2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification

Qualified teams

Format

The qualifying draw was supposed to take place in Morocco on 10 March 2013 during CAF General Assembly. However, the CAF Executive Committee decided on 8 March 2013 that the qualifying draw would be held on 31 January 2014 in South Africa in line with the 2014 African Nations Championship. However, on 28 January 2014, the draw date was reported to have changed once again. The qualifying draw was held on 27 April 2014 in Cairo, Egypt (with the exception of the preliminary round which was held on 21 February 2014 in Cairo).

A total of 51 teams entered the qualification matches (Djibouti and Somalia did not enter). After the CAF Executive Committee meeting on 24 January 2014, it was decided that the qualifiers shall be played in the format of several qualifying rounds, as well as a group stage with seven groups consisting of four teams each. The two top teams of each group then directly qualify for the finals, along with the best third place team of the seven groups. This was different from the original proposal, which consisted of a preliminary round followed by a group stage with twelve groups of four teams.

The top 21 teams listed in the CAF Ranking shall automatically qualify for the group stage. The seven other teams playing in the group stage shall be determined following the conclusion of the qualifying rounds. The ranking is computed using the teams' results in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals (weighted by 3) and qualifiers, the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals (weighted by 2) and qualifiers (weighted by 0.5), the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals, and the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. If tied on points, the tiebreaker is decided by the results of the latest editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Below are the ranking of the 51 teams that entered the qualification matches:

Schedule

The schedule of the competition was as follows.

Qualifying rounds

In each of the qualifying rounds, teams were drawn into knock-out ties. Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away two-legged basis. If the sides were level on aggregate after the second leg, the away goals rule was applied, and if still level, the tie proceeded directly to a penalty shoot-out (no extra time was played).

Preliminary round

The draw for the preliminary round was held at the CAF Executive Committee on 21 February 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The four teams ranked 48–51 played in this round.

On 30 March 2014, Eritrea withdrew from the preliminary round of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, likely due to a rising number of the Eritrean national team players defecting from Eritrea during away matches.

|}

Bessam Mauritania won 3–0 on aggregate and advanced to the first round.

South Sudan advanced to the first round after Eritrea, who have a history of their players defecting whilst on international duty, withdrew.

First round

The draw for the first round was held on 27 April 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The 26 teams ranked 22–47 and the two winners of the preliminary round played in this round. Teams ranked 22–35 were seeded, and teams ranked 36–47 and the two winners of the preliminary round were unseeded.

|}

Jetoh Lesotho won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Kenya won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Andriamatsinoro 2–2 on aggregate. Uganda won on the away goals rule and advanced to the second round.

Rivas Dio Equatorial Guinea won 3–1 on aggregate. However, on 3 July 2014, the CAF announced that Equatorial Guinea were disqualified for fielding the ineligible player Thierry Fidjeu in the tie, and as a result, Mauritania advanced to the second round. Equatorial Guinea later qualified for the final tournament as replacement hosts.

Doré Douniama Congo won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Rwanda won 3–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Botswana won 1–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Kassaï Guinea-Bissau won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Sierra Leone won 2–1 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Seychelles advanced to the second round after Gambia were suspended from all CAF competitions for two years for deliberately fielding overage players in the 2015 African U-20 Championship qualification match against Liberia.

Sessègnon Benin won 4–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Ninga 3–3 on aggregate. Malawi won on the away goals rule and advanced to the second round.

Katsande Ulimwengu Tanzania won 3–2 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Mexer Sonito Isac Mozambique won 5–0 on aggregate and advanced to the second round.

Second round

The draw for the second round was held on 27 April 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The 14 winners of the first round played in this round.

|}

Lesotho won 1–0 on aggregate and advanced to Group C.

Massa Uganda won 3–0 on aggregate and advanced to Group E.

Doré Kagere Mbaraga Kagere Bayisenge Niyonzima Sibomana N'Dinga Ganvoula Bifouma Lépicier Lakolo 2–2 on aggregate. Rwanda won the penalty shoot-out. However, on 17 August 2014, the CAF announced that Rwanda were disqualified for fielding the ineligible player Daddy Birori in the tie, as it emerged that Birori had been using a different name and a Congolese passport when playing for his club side, AS Vita. As a result, Congo advanced to Group A.

Botswana won 3–1 on aggregate and advanced to Group G.

U. Bangura Sierra Leone advanced to Group D after Seychelles withdrew. Seychelles were forced to forfeit after the Sierra Leone team was barred by the Seychelles immigration authorities from entering the country to play the second leg for fears over the West African Ebola virus epidemic.

Msowoya Mzava Malata Mama Angan Barazé Adénon 1–1 on aggregate. Malawi won the penalty shoot-out and advanced to Group B.

Isac Domingues Mozambique won 4–3 on aggregate and advanced to Group F.

Group stage

The draw for the group stage was held on 27 April 2014 at Cairo, Egypt. The 21 teams ranked 1–21 and the seven winners of the second round played in this round. Teams ranked 1–7 were seeded into Pot 1, teams ranked 8–14 were seeded into Pot 2, teams ranked 15–21 were seeded into Pot 3, and the seven winners of the second round were seeded into Pot 4. The 28 teams were drawn into seven groups of four, with each group containing one team from each pot. Each group was played on a home-and-away round-robin basis. The winners and runners-up of each group, plus the best third-placed team, qualified for the finals.

Tiebreakers ;Tiebreakers The teams were ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers were applied in the following order:

1. Number of points obtained in games between the teams concerned;
2. Goal difference in games between the teams concerned;
3. Goals scored in games between the teams concerned;
4. Away goals scored in games between the teams concerned;
5. If, after applying criteria 1 to 4 to several teams, two teams still had an equal ranking, criteria 1 to 4 were reapplied exclusively to the matches between the two teams in question to determine their final rankings. If this procedure did not lead to a decision, criteria 6 to 9 applied;
6. Goal difference in all games;
7. Goals scored in all games;
8. Away goals scored in all games;
9. Drawing of lots.

Group A

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group A

Group B

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group B

Group C

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group C

Group D

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group D

Group E

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group E

Group F

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group F

Group G

Main article: 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualification Group G

Ranking of third-placed teams

Goalscorers

;6 goals

• BFA Jonathan Pitroipa

;5 goals

• GUI Seydouba Soumah

;4 goals

• BEN Stéphane Sessègnon
• CMR Vincent Aboubakar
• CIV Salomon Kalou
• RSA Tokelo Rantie
• UGA Geofrey Massa

;3 goals

• ALG Yacine Brahimi
• CMR Clinton N'Jie
• CGO Férébory Doré
• GAB Malick Evouna
• EGY Mohamed Salah
• GHA Asamoah Gyan
• MOZ Domingues
• COD Jeremy Bokila
• RWA Daddy Birori

;2 goals

• ALG Riyad Mahrez
• BOT Joel Mogorosi
• BOT Lemponye Tshireletso
• CPV Héldon
• CPV Zé Luís
• CHA Ezechiel N'Douassel
• CGO Thievy Bifouma
• CGO Prince Oniangue
• COD Yannick Bolasie
• COD Cédric Mongongu
• ETH Getaneh Kebede
• ETH Oumed Oukri
• GAB Lévy Madinda
• GAB Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
• GHA Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu
• GHA André Ayew
• GUI Ibrahima Traoré
• GNB Cícero
• GUI Idrissa Sylla
• CIV Gervinho
• CIV Max Gradel
• CIV Yaya Touré
• LES Tsepo Seturumane
• MWI Gabadinho Mhango
• MWI Atusaye Nyondo
• MLI Bakary Sako
• MLI Mustapha Yatabaré
• MOZ Isac
• MOZ Josemar
• MOZ Sonito
• NIG Moctar Yacouba
• NGA Sone Aluko
• NGA Ahmed Musa
• NGA Aaron Samuel Olanare
• SEN Sadio Mané
• SLE Umaru Bangura
• RSA Bongani Ndulula
• RSA Sibusiso Vilakazi
• SEN Papiss Cissé
• SEN Mame Biram Diouf
• SEN Kara Mbodj
• SEN Moussa Sow
• SDN Salah Ibrahim
• TAN Khamis Mcha
• TOG Emmanuel Adebayor
• TUN Yassine Chikhaoui
• TUN Wahbi Khazri

;1 goal

• ALG Sofiane Feghouli
• ALG Rafik Halliche
• ALG Carl Medjani
• ALG Djamel Mesbah
• ALG Islam Slimani
• ALG Hillal Soudani
• ANG Ary Papel
• ANG Bastos
• ANG Djalma Campos
• ANG Love
• BEN Frédéric Gounongbé
• BOT Jerome Ramatlhakwane
• BFA Aristide Bancé
• BFA Alain Traoré
• CMR Léonard Kweuke
• CMR Stéphane Mbia
• CPV Odaïr Fortes
• CPV Kuca
• CPV Ryan Mendes
• CPV Garry Rodrigues
• CPV Júlio Tavares
• CTA Foxi Kéthévoama
• CHA Rodrigue Ninga
• COM Yacine Saandi
• CGO Ladislas Douniama
• CGO Césaire Gandzé
• CGO Sylvère Ganvoula
• CGO Francis N'Ganga
• COD Junior Kabananga
• COD Neeskens Kebano
• COD Firmin Ndombe Mubele
• EGY Mohamed Elneny
• EGY Amr Gamal
• EQG Dio
• EQG Mauricio Mina
• EQG César Augusto Rivas
• ETH Abebaw Butako
• ETH Saladin Said
• ETH Yussuf Saleh
• GAB Samson Mbingui
• GAB Johann Obiang
• GHA Christian Atsu
• GHA Mubarak Wakaso
• GHA Abdul Majeed Waris
• GUI Mohamed Yattara
• GNB Ansumane Faty
• CIV Wilfried Bony
• CIV Seydou Doumbia
• CIV Kolo Touré
• KEN Ayub Masika
• KEN Johanna Omolo
• LES Emmanuel Lekhanya
• LES Bushi Moletsane
• LES Mabuti Potloane
• LBR Anthony Laffor
• MAD Carolus Andriamatsinoro
• MAD Faneva Imà Andriatsima
• MWI Frank Banda
• MWI John Banda
• MWI Essau Kanyenda
• MWI Robin Ngalande
• MWI Robert Ng'ambi
• MLI Cheick Diabaté
• MLI Abdoulay Diaby
• MLI Seydou Keita
• MLI Sambou Yatabaré
• MTN Adama Ba
• MTN Bessam
• MTN Ismaël Diakité
• MTN Demba Sow
• MOZ Diogo
• MOZ Kito
• MOZ Mexer
• MOZ Reginaldo
• NAM Rudolf Bester
• NIG Mahamane Cissé
• NIG Moussa Maâzou
• NGA Efe Ambrose
• NGA Gbolahan Salami
• NGA Ikechukwu Uche
• RWA Meddie Kagere
• RWA Michel Ndahinduka
• SEN Dame N'Doye
• SLE Moustapha Bangura
• SLE Khalifa Jabbie
• SLE Kei Kamara
• SLE Medo Kamara
• SLE Sulaiman Sesay-Fullah
• RSA Thulani Serero
• SDN Bakri Almadina
• SWZ Sidumo Shongwe
• TAN John Bocco
• TAN Nadir Haroub
• TAN Mbwana Samatta
• TAN Thomas Ulimwengu
• TOG Serge Akakpo
• TOG Floyd Ayité
• TOG Jonathan Ayité
• TOG Prince Segbefia
• TOG Donou Kokou
• TUN Fakhreddine Ben Youssef
• TUN Ferjani Sassi
• UGA Savio Kabugo
• UGA Hamis Kiiza
• UGA Brian Majwega
• UGA Tony Mawejje
• UGA Robert Ssentongo
• ZAM Rainford Kalaba
• ZAM Ronald Kampamba
• ZAM Emmanuel Mayuka
• ZAM Jacob Mulenga
• ZAM Kennedy Mweene
• ZAM Given Singuluma
• ZIM Willard Katsande
• ZIM Danny Phiri

;Own goal

• CTA Fernander Kassaï (playing against Guinea-Bissau)
• LES Tsoanelo Koetle (playing against Angola)
• LBR Prince Jetoh (playing against Lesotho)
• TOG Sadat Ouro-Akoriko (playing against Ghana)

Notes

References

References

1. "Regulations of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations". Confederation of African Football.
2. (11 November 2014). "CAF acknowledges Morocco's refusal to host ORANGE AFCON 2015 from January 17 to February 8". CAF.
3. (2015-04-05). "CAF to lift African Cup ban on Morocco".
4. (14 November 2014). "EQUATORIAL GUINEA DESIGNATED HOST COUNTRY OF ORANGE AFCON 2015". CAF.
5. (2014-11-14). "Africa Cup of Nations: Equatorial Guinea to host tournament".
6. link. kooora.com. (14 February 2013)
7. (10 March 2013). "AFCON 2015 draw to be held in the beginning of 2014". Cafonline.com.
8. (27 April 2014). "Elephants, Indomitable Lions handed tough draw". Cafonline.com.
9. (7 January 2014). "Huge entry for AFCON 2015 qualifiers". cafonline.com.
10. "Engagement 2015". cafonline.com.
11. (26 January 2014). "Decisions made by the CAF Executive Committee, convened January 24th 2014". Cafonline.com.
12. (16 May 2013). "Press Release following CAF EXCO May 2013 meetings". cafonline.com.
13. (24 February 2014). "Decisions of CAF Executive Committee on 21.02.2014". Cafonline.com.
14. "Classification for the designation of the seeded teams for the qualifiers of AFCON 2015". Cafonline.com.
15. "2014 Competitions Calendar". Cafonline.com.
16. (31 March 2014). "Eritrea Withdraws from CAN 2015".
17. (31 March 2014). "2015 Africa Cup of Nations: Eritrea withdraw from qualifiers".
18. (30 March 2014). "Eritrea withdraws from Nations Cup Qualification". Reuters.com.
19. (30 March 2014). "Eritrea withdraws from Can 2015". Cafonline.com.
20. (27 April 2014). "Result of draw of 1st round of qualifiers". Cafonline.com.
21. "Fixtures of the 1st round". Cafonline.com.
22. (26 April 2014). "Orange Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2015 draw procedure". Cafonline.com.
23. (3 July 2014). "Equatorial Guinea disqualified from Orange Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2015". Cafonline.com.
24. (3 May 2014). "Gambia suspended from all competitions for two years". Cafonline.com.
25. "Fixtures of the 2nd round". Cafonline.com.
26. (18 August 2014). "Rwanda banned from African Nations Cup over player with two identities".
27. (17 August 2014). "Rwanda disqualified, Congo qualify". Cafonline.com.
28. (31 July 2014). "Orange CAN 2015: Seychelles withdraws". Cafonline.com.
29. (31 July 2014). "Nations Cup 2015: Seychelles forced to forfeit". BBC Sport.
30. (27 April 2014). "Result of Final Round of qualifiers". Cafonline.com.
31. (27 April 2014). "Fixtures of the final round". Cafonline.com.