Gabon’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang captured attention on Friday by netting four goals and receiving a red card during the African qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
At the same time, Senegal and Ivory Coast made notable progress toward securing their spots in the upcoming global event.
The reigning African champions, Ivory Coast, delivered a dominant 7-0 victory on the road against Seychelles, reinforcing their qualification campaign after a previous 9-0 triumph over the same team in Abidjan two years ago. The scoring was distributed among seven different players, with Nottingham Forest’s Ibrahim Sangare opening the account within the first seven minutes, and substitute Franck Kessie sealing the emphatic win in the final moments. Seychelles, ranked 159th worldwide, have now conceded 46 goals across nine qualifying matches and remain without a single victory.
In Nairobi, Gabon edged out The Gambia in a thrilling 4-3 contest, keeping pace in Group F just a point behind Ivory Coast. Gabon took the lead twice but also fell behind during the match before Aubameyang’s late brace turned the tide. However, the Gabonese star was sent off in the 86th minute after receiving two quick yellow cards.
Heading into their last qualifiers next week, Ivory Coast leads with 23 points, closely followed by Gabon on 22. Both teams will enjoy home advantage in their upcoming fixtures, with Ivory Coast hosting Kenya and Gabon welcoming Burundi.
In Group B, Senegal holds a strong position, leading the Democratic Republic of Congo (DR Congo) by two points after contrasting away wins. Senegal, aiming for their third straight World Cup appearance, cruised to a 5-0 victory over South Sudan in Juba, highlighted by Crystal Palace’s Ismaila Sarr scoring twice. Veteran forward Sadio Mane also contributed to the scoreline as Senegal extended a 1-0 halftime lead into a commanding win. Meanwhile, DR Congo secured a narrow 1-0 win against Togo, courtesy of a lone goal from Cedric Bakambu.
Senegal now sits on 21 points, with DR Congo trailing at 19, as both teams prepare for crucial final matches. Senegal will host Mauritania, while DR Congo faces Sudan at home.
Sudan’s hopes of World Cup qualification were extinguished after a goalless draw with Mauritania in Dar es Salaam.
Group C remains fiercely competitive, with leaders Benin facing stiff challenges from South Africa, Nigeria, Rwanda, and Lesotho, all contending for the top spot and a direct ticket to the World Cup.
The nine group winners will earn automatic qualification for the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Additionally, the four best runners-up will enter a playoff round, offering Africa the chance to send a tenth team to the expanded 48-nation tournament.
