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Salah helps Egypt edge closer to Afcon as Mane inspires holders Senegal

Most matchday four fixtures were played on Tuesday and some big guns confirmed their place at Ivory Coast 2023.

Egypt edged closer to qualification with big victory
Senegal made it to Ivory Coast 2023
Burkina Faso and Tunisia also qualified

WHAT HAPPENED? Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah grabbed Egypt’s third goal in the 4-0 win over Malawi in a 2023 Africa Cup of Nations Cup Group D qualifier at Bingu National Stadium on Tuesday.

Now with nine points and leading the standings, the Pharaohs are one foot into Afcon qualification and need just a point in their next match away in Guinea, who also have nine points.

Egypt raced into a 3-0 lead in the opening 20 minutes through Tarek Hamed, Omar Marmoush and Salah, before Zizo sealed the big win with the fourth goal four minutes into the second half.

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In Maputo, Sadio Mane provided an assist for Boulaye Dia for Senegal to edge Mozambique 1-0 and reach the Afcon finals.

Dia settled the contest 18 minutes into the match to help the African reigning champions take an unassailable eight-point lead with two matches remaining.

In Group J, Tunisia edged fellow North Africans Libya 1-0 away to book an Afcon ticket.

Haythem Jouini struck for the Tunisians, who now have 10 points from four games and just a point more than second-placed Equatorial Guinea.

Burkina Faso also qualified for Ivory Coast 2023 despite dropping two points in the 1-1 draw with Togo away in Lome.

The Stallions went ahead through Bournemouth forward Dango Ouattara in the 12th minute before Kodjo Laba hit back for Togo on 26 minutes.

Burkina Faso now have 10 points as they confirmed their Afcon finals spot.

THE BIGGER PICTURE

2023 Afcon hosts Ivory Coast are participating in these qualifiers to keep themselves active and they beat Comoros 2-0 away in Moroni. Goals from Barcelona star Franck Kessie and Ibrahim Sangare fired the Elephants to victory.

Senegal, Burkina Faso and Tunisia join South Africa, who have also qualified for Afcon. While Cameroon were stunned 2-1 by Namibia, they still have a chance to qualify together with other continental heavyweights like Ghana and Nigeria.

Not many big surprises are expected.

WHAT'S NEXT? Matchday four concludes on Wednesday when Rwanda take on Benin at home in Group L.