2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF first round

The first round of CAF matches for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification was played from 7 to 17 October 2015.^[1]

Format

A total of 26 teams (teams ranked 28–53 in the CAF entrant list) played home-and-away over two legs. The 13 winners advanced to the second round.

Seeding

The draw for the first round was held as part of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Preliminary Draw on 25 July 2015, starting 18:00 MSK (UTC+3), at the Konstantinovsky Palace in Strelna, Saint Petersburg, Russia.^[2][3][4]

The seeding was based on the FIFA World Rankings of July 2015 (shown in parentheses).^[5] The 26 teams are seeded into two pots:

• Pot 4 contained the teams ranked 1–13 (i.e., 28–40 in the CAF entrant list).
• Pot 5 contained the teams ranked 14–26 (i.e., 41–53 in the CAF entrant list).

Each tie contained a team from Pot 4 and a team from Pot 5, with the team from Pot 4 hosting the second leg.

Note: Bolded teams qualified for the second round.

Pot 4	Pot 5
Niger (96)  Ethiopia (101)  Malawi (108)  Sierra Leone (111)  Namibia (114)  Kenya (116)  Botswana (120)  Madagascar (122)  Mauritania (128)  Burundi (131)  Lesotho (131)  Guinea-Bissau (133)  Swaziland (138)	Tanzania (139)  Gambia (143)  Liberia (161)  Central African Republic (170)  Chad (173)  Mauritius (180)  Seychelles (186)  Comoros (187)  São Tomé and Príncipe (189)  South Sudan (195)  Eritrea (204)  Somalia (205)  Djibouti (207)

Matches

Team 1	Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score	Team 2	1st leg	2nd leg
Somalia	0–6	Niger	0–2	0–4
South Sudan	1–5	Mauritania	1–1	0–4
Gambia	2–3	Namibia	1–1	1–2
São Tomé and Príncipe	1–3	Ethiopia	1–0	0–3
Chad	2–2 (a)	Sierra Leone	1–0	1–2
Comoros	1–1 (a)	Lesotho	0–0	1–1
Djibouti	1–8	Swaziland	0–6	1–2
Eritrea	1–5	Botswana	0–2	1–3
Seychelles	0–3	Burundi	0–1	0–2
Liberia	4–2	Guinea-Bissau	1–1	3–1
Central African Republic	2–5	Madagascar	0–3	2–2
Mauritius	2–5	Kenya	2–5	0–0
Tanzania	2–1	Malawi	2–0	0–1

Somalia	0–2	Niger
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Maâzou 58', 61' (pen.)

9 October 2015 (2015-10-09)

15:30 UTC+3

Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa (Ethiopia)^{[note 1]}

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Haithem Kossaï (Tunisia)

Niger	4–0	Somalia
Cissé 13', 67' Maâzou 18', 32'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

16:00 UTC+1

Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey

Attendance: 7,000

Referee: Falou Galasse Kane (Senegal)

Niger won 6–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Cameroon.

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South Sudan	1–1[note 2]	Mauritania
Abui Pretino 5'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Bagili 3'

7 October 2015 (2015-10-07)

16:30 UTC+3

Juba Stadium, Juba

Attendance: 10,000

Referee: Rajab Bakasambe (Uganda)

Mauritania	4–0	South Sudan
Ahmed 3' Bagili 61' M. Samba 84' Diakité 90+2'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

17:00 UTC±0

Stade Olympique, Nouakchott

Attendance: 9,000

Referee: Fidel Gomes (Guinea-Bissau)

Mauritania won 5–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Tunisia.

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Gambia	1–1	Namibia
Jammeh 78'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Stephanus 61'

9 October 2015 (2015-10-09)

17:00 UTC±0

Independence Stadium, Bakau

Attendance: 12,000

Referee: Ousmane Karembe (Mali)

Namibia	2–1	Gambia
Stephanus 42' Somaeb 64'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Dibba 9'

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

16:00 UTC+2

Sam Nujoma Stadium, Windhoek

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Joshua Bondo (Botswana)

Namibia won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Guinea.

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São Tomé and Príncipe	1–0	Ethiopia
Leal 86'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

8 October 2015 (2015-10-08)

15:00 UTC±0

Estádio Nacional 12 de Julho, São Tomé

Attendance: 4,550

Referee: Alhadi Mahamat (Chad)

Ethiopia	3–0	São Tomé and Príncipe
Fekadu 1' Panom 47' (pen.) Lok 74'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

11 October 2015 (2015-10-11)

16:00 UTC+3

Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa

Attendance: 23,840

Referee: Jean Claude Ishimwe (Rwanda)

Ethiopia won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Congo.

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Chad	1–0	Sierra Leone
Djimrangar 47'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

10 October 2015 (2015-10-10)

15:30 UTC+1

Stade Omnisports Idriss Mahamat Ouya, N'Djamena

Attendance: 2,664

Referee: Kokou Fagla (Togo)

Sierra Leone	2–1	Chad
Kamara 70' Sesay 81'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Djimrangar 45+2'

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

15:00 UTC+1

Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Port Harcourt (Nigeria)^{[note 3]}

Attendance: 100

Referee: Aboubacar Bangoura (Guinea)

2–2 on aggregate. Chad won on the away goals rule and advanced to the second round against Egypt.

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Comoros	0–0	Lesotho
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

7 October 2015 (2015-10-07)

15:00 UTC+3

Stade de Moroni, Moroni

Attendance: 2,800

Referee: Andofetra Rakotojaona (Madagascar)

Lesotho	1–1	Comoros
Seturumane 18'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	M'Changama 70'

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

18:00 UTC+2

Setsoto Stadium, Maseru

Attendance: 480

Referee: Samuel Chirindza (Mozambique)

1–1 on aggregate. Comoros won on the away goals rule and advanced to the second round against Ghana.

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Djibouti	0–6	Swaziland
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Mkhontfo 45' Ndzinisa 61' S. Dlamini 74' Hlatjwako 76' T. Tsabedze 83' Lukhele 84'

9 October 2015 (2015-10-09)

16:00 UTC+3

Stade National El-Hadj Hassan Gouled Aptidon, Djibouti

Attendance: 10,050

Referee: Pacifique Ndabihawenimana (Burundi)

Swaziland	2–1	Djibouti
Hlatjwako 7', 38'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Liban 21'

17 October 2015 (2015-10-17)^{[note 4]}

16:00 UTC+2

Somhlolo National Stadium, Lobamba

Attendance: 2,141

Referee: Ganesh Chutooree (Mauritius)

Swaziland won 8–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Nigeria.

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Eritrea	0–2	Botswana
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Moyana 22' Mogorosi 64'

10 October 2015 (2015-10-10)

16:00 UTC+3

Cicero Stadium, Asmara

Attendance: 9,950

Referee: Ibrahim Nour El Din (Egypt)

Botswana	3–1	Eritrea
Ngele 15', 79' Mogorosi 21'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Goitom 9'

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

20:00 UTC+2

Francistown Stadium, Francistown

Attendance: 15,073

Referee: Nelson Fred (Seychelles)

Botswana won 5–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Mali. ^{[note 5]}

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Seychelles	0–1	Burundi
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Abdul Razak 15'

7 October 2015 (2015-10-07)

16:30 UTC+4

People's Stadium, Roche Caiman

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Lemma Nigussie (Ethiopia)

Burundi	2–0	Seychelles
Abdul Razak 71' (pen.), 81'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

15:00 UTC+2

Prince Louis Rwagasore Stadium, Bujumbura

Attendance: 6,095

Referee: Hafiz Abdelghani Alamen (Sudan)

Burundi won 3–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against DR Congo.

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Liberia	1–1	Guinea-Bissau
Jebor 35' (pen.)	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Baldé 62'

8 October 2015 (2015-10-08)

16:00 UTC±0

Antoinette Tubman Stadium, Monrovia

Attendance: 10,100

Referee: Fabrício Duarte (Cape Verde)

Guinea-Bissau	1–3	Liberia
Cassamá 45+2'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Jebor 9', 12', 90+5'

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

16:00 UTC±0

Estádio 24 de Setembro, Bissau

Attendance: 12,000

Referee: Ferdinand Udoh (Nigeria)

Liberia won 4–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Ivory Coast.

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Central African Republic	0–3	Madagascar
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Rabeson 26' Rakotoharimalala 39' Paul 66'

10 October 2015 (2015-10-10)

14:30 UTC+3

Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo (Madagascar)^{[note 6]}

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Jean-Jacques Ndala Ngambo (DR Congo)

Madagascar	2–2	Central African Republic
Ramanamahefa 18' Andrianantenaina 37'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Dagoulou 7' Malick 45+1'

13 October 2015 (2015-10-13)

14:30 UTC+3

Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, Antananarivo

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Daniel Bennett (South Africa)

Madagascar won 5–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Senegal.

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Mauritius	2–5	Kenya
Sophie 67' (pen.) Bru 78'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)	Omolo 19', 82' Masika 23' Shakava 49' Olunga 87'

7 October 2015 (2015-10-07)

18:30 UTC+4

Anjalay Stadium, Belle Vue Harel

Attendance: 2,300

Referee: Duncan Lengani (Malawi)

Kenya	0–0	Mauritius
	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

11 October 2015 (2015-10-11)

16:00 UTC+3

Moi International Sports Centre, Nairobi

Attendance: 10,000

Referee: Mandeng Cosmas (Cameroon)

Kenya won 5–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Cape Verde.

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Tanzania	2–0	Malawi
Samatta 19' Ulimwengu 23'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

7 October 2015 (2015-10-07)

16:00 UTC+3

Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium, Dar es Salaam

Attendance: 11,474

Referee: Hagi Wiish (Somalia)

Malawi	1–0	Tanzania
Banda 42'	Report (FIFA) Report (CAF)

11 October 2015 (2015-10-11)

14:00 UTC+2

Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre

Attendance: 7,656

Referee: Hélder Martins de Carvalho (Angola)

Tanzania won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round against Algeria.

Goalscorers

There were 68 goals scored in 26 matches, for an average of 2.62 goals per match.

4 goals

• William Jebor
• Moussa Maâzou

3 goals

• Fiston Abdul Razak
• Sandile Hlatjwako

2 goals

• Joel Mogorosi
• Mogakolodi Ngele
• Léger Djimrangar
• Johanna Omolo
• Boubacar Bagili
• Willy Stephanus
• Mahamane Cissé

1 goal

• Galabgwe Moyana
• Eudes Dagoulou
• Demba Malick
• Mohamed M'Changama
• Mohamed Liban
• Henok Goitom
• Dawit Fekadu
• Ramkel Lok
• Gatoch Panom
• Pa Dibba
• Abdou Jammeh
• Amido Baldé
• Ibraime Cassamá
• Ayub Masika
• Michael Olunga
• Haron Shakava
• Tsepo Seturumane
• Abel Andrianantenaina
• Johann Paul
• Michael Rabeson
• Njiva Rakotoharimalala
• Falimery Ramanamahefa
• John Banda
• Cheikh Moulaye Ahmed
• Ismaël Diakité
• Moussa Samba
• Jonathan Bru
• Andy Sophie
• Hendrik Somaeb
• Luís Leal
• Alhaji Kamara
• Abdul Sesay
• Dominic Abui Pretino
• Saneliso Dlamini
• Mxolisi Lukhele
• Mthunzi Mkhontfo
• Sabelo Ndzinisa
• Tony Tsabedze
• Mbwana Samatta
• Thomas Ulimwengu

Notes

1. Somalia played their home leg in Ethiopia due to the Somali Civil War.
2. The South Sudan v Mauritania match was suspended after 10 minutes due to torrential rain, with the score 1–1 at the time. The match was resumed on 8 October 2015, 11:00 UTC+3.^[6]
3. Sierra Leone played their home leg in Nigeria due to the Western African Ebola virus epidemic.
4. Swaziland v Djibouti were to originally kick off on 13 October 2015, 19:00 UTC+3, but has been postponed to 17 October 2015, due to the inability of Djibouti's national team to arrive on time for the game.^[7]
5. After the Eritrea-Botswana match, ten Eritrea players refused to return home and sought asylum in Botswana.^[8]
6. The Central African Republic played their home leg in Madagascar due to the Central African Republic Civil War.^[9]