Comoros have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) for the first time in their history.
Their qualification came after they picked up a point in a 0-0 draw with Togo at home on Thursday.
The final whistle drew wild celebrations in the stadium, with the players and coaches hugging, jumping and dancing.
This was as the reality of playing at Africa’s biggest competition dawned on them.
The result in Moroni sees Comoros move to nine points ahead of their final match against Egypt and this means the worst they can finish is second spot.
The islanders’ four points each against both Kenya and Togo coupled with the point at home against Egypt have seen them clinch a ticket to Cameroon.
Togo on the other hand have seen their qualification hopes dashed as they are bottom with just two points.
Egypt won the remaining qualification slot after picking a point against Kenya in the other group match in Nairobi.
The small island nation carried the dreams of an entire country.
Their first priority was ensuring they guarded their rear well and the first half did not have many goalscoring opportunities.
In the second period, Togo started stronger and they had two back-to-back chances, both falling to striker Ihlas Bebou.
First, in the 51st minute, the striker could not connect a Abou-Samiou Tchoutchoui cross from the right, his point-blank connection being blocked a few yards off goal.
Three minutes later, he was picked out with a brilliant cross from Richard Nane on the left, but the striker glanced his free header wide off target.
The two sides made changes, Togo going for an attacking mode with Ismail Ouro-Agoro coming in for Yayra Josue Doke.
Comoros brought in steel into their midfield, Fouad Bachirou coming in for Ahmed Mogni.
The home side was efficient in defending their rear and while Togo declined in their attack, the islanders sought to keep possession and knock the ball around the park.
Late on, they had a chance when substitute Youssouf Ibrohim raced on to a cross from the right.
But the Togolese goalkeeper spread his body nicely on the ground to block his connection.
Also, Gambia’s Scorpions qualified for AFCON for the first time ever after a slim 1-0 victory over Angola in Banjul on Thursday.
The victory sees Gambia move to 10 points with one round of matches left.
Assan Ceesay scored the lone goal for the Gambians in the 62nd minute to give the Gambians the vital victory.
The feat was another feather to their footballing caps after the recent performance of their Under-20 team in Mauritania.
Meanwhile, Gabon have also booked a ticket to Cameroon after a well worked 3-0 victory over DR Congo at the Stade de la Renovation de Franceville.
Aaron Boupendza, Denis Bouanga and skipper Pierre Emerick Aubameyang scored the goals for The Panthers.
Gabon duly went to the break one goal up after dominating play in the opening 45 minutes and creating most of the goalscoring chances.
Boupendza broke the deadlock for the Gabonese with their first shot on target.
They had been knocking on the DR Congo door from the onset, trying to get that vital goal that would spur them on.
In the eighth minute, Didier Ndong struck a brilliant shot from the edge of the area which went just wide off target, with the Congolese defense caught flat out.
They had another chance two minutes later when Pierre Emerick Aubameyang did well to cut back a cross from the right.
But Denis Bouanga’s low shot hit the outside of the post.
Bouanga, Aubameyang and Mario Lemina were causing all sorts of problems for the DR Congo backline, but that vital goal just never came through.
DR Congo came stronger in the second half as they knew getting a point in the tie will give them a chance in the final game of the group phase.
They had a chance four minutes after the break, but Ben Malango’s header from a Jordan Botaka cross went over.
They were however deflated in the 72nd minute when Bouanga broke the offside trap off an Aubameyang pass before hitting low past the goalkeeper.
Aubameyang had a goal for himself four minutes to the final whistle to seal Gabon’s place in Cameroon.
