By Satish Sekar © Satish Sekar (August 4^th 2025)

Group C

Morocco lead Kenya on goal difference in Group A after the first round of matches – Avram Grant’s Zambia has yet to play its first match in Nairobi – the Democratic Republic of Congo lead Angola on goal difference. Meanwhile Tanzania head Group B with Madagascar and Mauritania trailing the Taifa Stars by two points. Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic, who have yet to play, have yet to win a point.

Group C opened in Kampala’s Nelson Mandela Stadium. Guinea beat Niger 1-0 in the opening fixture of the group. They had a second half goal initially disallowed for offside before VAR overturned the decision, allowing Mohamed Bangoura close-range strike, which sealed the win two minutes into the second half. Guinea topped Group C briefly.

Co-hosts Uganda faced Majid Boughera’s Algeria in the second match in Kampala. Algeria won 3-0 to top Group C. South Africa had yet to start their campaign. Ayoub Ghezala silenced the partisan crowd after 36 minutes wit the opening goal, a header into the ground – the defending was woeful. Abderrahmane Meziane doubled their lead after 76 minutes with a left-footed shot from inside the area – the defending was statuesque – and Sofiane Bayazid made it 3-0 three minutes later. The Ugandan defending on all three goals left much to be desired. The co-hosts sit firmly rooted at the bottom of Group C.