2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

The 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification was a men's under-23 football competition, which decided the participating teams of the 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.

2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations qualification
Tournament details
Dates12 November 2018 – 10 September 2019
Teams43 (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played66
Goals scored157 (2.38 per match)
Top scorer(s)Zambia Fashion Sakala (5 goals)
2015
2023

Players born 1 January 1997 or later were eligible to participate in the competition. A total of eight teams qualified to play in the final tournament, including Egypt who qualified automatically as hosts.[1] These matches also served as the first stage of the CAF qualifiers for the 2020 Summer Olympics men's football tournament in Japan.

Teams

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Apart from Egypt, the remaining 53 members of CAF were eligible to enter the qualifying competition, and a total of 43 national teams were in the qualifying draw, which was announced on 2 October 2018.[2] The 13 teams which had the best performance in the 2015 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations final tournament and qualifying competition were given a bye to the second round.

Final tournament hosts Bye to second round
(13 teams)
First round entrants
(30 teams)
Notes
  • Teams in bold qualified for the final tournament.
  • (D): Disqualified after draw
  • (W): Withdrew after draw
Did not enter

Format

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Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away, two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, away goals rule was applied, and if still tied, penalty shoot-out (no extra time) was used to determine the winner.

Schedule

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The schedule of the qualifying rounds was as follows.[3] All matches were played during the FIFA International Window. The third round was originally scheduled for 3–11 June 2019 but was rescheduled to 2–10 September 2019 due to the proximity of its initial dates to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations between 21 June and 19 July.[4]

Round Leg Date
First round First leg 12–20 November 2018
Second leg
Second round First leg 18–26 March 2019
Second leg
Third round First leg 2–10 September 2019
Second leg

Bracket

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The bracket of the draw was announced by the CAF on 2 October 2018.[2][3]

The seven winners of the third round qualified for the final tournament.

First round Second round Third round
            
  Angola w/o
  Namibia
  Angola 1 0 1
  South Africa 3 3 6
  South Africa 5 0 5
  Zimbabwe 0 0 0
  Mozambique (a) 0 1 1
  Eswatini 0 1 1
  Mozambique 0 0 0
  Zimbabwe 0 2 2
First round Second round Third round
            
  Botswana 1 1 2
  Malawi 2 1 3
  Malawi 0 0 0
  Zambia 1 1 2
  Zambia 2 3 5
  Congo 1 3 4
  Burundi (a) 2 1 3
  Tanzania 0 3 3
  Burundi 0 1 1
  Congo 0 2 2
First round Second round Third round
            
  Ghana 5 0 5
  Togo 1 1 2
  Ghana 4 0 4
  Gabon 0 0 0
  Ghana 1 1 2
  Algeria 1 0 1
  Equatorial Guinea 1 3 4
  São Tomé and Príncipe 1 1 2
  Equatorial Guinea 0 1 1
  Algeria 0 3 3
First round Second round Third round
            
  Cameroon 3 1 4
  Chad 0 1 1
  Cameroon w/o
  Sierra Leone
  Cameroon (a) 1 1 2
  Tunisia 0 2 2
  Uganda 1 0 1
  South Sudan 0 2 2
  South Sudan 0 0 0
  Tunisia 0 1 1
First round Second round Third round
            
  Burkina Faso 1 1 2
  Niger 1 3 4
  Niger 1 1 2
  Ivory Coast 2 6 8
  Ivory Coast (a) 0 2 2
  Guinea 1 1 2
  Mauritania 1 1 2
  Guinea 2 4 6
  Guinea 2 0 2
  Senegal 1 0 1
First round Second round Third round
            
  Seychelles 1 0 1
  Sudan 1 1 2
  Sudan 2 0 2
  Kenya 0 0 0
  Kenya 5 3 8
  Mauritius 0 1 1
  Sudan 1 0 1
  Nigeria 0 5 5
  Libya w/o
  Gambia
  Libya 2 0 2
  Nigeria 0 4 4
First round Second round Third round
            
  Rwanda 0 0 0
  DR Congo 0 5 5
  DR Congo[note 1] 2 0 2 w/o
  Morocco 0 1 1 w/o
  Morocco 1 0 1
  Mali 1 1 2
  Ethiopia 4 0 4
  Somalia 0 1 1
  Ethiopia 1 0 1
  Mali 1 4 5

First round

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Angola   w/o   Namibia
Mozambique   1–1 (a)   Eswatini 0–0 1–1
Botswana   2–3   Malawi 1–2 1–1
Burundi   3–3 (a)   Tanzania 2–0 1–3
Ghana   5–2   Togo 5–1 0–1
Equatorial Guinea   4–2   São Tomé and Príncipe 1–1 3–1
Cameroon   4–1   Chad 3–0 1–1
Uganda   1–2   South Sudan 1–0 0–2
Burkina Faso   2–4   Niger 1–1 1–3
Mauritania   2–6   Guinea 1–2 1–4
Seychelles   1–2   Sudan 1–1 0–1
Kenya   8–1   Mauritius 5–0 3–1
Libya   w/o   Gambia
Rwanda   0–5   DR Congo 0–0 0–5
Ethiopia   4–1   Somalia 4–0 0–1
Angola  Cancelled  Namibia
Report
Referee: Blaise Ngwa (Cameroon)
Namibia  Cancelled  Angola
Report
Referee: Lazard Tsiba (Congo)

Angola won on walkover after Namibia withdrew.[5]


Mozambique  0–0  Eswatini
Report
Referee: Georges Gatogato (Burundi)
Eswatini  1–1  Mozambique
  • G. Dlamini   33'
Report
Referee: Tirelo Mositwane (Botswana)

1–1 on aggregate. Mozambique won on away goals.


Botswana  1–2  Malawi
Report
Referee: Thando Ndzandzeka (South Africa)
Malawi  1–1  Botswana
Report
Referee: Celso Alvação (Mozambique)

Malawi won 3–2 on aggregate.


Burundi  2–0  Tanzania
Report
Tanzania  3–1  Burundi
Report
Referee: Diraneh Guedi (Djibouti)

3–3 on aggregate. Burundi won on away goals.


Ghana  5–1  Togo
Report
Referee: Issa Sy (Senegal)
Togo  1–0  Ghana
Report
Referee: Beida Dahane (Mauritania)

Ghana won 5–2 on aggregate.


Equatorial Guinea  1–1  São Tomé and Príncipe
Report
Referee: Mohamed Ali Moussa (Niger)
São Tomé and Príncipe  1–3  Equatorial Guinea
Report

Equatorial Guinea won 4–2 on aggregate.


Cameroon  3–0  Chad
Report
Referee: Pierre Atcho (Gabon)
Chad  1–1  Cameroon
Report

Cameroon won 4–1 on aggregate.


Uganda  1–0  South Sudan
Report
Referee: Ahmed Hassan (Egypt)
South Sudan  2–0  Uganda
Report
Referee: Omar Artan (Somalia)

South Sudan won 2–1 on aggregate.


Burkina Faso  1–1  Niger
Report
Referee: Nabil Boukhalfa (Algeria)
Niger  3–1  Burkina Faso
Report

Niger won 4–2 on aggregate.


Mauritania  1–2  Guinea
Report
Guinea  4–1  Mauritania
Report
Referee: Daniel Laryea (Ghana)

Guinea won 6–2 on aggregate.


Seychelles  1–1  Sudan
Report
Referee: Tewodros Mitiku (Ethiopia)
Sudan  1–0  Seychelles
Report
Referee: Ali Sabilla (Uganda)

Sudan won 2–1 on aggregate.


Kenya  5–0  Mauritius
Report
Mauritius  1–3  Kenya
Report
Referee: Andofetra Rakotojaona (Madagascar)

Kenya won 8–1 on aggregate.


Libya  Cancelled  Gambia
Report
Gambia  Cancelled  Libya
Report

Libya won on walkover after Gambia withdrew.[7]


Rwanda  0–0  DR Congo
Report
Referee: Kalilou Traoré (Ivory Coast)
DR Congo  5–0  Rwanda
Report
Referee: Peter Waweru (Kenya)

DR Congo won 5–0 on aggregate.


Ethiopia  4–0  Somalia
Report
Referee: Haythem Guirat (Tunisia)
Somalia  1–0  Ethiopia
Report

Ethiopia won 4–1 on aggregate.

Second round

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Angola   1–6   South Africa 1–3 0–3
Mozambique   0–2   Zimbabwe 0–0 0–2
Malawi   0–2   Zambia 0–1 0–1
Burundi   1–2   Congo 0–0 1–2
Ghana   4–0   Gabon 4–0 0–0
Equatorial Guinea   1–3   Algeria 0–0 1–3
Cameroon   w/o   Sierra Leone
South Sudan   0–1   Tunisia 0–0 0–1
Niger   2–8   Ivory Coast 1–2 1–6
Guinea   2–1   Senegal 2–1 0–0
Sudan   2–0   Kenya 2–0 0–0
Libya   2–4   Nigeria 2–0 0–4
DR Congo   2–1 w/o[note 1]   Morocco 2–0 0–1
Ethiopia   1–5   Mali 1–1 0–4
Angola  1–3  South Africa
Report
Referee: Lebalang Mokete (Lesotho)
South Africa  3–0  Angola
Report
Referee: Audrick Nkole (Zambia)

South Africa won 6–1 on aggregate.


Mozambique  0–0  Zimbabwe
Report
Referee: Attisso Attiogbe (Togo)
Zimbabwe  2–0  Mozambique
Report
Referee: Thulani Sibandze (Eswatini)

Zimbabwe won 2–0 on aggregate.


Malawi  0–1  Zambia
Report
Referee: Imtehaz Heeralall (Mauritius)
Zambia  1–0  Malawi
Report
Referee: Blaise Ngwa (Cameroon)

Zambia won 2–0 on aggregate.


Burundi  0–0  Congo
Report
Congo  2–1  Burundi
Report

Congo won 2–1 on aggregate.


Ghana  4–0  Gabon
Report
Referee: Jean-Marc Ganamandji (Central African Republic)
Gabon  0–0  Ghana
Report

Ghana won 4–0 on aggregate.


Equatorial Guinea  0–0  Algeria
Report
Referee: Abdoulaye Rhissa (Niger)
Algeria  3–1  Equatorial Guinea
Report
Referee: Louis Houngnandande (Benin)

Algeria won 3–1 on aggregate.


Cameroon  Cancelled  Sierra Leone
Report
Sierra Leone  Cancelled  Cameroon
Report

Cameroon won on walkover due to FIFA's suspension of the Sierra Leone Football Association.[8]


South Sudan  0–0  Tunisia
Report
Referee: Omar Artan (Somalia)
Tunisia  1–0  South Sudan
Report
Referee: Abdulwahid Huraywidah (Libya)

Tunisia won 1–0 on aggregate.


Niger  1–2  Ivory Coast
Report
Referee: Alhadi Mahamat (Chad)
Ivory Coast  6–1  Niger
Report

Ivory Coast won 8–2 on aggregate.


Guinea  2–1  Senegal
Report
Referee: Fitial Kokolo (Congo)
Senegal  0–0  Guinea
Report
Referee: Babacar Sarr (Mauritania)

Guinea won 2–1 on aggregate.


Sudan  2–0  Kenya
Report
Kenya  0–0  Sudan
Report
Referee: Andofetra Rakotojaona (Madagascar)

Sudan won 2–0 on aggregate.


Libya  2–0  Nigeria
Report
Nigeria  4–0  Libya
Report
Referee: Anthony Ogwayo (Kenya)

Nigeria won 4–2 on aggregate.


DR Congo  2–0  Morocco
Report
Morocco  1–0  DR Congo
Report
Referee: Louis Hakizimana (Rwanda)

DR Congo won 2–1 on aggregate. However, they were later disqualified for fielding an ineligible (overaged) player, and Morocco won on walkover.[9]


Ethiopia  1–1  Mali
Report
Referee: Jackson Pavaza (Namibia)
Mali  4–0  Ethiopia
Report
Referee: Gilberto Dos Santos (Guinea-Bissau)

Mali won 5–1 on aggregate.

Third round

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Winners qualified for 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations.[10]

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
South Africa   5–0   Zimbabwe 5–0 0–0
Zambia   5–4   Congo 2–1 3–3
Ghana   2–1   Algeria 1–1 1–0
Cameroon   2–2 (a)   Tunisia 1–0 1–2
Ivory Coast   2–2 (a)   Guinea 0–1 2–1
Sudan   1–5   Nigeria 1–0 0–5
Morocco   1–2   Mali 1–1 0–1
South Africa  5–0  Zimbabwe
Report
Referee: António Caluassi Dungula (Angola)
Zimbabwe  0–0  South Africa
Report
Referee: Tshepo Mokani Gobagoba (Botswana)

South Africa won 5–0 on aggregate.


Zambia  2–1  Congo
Report
Referee: Ibrahim Ben Tsimanohitsy (Madagascar)
Congo  3–3  Zambia
Report
Referee: Isidore Essono Nze (Gabon)

Zambia won 5–4 on aggregate.


Ghana  1–1  Algeria
Report
Referee: Kouassi Frederic Francois Biro (Ivory Coast)
Algeria  0–1  Ghana
Report
Referee: Jalal Jayed (Morocco)

Ghana won 2–1 on aggregate.


Cameroon  1–0  Tunisia
Report
Referee: Fitial Charel Just Kokolo (Congo)
Tunisia  2–1  Cameroon
Report
Referee: Mohamed Adel Elsaid Hussien (Egypt)

2–2 on aggregate. Cameroon won on away goals.


Ivory Coast  0–1  Guinea
Report
Referee: Yelebodom Gado Mawabwe Bodjona (Togo)
Guinea  1–2  Ivory Coast
Report
Referee: Jerry Yekeh (Liberia)

2–2 on aggregate. Ivory Coast won on away goals.


Sudan  1–0  Nigeria
Report
Referee: Souleiman Ahmed Djama (Djibouti)
Nigeria  5–0  Sudan
Report
Referee: Bangaly Konaté (Guinea)

Nigeria won 5–1 on aggregate.


Morocco  1–1  Mali
Report
Referee: Daouda Guèye (Senegal)
Mali  1–0  Morocco
Report
Referee: Omar Sallah (Gambia)

Mali won 2–1 on aggregate.

Qualified teams

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The following eight teams qualified for the final tournament.

Team Qualified on Previous appearances in Africa U-23 Cup of Nations1
  Egypt (hosts) 23 June 2017[1] 2 (2011, 2015)
  South Africa 10 September 2019 2 (2011, 2015)
  Zambia 8 September 2019 1 (2015)
  Ghana 10 September 2019 0 (debut)
  Cameroon 10 September 2019 0 (debut)
  Ivory Coast 10 September 2019 1 (2011)
  Nigeria 10 September 2019 2 (2011, 2015)
  Mali 10 September 2019 1 (2015)
1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Goalscorers

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There were 157 goals scored in 66 matches, for an average of 2.38 goals per match.

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

Notes

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  1. ^ a b DR Congo were disqualified for fielding an ineligible (overaged) player.
  2. ^ a b The matches between Ghana and Togo, originally scheduled for 16 and 20 November 2018, were postponed to 18 and 22 December 2018 due to Ghana hosting the 2018 Africa Women Cup of Nations.[6]
  3. ^ Somalia played their home leg in Djibouti due to the Somali Civil War.
  4. ^ Libya played their home leg in Tunisia due to the Libyan Civil War.

References

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  1. ^ a b "DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - 23 SEPTEMBER 2017". www.cafonline.com. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  2. ^ a b "Qualifiers fixtures: Total U-23 Africa Cup of Nations - Egypt 2019". CAF. 2 October 2018.
  3. ^ a b "Qualifier Total U-23 AFCON, Egypt 2019" (PDF). CAF.
  4. ^ "Total AFCON U-23: Rescheduling of Third Round matches". CAF. 14 May 2019.
  5. ^ "Namibia Withdraw From 2019 AFCON 23s Qualifiers". www.cafonline.com. Retrieved 14 November 2018.
  6. ^ "U-23 AfconQ: Ghana-Togo tie moved to December". footy-ghana.com. 14 November 2018.
  7. ^ "Gambia dragged out of Olympic qualifiers". thepoint.gm. 8 October 2018.
  8. ^ "CAN U23 : le Cameroun de Rigobert Song qualifié par forfait". Afrik-Foot. 8 March 2019.
  9. ^ "ELIM CAN U23: LA RD CONGO DISQUALIFIÉE AU PROFIT DU MAROC". africatopsports.com. 24 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Fixtures of the Third Round of the U-23Q" (PDF). cafonline.com.
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