Former Arsenal and Barcelona striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to provide Gabon an important 2-1 win over Kenya in an African 2026 World Cup qualifier on Sunday.
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The 35-year-old, who now performs within the Saudi Professional League, struck after 16 and 52 minutes in entrance of a sell-out 15,000 crowd in Nairobi earlier than Michael Olunga decreased arrears on 62 minutes.
Securing most factors took Gabon to fifteen in Group F. Reigning African champions Ivory Coast have 13, Burundi seven, Kenya six, Gambia 4 and Seychelles none.
Ivory Coast host Gambia on Monday and Burundi have house benefit over Seychelles on Tuesday in different matchday six fixtures.
Barring a dramatic collapse by both group, Gabon and Ivory Coast, who meet in September, look set to battle for first place.
The 9 group winners robotically qualify for the expanded 48-nation World Cup in the US, Canada and Mexico.
There might be a tenth African qualifier because the 4 best-ranked runners-up enter a mini-tournament. The winners advance to inter-continental play-offs providing two finals slots.
Trailing Gabon by 9 factors with simply 4 matches to play, Kenya are all however out of rivalry for a primary look on the world showpiece.
New coach Benni McCarthy, the previous Manchester United assistant coach and star South Africa ahead, can now consider the African Nations Championship, which Kenya co-hosts in August.
A few veterans mixed to place Gabon forward with Serbia-based 34-year-old Guelor Kanga crossing for unmarked Aubameyang to fireside throughout goalkeeper Ian Otieno and into the online. – Olunga menace –
Kenya captain Olunga was a relentless menace and hit the publish and headed one other try vast earlier than half-time within the first worldwide hosted by Kenya since 2021.
The Nyayo Nationwide Stadium didn’t meet FIFA requirements, leaving the Harambee Stars to stage house fixtures in numerous international locations, together with neighbours Uganda.
When Eric Ouma dealt with an Aubameyang shot, Gabon have been awarded a penalty that the 2015 African Footballer of the Yr calmly transformed.
Olunga scored his fourth objective of the World Cup marketing campaign to convey Kenya again into rivalry. The Qatar-based ahead tapped a low cross previous goalkeeper Loyce Mbaba from shut vary.
Each groups had probabilities in a vigorous end, however there have been no additional targets and Gabon accomplished a double over Kenya, having gained 2-1 within the first spherical.
Elsewhere, Eswatini and Mauritius drew 3-3 in a conflict of the bottom positioned groups in Group D, which Cape Verde tops adopted by Cameroon, Libya and Angola.
Having scored solely as soon as in 5 qualifiers, Eswatini netted twice inside 18 minutes of the kick-off, with Philani Mkhonto claiming each.
Mauritius struck twice early within the second half by means of Lindsay Rose and Yannick Aristide, just for Mayibongwe Mabuza to place Eswatini forward once more.
Emmanuel Vincent salvaged some extent for Mauritius with an added-time equaliser in Mbombela. Eswatini performed within the South African metropolis as a result of they lack a FIFA-approved venue.
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