Malawi beat Uganda to make Cup of Nations finals

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Malawi beat Uganda 1-0 in their final Group B qualifying match for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations – putting themselves through and sending the Cranes out.

Uganda only needed a draw from the game in Blantyre, but came away defeated thanks to Richard Mbulu’s 15th minute goal.

Instead it is Malawi who are celebrating making it to the finals in Cameroon in 2022 – only the third time they have ever qualified for the competition.

Uganda’s defeat caps a miserable run for east African countries in qualifying, with Kenya and Tanzania also missing out.

Burkina Faso finished with 12 points in the group after Aston Villa’s Bertrand Traore struck in the 49th minute to seal a 1-0 win over South Sudan in Ouagadougou.

Malawi were second on 10 points and Uganda third with eight. South Sudan lost five of their six qualifiers to finish bottom.

All of Monday’s other qualifiers had no bearing on qualification but settled the placings in several groups.

Mohamed Salah scored twice in Egypt as they beat Comoros 4-0 to finish the campaign unbeaten. Mohamed Elneny and Mohamed Sherif also scored for Egypt.

Both countries had already gone through from Group G with Comoros qualifying for the first time. Kenya finished third as they won with a 2-1 win in Togo.

Defending champions Algeria extended their unbeaten run to 24 matches as they topped Group H with a 5-0 win over Botswana which included a penalty from Riyad Mahrez. Algeria finished the campaign with 19 goals in six games.

Patson Daka scored twice to guide Zambia to a 2-0 triumph over Zimbabwe in Harare.Zimbabwe had already booked their place, with 2012 African champions Zambia missing out on the finals.

Gabon and The Gambia, who advanced from Group D, both lost their final outings as Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo won back some pride after failing to qualify.

Gabon, without captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang by arrangement with Arsenal, were beaten 2-0 by Angola in Luanda while DR Congo edged The Gambia 1-0.