Algeria, Ghana and Tunisia hoping to make positive starts

09/05/2024 04:25 AM

The head coaches of Algeria, Ghana and Tunisia begin their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification journey hoping to fare batter than their predecessors.

Algeria’s Vladimir Petkovic prepares to take on Equatorial Guinea at the Miloud Hadefi Stadium in Oran after replacing Djamel Belmadi at the helm in February.

Belmadi was relieved of his duties in January following the Fennec Foxes’ elimination from the 2023 AFCON at the group stages – his second failure after also crashing out of the 2021 edition at the first hurdle.

The National Thunder also featured at the continental showpiece in Ivory Coast, where they reached the round of 16 before being beaten 1-0 by Guinea.

Otto Addo will be looking to bring new hope to Ghana when they lock horns with Angola at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.

Chris Hughton was sacked in January after the Black Stars failed to progress beyond the group stages at their second successive AFCON, with Addo brought back for his second spell in March.

The Black Sable Antelopes impressed at the biennial tournament, topping their group and making it to the quarter-finals, where their run ended with a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria.

Tunisia’s Faouzi Benzarti will be hoping that fourth time is a charm when his country’s qualifying campaign gets underway against Madagascar at the Hammadi Agrebi Stadium in Tunis.

Benzarti returned for his fourth spell in June as Jalel Kadri’s permanent successor after he too paid the price for the Eagles of Carthage’s early exit from the 2023 AFCON at the group stages.

In other matches happening around the continent, Malawi welcome Burundi to the Bingu National Stadium, Central African Republic host Lesotho at the Ben M’Hamed El Abdi Stadium, Guinea-Bissau entertain Eswatini at the Estadio 24 de Setembro and Congo face South Sudan at the Stade Alphonse Massemba-Debat.

Thursday’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying fixtures:

15h00: Malawi v Burundi

17h00: Central African Republic v Lesotho

18h00: Ghana v Angola

18h00: Guinea-Bissau v Eswatini

18h00: Congo v South Sudan

21h00: Tunisia v Madagascar

21h00: Algeria v Equatorial Guinea