AFCON 2027 qualifiers: The 5 best players of matchday 2

01.10.26 FT AFCON - Africa Cup of Nations

Guinea

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Kenya

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The second matchday of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers has just come to an end. Guinea-Bissau and Gambia caused an upset by beating Nigeria (3-0) and Ghana (4-2), respectively. Some players shone to the extent of carrying their national teams on their shoulders.

Here is a look back at the top five players of the second matchday.

Omar Marmoush (Egypt)

With Mohamed Salah absent because of the artificial turf on which the South Sudan–Egypt match was played, Omar Marmoush led the Egyptian attack. The Tottenham winger repaid Hossam Hassan's faith in him by scoring twice (49th, 83rd), contributing to the Pharaohs' emphatic win (0-5).

The former Manchester City player was so effective and influential in the game that he received a 10/10 rating from Sofascore. He was replaced by Hamza Abdelkarim (87th), and the Barcelona wonderkid did not disappoint either, sealing the scoreline in stoppage time.

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Marmoush now has 13 goals in 57 appearances for Egypt, having not scored since the friendly against Saudi Arabia (0-4) last March.

Rodolfo Aloko (Benin)

Starting on the right wing in Gernot Rohr's 4-2-3-1 formation, Rodolfo Aloko gave Benin their first-ever qualifying victory against Mauritania (2-1). The Charlotte winger struck twice (36th, 41st) to punish the Mourabitounes.

These were only his first two goals for the national team since his debut against Morocco in June 2025 (11 appearances). Replaced by Matteo Ahlinvi (87th), he logically received the highest rating of the match (9.3).

Ebrima Colley (Gambia)

The Scorpions can thank Ebrima Colley, a key figure in their impressive victory over Ghana (4-2). Coming on for Abdoulie Sanyang Bamba (59th) after the latter was injured, the Konyaspor right winger, on loan from BSC Young Boys, delivered when it mattered by scoring twice, turning a 2-2 scoreline into 4-2.

Capped 31 times (5 goals), he has now joined Zimbabwe sensation Marshall Munetsi at the top of the goalscoring charts.

Hazem Mastouri (Tunisia)

Tunisia once again disappointed by drawing 2-2 with Botswana at home. Amid this complete collapse, one player stood out and was applauded by the supporters at the end of the match, unlike his teammates. It was Hazem Mastouri, who scored both goals for the Carthage Eagles.

The new Espérance Sportive de Tunis striker sent a strong message to Mouine Chaâbani, who can rely on him up front to turn things around and secure qualification during the remainder of the qualifiers.

Mama Baldé (Guinea-Bissau)

Guinea-Bissau captain Mama Baldé was one of the key figures in the victory over Nigeria (3-0). The Stade Brestois 29 striker scored his team's second goal in the 66th minute to give them a more comfortable finish to the match.

Sofascore gave him a rating of 7.9 for his fine performance. The 30-year-old now has 8 goals in 37 appearances for the « Os Djurtus ».

Imed Ben Amara |

Editorar, fr

Imed Ben Amara - bilingual sports writer and web editor with experience in football content creation. Since 2021, he has contributed to Foot Africa, providing news coverage and analysis.

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