Salah nets twice as Egypt win 5-0 and Arokodare stars in Nigeria 3-1 victory in Afcon 2027 qualifiers

Mohamed Salah scored twice as Egypt beat Malawi 5-0 and Tolu Arokodare grabbed a brace as Nigeria defeated tournament co-hosts Tanzania 3-1 in Africa Cup of Nations 2027 qualifying matches on Friday, November 13, 2026; Nigeria's game was played in Uyo.

Nigeria remain in contention in Group L after losing 3-0 in Guinea-Bissau in September and now sit one point behind leaders Guinea-Bissau, who drew 1-1 with Madagascar; the Super Eagles have only one qualification spot available in the section. Egypt entered the match after parting company with Hossam Hassan earlier this month and had taken four points from their opening two games in Group B; Mohamed Salah had been substituted after an hour in the 0-0 draw with Angola and missed the win in South Sudan before returning as captain against Malawi.

In Uyo Alhassan Yusuf put Nigeria ahead in the second minute from an Ademola Lookman pass, but Alphonce Msanga equalised just after the half-hour mark for Tanzania. Tolu Arokodare — on a season-long loan at Ajax from Wolves who has scored 13 goals in 17 appearances this season — came off the bench at half-time and flicked home Wilfred Ndidi's low ball in the 52nd minute to restore the lead. Arokodare then controlled Moses Usor's cross and smashed in from 12 yards eight minutes later to make it 3-1 and give Nigeria breathing space.

Egypt's victory came in Ali Maher's first match in charge and featured a 3-0 half-time lead from Nasser Maher, Omar Marmoush and Mohamed Hany. Mohamed Salah, restored as captain, added to the scoreline by stooping to head in a cross from the left and later dinking in a penalty after Hamza Abdelkarim was tripped in the box, taking the final score to 5-0.

Morocco extended their unbeaten start with a 5-1 win over Niger as Achraf Hakimi scored twice and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved a penalty. Yassir Zabiri had opened the scoring for Morocco before Hakimi's long-range strike made it 2-0; Mohamed Abdourahmane pulled one back for Niger but Bounou kept out Youssouf Oumarou's spot-kick on the stroke of half-time. Hakimi added a dipping free-kick in first-half stoppage time, Youssef En-Nesyri scored in the 77th minute and Ayoub Oufkir completed the scoring in the final minute.

Tunisia lost 2-0 at home to Libya and, according to the report, face the prospect of missing the finals for the first time since 1992; Ali Youssef converted a penalty after Ali Maaloul was penalised for a shirt pull on Muad Eisay, and Hamdou El Houni struck the second goal after a Tunisian effort was ruled out for a marginal offside. Libya, who last played at an Afcon in 2012, move to second in their group and are level on points with Uganda.

Other results across qualifying included Gabon beating Lesotho 2-0 with two second-half goals from Denis Bouanga after he had struck the right-hand upright with a penalty, South Africa drawing 2-2 with Kenya where an Amos Wanjala own goal and Michael Olunga's penalty exchanged leads before Ryan Ogam equalised in the 90th minute, Burkina Faso claiming a 94th-minute winner from Elohim Kabore against Mauritania, Mali coming from behind to beat Rwanda 3-2 with Mamadou Camara completing the comeback, and Ethiopia winning 1-0 in Mozambique through Kenean Markneh's 87th-minute strike.

The third round of qualifying concludes with three games on Saturday and the fourth round of fixtures are split across Monday and Tuesday; Egypt's win puts them three points clear of Angola, who face South Sudan on Saturday.