JOHANNESBURG: A scrappy goal by Omaatla Kebatho proved priceless as it gave minnows Botswana a shock 1-1 draw away to seven-time champions Egypt on Tuesday, and 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualification.
Mozambique won 2-1 in Guinea-Bissau and hosts Tanzania edged Guinea 1-0 to also secure places at the biennial African football showpiece, which Morocco will stage from December 21 next year.
The other 21 places had been taken before the final 13 qualifiers were played on Tuesday, and four-time winners Ghana will be the shock absentees after finishing last in Group F.
Needing a point to ensure qualification from Group C, Botswana seemingly stood little chance of achieving that goal in Cairo against Egypt, 110 places higher in the world rankings.
Although lacking resting captain Mohamed Salah, already-qualified Egypt would have been confident of finishing with a victory having won 4-0 in Botswana two months ago.
But, after initial pressure from Egypt, Botswana took a shock lead on eight minutes when a Kabelo Seakanyeng shot struck the body and head of Kebatho before landing in the net.
After appealing in vain for handball, Egypt equalised seven minutes later when stand-in skipper Mahmoud 'Trezeguet' Hassan scored with a low shot from outside the area.
It was one-way traffic toward the Botswana goalmouth thereafter with the home team having 30 goal attempts while the visiting side managed just four.
But Botswana held firm, watched by their South Africa-born caretaker coach Morena Ramoreboli, to secure a second AFCON appearance 12 years after first achieving the feat.
Egypt finished with 14 points, Botswana eight, Mauritania seven and Cape Verde four. Cape Verde fared surprisingly poorly after reaching the 2024 AFCON quarter-finals last February.
Mozambique bounced back after a home loss to Group I winners Mali by winning in Bissau thanks to goals from Bruno Langa and Stanley Ratifo.
Langa scored with a long-range drive and Beto levelled close to half-time when his header exposed a Mozambican weakness when defending set-pieces.
Another headed goal following a corner, this time from Ratifo, put Mozambique ahead again and they retained the lead to achieve back-to-back AFCON qualifications for only the second time.
Nene Dorgeles from Austrian club Salzburg scored a hat-trick as Mali trounced Eswatini 6-0 in Bamako to top the table with 14 points. Mozambique had 11, Guinea-Bissau five and Eswatini two.
Veteran Simon Msuva was the toast of Tanzania after they rose above Guinea to finish second in Group H thanks to his headed goal on 61 minutes in Dar es Salaam.
The home team then contained star Guinea striker Serhou Guirassy to reach successive AFCON tournaments for the first time.
In the same group, bottom team Ethiopia shocked 2024 AFCON semi-finalists the Democratic Republic of Congo 2-1 in Kinshasa with Mohammednur Nasir snatching a 96th-minute winner.
After four victories in September and October guaranteed qualification, this was a second loss in four days for the Congolese.
DR Congo accumulated 12 points, Tanzania 10, Guinea nine and Ethiopia four. The Congolese last won the AFCON 50 years ago when the vast central African country was called Zaire.
African nations now switch their attention back to 2026 World Cup qualifying with double rounds set for March, September and October. There will also be play-offs in November.
The AFCON tournament will be spread over two years for the first time. It kicks off on December 21, 2025, and concludes on January 18, 2026.