African 2026 World Cup Qualifiers: Key Insights and Notable Performances After Matchday Six Salah Leads the Goal-Scoring Charts Egyptian captain and Liverpool star Mohamed Salah has been in scintillating form in the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, emerging as the top scorer so far with six goals. The 32-year-old forward kicked off his campaign in style, netting four goals in Egypt’s commanding 6-0 victory over Djibouti on matchday one. He later found the back of the net in crucial away fixtures against **Guinea-Bissau and Ethiopia**, strengthening Egypt’s position as one of the favorites to qualify. Meanwhile, Algerian striker Mohamed Amoura, who plays for Wolfsburg, showcased his scoring prowess with a hat-trick in Algeria’s 5-1 demolition of Mozambique on matchday six. With five goals to his name, Amoura now shares second place in the goal-scoring charts alongside five other players. Upsets and Surprises in Group C Group C, featuring South Africa, Rwanda, Benin, Nigeria, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe, has proven to be one of the most unpredictable sections of the African qualifiers, delivering several stunning results: - Lesotho held Nigeria to a surprising 1-1 draw in Uyo. - Rwanda capitalized on adverse weather conditions, mastering a rain-soaked pitch to **defeat South Africa at home. - Benin staged an impressive comeback to beat Nigeria, further complicating the Super Eagles' qualification hopes. - In another shocking result, Zimbabwe’s Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Tawanda Chirewa scored a dramatic stoppage-time equalizer, securing a 1-1 draw against Nigeria, further denting their progress. With four matchdays remaining, Group C remains wide open, with no clear favorite yet to secure automatic qualification. Most Common Scorelines and Rare Big Wins Across the 151 matches played so far in the qualifiers, 1-0 has been the most frequent result, occurring 33 times. The next most common scorelines have been 2-1 and 2-0, with 21 matches each ending in those results. Draws have also been prevalent, with 19 games ending 1-1 and 15 finishing goalless (0-0). Blowout victories have been relatively rare, but there have been a few dominant performances, including: - Ivory Coast's record-breaking 9-0 thrashing of Seychelles, the most one-sided result of the qualifiers so far. - Three matches ending in 5-0 victories and two finishing 6-0 and 5-1 highlighting occasional one-sided encounters. Top Seeds Living Up to Expectations The tournament's top-seeded teams have largely justified their rankings, with five out of ten leading their respective groups: - Egypt, Morocco, Ivory Coast, Algeria, and Tunisia currently occupy first place in their respective groups. - Cameroon and Senegal, two of Africa’s football powerhouses, are in second place, trailing Cape Verde and DR Congo by a single point. - Mali and Nigeria, however, are struggling. Both teams sit in fourth place, lagging six points behind group leaders Ghana and South Africa, respectively. With four more matchdays to go (two in September and two in October), the qualification race remains highly competitive. Morocco’s Perfect Record Among the 52 teams still in contention, Morocco is the only side to maintain a 100% winning record, having won all five of their matches so far. The 2022 World Cup semi-finalists have displayed their dominance with victories over: - Tanzania (twice) – 2-0 - Zambia – 2-1 - Congo Brazzaville – 6-0 - Niger – 2-1 Interestingly, Morocco played two of their "away" matches at home, as Congo Brazzaville and Niger opted to shift their games to Moroccan soil. Niger’s decision was due to the lack of a FIFA-approved stadium, while Congo’s reasons remain unclear. Looking Ahead With the final four rounds of the group stage scheduled for September and October, teams will be making their final push for qualification. While favorites like Morocco and Egypt continue to impress, struggles from teams like Nigeria and unexpected upsets in Group C have added excitement to the qualification campaign. The battle for Africa’s automatic World Cup spots remains intense, promising more drama in the coming months.