Likely |
| BENIN | 5 | 8 | 10 | 5 | Eliminated |
| RWANDA | 5 | 4 | 15 | 3 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Didier Drogba, I. Coast (4) |
GROUP I
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| GHANA | 5 | 11 | 1 | 13 | Still in |
| SUDAN | 5 | 8 | 1 | 13 | Still in |
| CONGO | 5 | 4 | 10 | 3 | Eliminated |
| SWAZILAND | 5 | 2 | 13 | 0 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Prince Tagoe, Ghana (3) |
Kenyan flag | Will it be flying at Gabon and Equatorial Guinea?| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| UGANDA | 5 | 6 | 2 | 10 | Still in |
| ANGOLA | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | Still in |
| KENYA | 5 | 4 | 4 | 7 | Likely |
| G. BISSAU | 5 | 2 | 6 | 3 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Manucho, Angola (3) |
GROUP K
| COUNTRY | PLD | GF | GA | PTS | STATUS |
| BOTSWANA | 8 | 7 | 3 | 17 | Qualified |
| MALAWI | 7 | 11 | 6 | 11 | Still in |
| TUNISIA | 7 | 12 | 6 | 11 | Still in |
| TOGO | 7 | 6 | 8 | 6 | Eliminated |
| CHAD | 7 | 5 | 18 | 2 | Eliminated |
| GROUP TOP SCORER: | Jerome Ramatlhakwane, Botswana (5) |