2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CAF third round
International football competition
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The third round of CAF matches for 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification was played from 7 October 2016 to 14 November 2017.
Dates7 October 2016 – 14 November 2017
Teams20 (from 1 confederation)
Matchesplayed61
Goals scored144 (2.36 per match)
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Dates | 7 October 2016 – 14 November 2017 |
| Teams | 20 (from 1 confederation) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 61 |
| Goals scored | 144 (2.36 per match) |
| Attendance | 1,773,205 (29,069 per match) |
| Top scorer(s) |  Mohamed Salah(5 goals) |
← 2014 2022 → | |
Format
A total of 20 teams which had advanced from the second round were drawn into five groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The winners of each group qualified for the 2018 FIFA World Cup.
Seeding
The draw for the third round was held on 24 June 2016, 17:00 EET (UTC+2), at the CAF headquarters in Cairo, Egypt.[1]
The seedings – initially released on 8 June 2016 – were based on a special edition of the FIFA World Rankings that included all matches up to 7 June 2016. This allowed the rankings to include results of the Africa Cup of Nations qualification games played between 3–5 June 2016.[2] However, following a complaint by the Egyptian Football Association, it was reported that a further special ranking would be used.[3] This seeding was released on 21 June.[4] Following further complaints,[5] the Emergency Bureau for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers reversed the change, and restored the initial special rankings.[6]
- Pot 1 contained the teams ranked 1–5.
- Pot 2 contained the teams ranked 6–10.
- Pot 3 contained the teams ranked 11–15.
- Pot 4 contained the teams ranked 16–20.
Each group contained one team from each of the four pots. The fixtures of each group were decided based on the respective draw position of each team, which was decided by drawing a ball with position numbers 1–4.[7]
Note: Bolded teams qualified for the World Cup.
| Pot 1 | Pot 2 | Pot 3 | Pot 4 |
|---|---|---|---|
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Groups
| 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification tiebreakers |
|---|
In league format, the ranking of teams in each group was based on the following criteria (regulations Articles 20.6 and 20.7):[8]
|
Group A
Tunisia  | 2–0 |  Guinea |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
| Guinea | 3–2 |  Libya |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
| Libya | 1–0 | Guinea |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Abou Coulibaly (Ivory Coast)
Attendance: 750
Referee: Malang Diedhiou (Senegal)
Group B
- FIFA awarded Algeria a 3–0 win as a result of Nigeria fielding the ineligible player Shehu Abdullahi, after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw. Abdullahi failed to serve a one-game ban after receiving two yellow cards in the qualifying competition.[9]
Algeria  | 1–1 |  Cameroon |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
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| Algeria | 0–1 |  Zambia |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
Nigeria  | 1–0 | Zambia |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
| Algeria | 3–0 Awarded[note 2] | Nigeria |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
| Zambia | 2–2 | Cameroon |
|---|---|---|
| Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
Group C
Ivory Coast  | 3–1 |  Mali |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
Morocco  | 3–0 |  Gabon |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
Group D
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |  |
 |
 |
 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Senegal |
6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 3 | +7 | 14 | Qualification to 2018 FIFA World Cup | — | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–1 | |
| 2 | Burkina Faso |
6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 10 | 6 | +4 | 9 | 2–2 | — | 4–0 | 1–1 | ||
| 3 | Cape Verde |
6 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 12 | −8 | 6 | 0–2 | 0–2 | — | 2–1 | ||
| 4 | South Africa |
6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 10 | −3 | 4 | 0–2[a] | 3–1 | 1–2 | — |
- FIFA ordered a replay of the original South Africa v Senegal match after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the lifetime ban of match referee Joseph Lamptey. Originally South Africa had defeated Senegal 2–1.[10]
| Burkina Faso | 1–1 | South Africa |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
| South Africa | Annulled[note 3] | Senegal |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
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| South Africa | 1–2 | Cape Verde |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
Group E
Congo  | 1–2 | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
Uganda  | 1–0 | Congo |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
| Uganda | 1–0 | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
Ghana  | 1–1 | Congo |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
| Congo | 1–1 | Uganda |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
| Ghana | 1–1 | Egypt |
|---|---|---|
|
Report (FIFA) Report (CAF) |
|
Goalscorers
There were 144 goals scored in 61 matches, for an average of 2.36 goals per match.
5 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
Yacine Brahimi
Banou Diawara- Alain Traoré
Vincent Aboubakar
Nuno Rocha- Garry Rodrigues
Cédric Bakambu- Jonathan Bolingi
- Neeskens Kebano
- Dieumerci Mbokani
- Ndombe Mubele
Abdallah El Said
Naby Keïta
Seydou Doumbia
Hakim Ziyech
Kelechi Iheanacho- Alex Iwobi
- John Obi Mikel
Cheikh N'Doye- Diafra Sakho
Percy Tau
Collins Mbesuma- Patson Daka
1 goal
- Nabil Bentaleb
- Hillal Soudani
- Issoufou Dayo
- Bertrand Traoré
- André-Frank Zambo Anguissa
- Benjamin Moukandjo
- Clinton N'Jie
- Franck Pangop
- Banana Yaya
Marvin Baudry- Thievy Bifouma
- Arnold Bouka Moutou
- Férébory Doré
- Vladis-Emmerson Illoy-Ayyet
- Yannick Bolasie
- Chancel Mbemba
- Paul-José M'Poku
- Shikabala
Mario Lemina- Axel Méyé
Edwin Gyasi- Alkhaly Bangoura
- Demba Camara
- Keita Karamokoba
- Seydouba Soumah
- Maxwel Cornet
- Gervinho
- Max Gradel
- Jonathan Kodjia
Hamdou Elhouni- Ali Elmusrati
- Motasem Sabbou
- Akram Zuway
Sambou Yatabaré- Fayçal Fajr
- Medhi Benatia
- Nabil Dirar
- Achraf Hakimi
- Mimoun Mahi
- Odion Ighalo
- John Ogu
- Moses Simon
- Keita Baldé
- Sadio Mané
- Kara Mbodji
- Opa Nguette
- Ismaïla Sarr
- Moussa Sow
- Dean Furman
- Thulani Hlatshwayo
- Andile Jali
- Tokelo Rantie
- Thulani Serero
- Sibusiso Vilakazi
- Themba Zwane
Aymen Abdennour- Anice Badri
- Mohamed Ben Amor
- Änis Ben-Hatira
- Ghailene Chaalali
- Wahbi Khazri
- Yassine Meriah
Milton Karisa- Farouk Miya
- Emmanuel Okwi
- Enock Mwepu
1 own goal
- Wilfred Moke (against Tunisia)
- Ousmane Sidibé (against DR Congo)
- Salif Coulibaly (against Ivory Coast)
- Thamsanqa Mkhize (against Senegal)
Notes
- FIFA awarded Algeria a 3–0 win as a result of Nigeria fielding the ineligible player Shehu Abdullahi, after the match had ended in a 1–1 draw. Abdullahi failed to serve a one-game ban after receiving two yellow cards in the qualifying competition.[9]
- On 6 September 2017, the Bureau for the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers annulled the result of the South Africa v Senegal match on 12 November 2016, and ordered that it be replayed within the November 2017 international window, which was confirmed by the Organising Committee for FIFA Competitions on 14 September 2017.[11] Originally, South Africa had defeated Senegal 2–1, but match referee Joseph Lamptey was banned for life by the FIFA Disciplinary Committee on 20 March 2017 for unlawfully influencing the match after issuing a penalty for handball against Senegal:[12] this decision was upheld by the FIFA Appeal Committee, and subsequently by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on 6 September 2017.[10]