Madagascar Reach 1st African Cup, Egypt Also Qualify
CAIRO (Dispatches) - Madagascar reached their first African Cup of Nations on Tuesday, also becoming the first team to qualify for next year's continental championship.
Senegal and Egypt soon sealed their spots as well, despite playing without injured stars Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
This was Madagascar's 20th attempt at qualifying for the African Cup. After nearly 50 years of failures, the island nation finally succeeded courtesy of Njiva Rakotoharimalala's goal, which gave Madagascar a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea at home in Antananarivo. The team won three of their first four qualifiers and held Senegal to a 2-2 draw in the other.
Madagascar was one of four teams to make it through Tuesday to an expanded Cup of Nations, which will have 24 teams next year, up from the usual 16. The tournament is supposed to be hosted by Cameroon next June and July but could still be moved because of poor preparations and an uncertain security situation in that country.
******In this file photo dated Sept 29, 2018, Liverpool's Sadio Mane in action against Chelsea during the English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. Senegal coach Aliou Cisse confirmed ON Oct 16, 2018, Sadio Mane has broken a bone in his left hand while playing for Senegal for African Cup of Nations qualifiers, and won’t play the return match.
Senegal and Egypt soon sealed their spots as well, despite playing without injured stars Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah.
This was Madagascar's 20th attempt at qualifying for the African Cup. After nearly 50 years of failures, the island nation finally succeeded courtesy of Njiva Rakotoharimalala's goal, which gave Madagascar a 1-0 win over Equatorial Guinea at home in Antananarivo. The team won three of their first four qualifiers and held Senegal to a 2-2 draw in the other.
Madagascar was one of four teams to make it through Tuesday to an expanded Cup of Nations, which will have 24 teams next year, up from the usual 16. The tournament is supposed to be hosted by Cameroon next June and July but could still be moved because of poor preparations and an uncertain security situation in that country.
******In this file photo dated Sept 29, 2018, Liverpool's Sadio Mane in action against Chelsea during the English Premier League soccer match at Stamford Bridge stadium in London. Senegal coach Aliou Cisse confirmed ON Oct 16, 2018, Sadio Mane has broken a bone in his left hand while playing for Senegal for African Cup of Nations qualifiers, and won’t play the return match.