Match Day 5 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers featured notable results including Sierra Leone’s 3-1 win over Guinea-Bissau, Zimbabwe’s resilient comeback to draw with Benin, Cape Verde’s 1-0 win against Mauritius, and Namibia’s crucial victory over Malawi, impacting the standings across multiple groups.
Match Day 5 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers, held on Thursday, March 20, featured several noteworthy matches that impact the qualification landscape. In the afternoon, four matches produced results that intensified the competition for the FIFA World Cup spot.
In Group A, Sierra Leone achieved a 3-1 victory against Guinea-Bissau, elevating them to second place behind Egypt. Mustapha Bundu opened the scoring in the 19th minute, taking Sierra Leone into halftime with a one-goal lead. Musa Kamara added a second goal shortly after the hour mark, but a response from Tamble Monteiro in the 68th minute reinvigorated Guinea-Bissau. However, Sierra Leone capitalized on a late lapse to score their third through Ibrahim Turay.
Group C saw Zimbabwe demonstrate resilience by coming from two goals down to draw against Benin. Steve Mounie scored early for Benin due to a goalkeeping error, followed by Dodo Dokou’s strike just before halftime, putting Benin in command. Zimbabwe rallied back, with a late first-half goal from Marshal Munetsi and an equalizer from Knowledge Musona in the second half, resulting in a stalemate that left Benin at the top of the group and Zimbabwe at the bottom.
Cape Verde triumphed over Mauritius in Group D, with a late goal from Yannick Semedo in the 84th minute securing their victory. After an evenly matched encounter, Semedo capitalized on a momentary lapse in the defense to give Cape Verde crucial points, positioning them at the top of Group D above Cameroon, who faltered against Eswatini.
In Group H, Namibia defeated Malawi through Prins Tjiueza’s composed finish in the 40th minute. This victory marked Namibia’s third in the group, placing them in second, while Malawi’s defeat left them struggling at fifth, diminishing their qualification prospects.
The FIFA World Cup Qualifiers produced compelling matches as teams vie for qualification. Sierra Leone’s win places them second in Group A, while Zimbabwe’s comeback to draw against Benin keeps them at the bottom of Group C. Cape Verde claimed a late victory to lead Group D, and Namibia’s away win solidifies their second position in Group H, showcasing the unpredictability and competitiveness of the qualifiers.
Original Source: www.cafonline.com
