The 2023 African Cup of Nations Qualifiers have begun, and football fans all around the continent are in for an exciting journey. The opening fixtures saw some surprises, with both underdogs and favourites showcasing their skills on the field.South Africa’s national team, Bafana Bafana, started their journey with a resounding victory over Liberia, a result that many expected from the higher-ranked team.

Meanwhile, Nigeria, one of the top teams in Africa, suffered a setback as they lost their match after a slow start. The Democratic Republic of Congo, despite being reduced to ten men, managed to scrape a win against a stubborn Mauritanian side, while Tanzania caused an upset by defeating Uganda.After the initial matches, the standings in the different groups started to take shape.

In South Africa’s group, Morocco sits at the top with six points, while Bafana Bafana is currently in third place with one point after two games. In another group, Nigeria has collected six points, but Guinea Bissau is ahead of them with seven points in a tightly contested group that promises more drama as the games progress. However, despite the early results, it is still too early to predict which teams will make it to the tournament next year. Upsets are a regular feature of African football, and it is not uncommon for lower-ranked teams to upset the favourites.

The journey to the African Cup of Nations promises to be full of surprises, and fans can look forward to an exciting ride. The delay in the tournament due to CAF adds more uncertainty to the qualification process, and the upcoming games will be crucial for teams hoping to book their place in the competition.