Senegal and Tunisia top World Cup tables, Cameroon trounce Cape Verde

Senegal kept up their unbeaten start to 2026 World Cup qualification with a 1-0 win away at Mauritania on Sunday, while Tunisia also stayed top of their group despite a goalless draw away against Namibia.

Both Senegal and Tunisia were among five African representatives at the last World Cup finals in Qatar and are fancied to qualify again for the first-time 48-team tournament being co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US.

Habib Diallo netted in the 27th minute at Stade Cheikha Ould Boïdiya in Nouakchott, heading home a long cross from Pape Matar Sarr to put Senegal at the top of Group B despite them missing Sadio Mane and Nicolas Jackson through injury.

There was a lengthy delay in completing the match after frustrated home fans threw objects towards the pitch in the second half and proceedings were halted.

Senegal are one point above Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Congolese beat Togo 1-0 in Kinshasa with Meshack Elia’s sixth-minute goal proving decisive.

Tunisia had been upset by Namibia at January’s Africa Cup of Nations finals and came close to losing again in the match played at Orlando Stadium because Namibia do not have a suitable home venue.

Namibia had the ball in the net after 14 minutes when Deon Hotto’s free-kick was spilt by Tunisia goalkeeper Bechir Said and bundled in by centre back Charles Hambira.

But the Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida adjudged that the goalkeeper had been fouled after he spilt the ball, though television replays suggested there was minimal contact.

Tunisia have a two-point lead in Group H over Namibia with Liberia a further point back in third place.

Liberia needed a last-minute winner from Sheikh Sesay to edge 1-0 past Sao Tome e Principe in their match in Oudja, Morocco. Sao Tome have lost all four of their qualifiers in Group H.

Djibouti gained their first point in Group A in a 1-1 draw with neighbours Ethiopia.

On Saturday, captain Vincent Aboubakar scored twice as Cameroon put weeks of turmoil around their national team behind them to beat the Cape Verde Islands 4-1 in Yaounde.

They moved level with Libya at the top of Group D on seven points from three matches.

In Saturday’s other qualifier in Africa, Gambia hammered the Seychelles 5-1 in Group F, a winning start for their new Irish coach Johnny McKinstry.

Centre back Michael Ngadeu marked his return to the team after a two-year absence to put Cameroon into a 13th-minute lead, rising to power home Nicolas Ngamaleu’s corner.

The left winger also provided the assist for a second goal 12 minutes later with a cross that Aboubakar turned into the net from close range as the defence backed off.

Jamiro Monteiro pulled back a goal in the 37th minute, running in behind the home defence and getting on to the ball before goalkeeper Andre Onana.

But a foul on Ngamaleu three minutes later by Deroy Duarte gave Cameroon a penalty that Aboubakar converted to restore their two-goal lead.

The Indomitable Lions went 4-1 up when a 54th-minute cross was headed forward by Ngadeu and finished off by Nouhou Tolo.

The home side's day was complete when Onana saved a stoppage-time penalty from Kevin Pina.

Cameroon have been to more World Cups than any other African country but their bid for a ninth appearance in North America in 2026 threatened to be derailed by a spat between the country’s football federation and sports ministry.

The government, which pays the coach's salary, named Belgian Marc Brys as coach in April to the disappointment of soccer federation president Samuel Eto’o who was not consulted on the matter.

He at first rejected Brys, then bowed to political pressure to accept the appointment but wanted his own choices added to the technical team. It took several weeks of posturing and power plays, including denying the team equipment to train with, before a compromise was reached.

Monday will see a further eight qualifiers played around Africa.

There are nine groups in the African preliminaries with the group winners advancing to the 2026 finals in North America. The four best runners-up will have a chance to advance through two series of playoff tournaments. 

Reuters