The Comoros Islands team achieved this Thursday the feat of qualifying for the African Cup for the first time. Their fairy tale came true thanks to a home draw against Togo (0-0), which allowed them to remain undefeated in qualifying. In the same group, G, Mohamed Salah's Egypt also secured their place in the Africa Cup (they will participate for the 25th time, a record), for which a 1-1 against Kenya in Nairobi was enough. The 'red' winger reappeared in his national team, with which he had not played since 2019.
The Comoros and Egypt are, with one match to go, tied for 9 points. Kenya has 4, but, like Togo, it has already been eliminated and will not be in the final phase of Cameroon 2022. The Egyptian team is the one that has been proclaimed African champion more times: seven. They are followed by Cameroon, with 5, and Ghana, with 4.
Egypt has the most African Cups and the Comoros have competed internationally only since 2006
The Comoros, in the Indian Ocean, has less than 900,000 inhabitants, and its soccer team has competed internationally only since 2006, but it has been more competitive since players who act in France have been incorporated in recent years.
Their 1-0 win over Togo in November 2019 was the Comoros' first in an official international match, and four days later they drew with Egypt.
Comoros and Egypt on Thursday became the eighth and ninth countries respectively to qualify for the 2022 Africa Cup, to be held in Cameroon in January, after the hosts, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Guinea, Mali, Senegal and Tunisia.
Later today, Ghana (1-1 in South Africa), Gambia for the first time after their 1-0 against Angola and Gabon after their 3-0 against DR Congo with a goal from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Arsenal) also achieved the passport.
In Nairobi Egypt advanced in the second minute thanks to Magdi Afsha, but Abdallah Hassan tied Kenya in the 62nd minute. The Pharaohs' goal came after a combination between Mohamed Hani and Salah on the right wing, assisted by Mostafa Mohamed for Afsha. The Liverpool winger, who was unable to score for his national team, had a good chance in the 51st minute, but his shot went high.