Cameroon's DR Congo defeated Zimbabwe, while Tunisia drew with Botswana in AFCON 2027 qualifiers
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Cameroon's DR Congo defeated Zimbabwe, while Tunisia drew with Botswana in AFCON 2027 qualifiers

Many important matches took place during the second round of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, including unexpected draws across Africa.

AFCON 2027 Qualifiers

On Monday evening in Radès, an interesting match took place between Tunisia and Botswana, which ended in a 2-2 draw. This match was part of the second day of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers.

The 'Falcons of Carthage' remain without wins in Group H after starting their campaign with a 1-1 draw against co-hosts Uganda. Botswana managed to equalize with the hosts, earning a valuable point away from home after the first draw against Libya.

Tayatone Kgamanyane gave the Zebras an unexpected lead in the 37th minute, but Tunisia responded thanks to Hazem Mostari, who scored twice before halftime, allowing the hosts to take the lead. Botswana showed great resilience by equalizing at the one-hour mark through Lebogang Ditsele, thus securing a point split.

This result puts Tunisia and Botswana on equal footing with two points in Group H, ahead of Tuesday's match between Uganda and Libya. In Group H, every point is extra valuable as Uganda has already guaranteed its spot in the final as a co-host alongside Kenya and Tanzania. Consequently, only teams finishing in the highest positions outside of Uganda will advance in the qualifiers.

Meanwhile, on Monday, DR Congo maintained an ideal start in Group E, securing a tight 2-1 victory over Zimbabwe in Harare. Yoan Vissa was the star of the match, scoring one goal and assisting Samuel Mutussami, while Marshall Munetsi scored a late goal for the hosts. DR Congo leads Group E with six points after two games.

In the same group, Equatorial Guinea achieved its first victory when Loren Zuniga scored in the first minute, securing a 1-0 win over Sierra Leone on a neutral field in Yaoundé. Following DR Congo (6 points) are Zimbabwe and Equatorial Guinea with three points, while Sierra Leone has yet to earn any points.

In Group F, Burkina Faso increased its tally to four points after defeating the Central African Republic 1-0 in Casablanca. Debutant Abubakar Kamara scored the decisive goal in his second senior appearance at the one-hour mark. Matches involving Mauritania (3 points) and Benin (1 point) concluded the second day in Abidjan on Tuesday.

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Former Scotland player calls Bafana defender Olwetu Mahanyi a model of quality
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Former Scotland player calls Bafana defender Olwetu Mahanyi a model of quality

Former Scotland national team player Alan Hutton highly praised the performance of Rangers defender Olwetu Mahanyi following his impressive debut for 'Bafana Bafana' and his bright play in Scotland.

According to Alan Hutton, a former Scotland international, Olwetu Mahanyi is a defender of the highest level. Mahanyi played for 'Bafana Bafana' for the first time under the management of Pitso Mosimane last weekend during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Guinea, which was held at Orlando Stadium with a score of 2-1.

The 22-year-old footballer demonstrated first-class play, partnering with Imeko Okon in defense. This was particularly important given that the renowned defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi could not participate in the match due to injury.

Hutton told IOL that 'Olwetu Mahanyi is a Rolls-Royce among defenders. He never looks like he is sweating.' The young player is currently attracting the attention of Scottish Premier League giants Rangers. Rangers signed Mahanyi in July, and he has already shown a series of outstanding performances that have not gone unnoticed.

Hutton added that, in his opinion, the player is constantly improving. 'I think he is on the rise. I would say that right now he is probably Rangers' best signing in terms of consistent quality that he demonstrates match after match.' He noted his high stability and excellent performance against Celtic, as well as his ability to play in a back three formation, which requires high precision in individual defense, and confidently attack by breaking through lines and making passes.

Hutton also hinted that despite the recent arrival of the South African star at Ibrox, he may soon attract the attention of bigger clubs. He concluded: 'The thing is, when you play at such a high level, you realize that other teams will naturally look at you. He has only just joined the club, but it feels like he will only get better. He has a fantastic start to his career at Rangers, and we hope he can continue in the same vein.'

Ashwin reveals untold story of Virat Kohli, including mimicking Bumrah
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Ashwin reveals untold story of Virat Kohli, including mimicking Bumrah

Virat Kohli, the former captain of the Indian team, is known for his aggressive style on the field, but he shows a different side in the Indian team dressing room. Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared a funny story involving Kohli and fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah.

R. Ashwin stated on his YouTube channel that during training sessions, Virat Kohli closely observed the small actions of his teammates and then imitated them to lighten the mood. He noted: 'If I was standing behind the nets with Virat during practice, he would say, 'Look how Bumrah moves his arms' or how he walks. Virat mimics a lot. If he sees someone doing something, he starts imitating it. He does it for a joke and trolls a lot. I really like this side of Virat.'

Ravichandran Ashwin also mentioned that the way he interacts with Virat Kohli has changed over time. Despite spending a long time together in the Indian squad, cricket is no longer the main topic of conversation when they talk on the phone. According to Ashwin, they both enjoy having casual conversations and gossiping about each other. He emphasized that all of this remains friendly humor and is not intended to humiliate anyone.

Ashwin added: 'Now, when we talk on the phone, it's not to teach or explain anything. We are just spending time. Neither of us likes talking about cricket to each other. We gossip and have fun, but we don't speak about anyone in an insulting way.'

Their friendship strengthened during the COVID-19 pandemic. According to R. Ashwin, the players had to stay together for a long time in a bio-bubble. This period gave them more time to get to know and understand each other outside of the field. Ashwin stated: 'We spent a lot of time together in the bubble during Covid. Our relationship improved then. After Covid, I also underwent big changes as a person, and my relationship with Virat became better. We spent a lot of time together and discussed a lot.'

Kohli and R. Ashwin have achieved outstanding success in Indian cricket. Kohli ranks second among batsmen who have scored the most runs for India, having accumulated 28,498 runs in 563 matches, including 86 centuries and 148 half-centuries. His best score is an unbeaten 254 runs. Sachin Tendulkar is the top batsman in India with 34,357 runs. Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma rank third and fourth, respectively, with 24,064 and 20,459 runs.

On the other hand, R. Ashwin is among India's most successful bowlers. He has taken 765 wickets in 287 matches and ranks second among Indian bowlers after Anil Kumble (953 wickets). Ashwin achieved a feat by taking five or more wickets in a match 37 times.

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