Cape Verde, a west African island nation of fewer than 550,000 inhabitants, beat Cameroon 1-0 on Tuesday to strengthen hopes of playing at the World Cup for the first time.
The Blue Sharks need three points in October from matches away to Libya and at home to Eswatini to win Group D, which eight-time World Cup qualifiers Cameroon had been expected to dominate.
Italy-based Dailon Livramento, a 24-year-old forward born in Rotterdam to Cape Verdean parents, was the hero in Praia, scoring the 54th-minute match winner.
It was his third goal of 2026 World Cup qualifying, following the brace that gave Cape Verde a shock matchday 6 win in Angola last March.
Victory over Cameroon was particularly joyful after the Indomitable Lions won 4-1 when the teams met in Yaounde last year.
Cape Verde have 19 points, four more than Cameroon, who visit Mauritius and host Angola in the final two rounds of a marathon qualifying competition that began in 2023.
Cameroon, whose eight appearances at the global showpiece are an African record, suffered a double blow. The loss puts them fifth among second-placed teams.
Only the top four group runners-up qualify for a mini-tournament. The winner of that advances to the inter-continental play-offs next March with two World Cup slots up for grabs.
Being on the verge of a maiden World Cup appearance marks a dramatic turnaround for Cape Verde, who finished last in a 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying group, winning only one of six matches.
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Local Pedro Leitao Brito, a 55-year-old popularly known as Bubista, has been the national coach since 2020. Turkey-based attacker Ryan Mendes, 35, captains the team.
Cape Verde are ranked 73rd in the world, 22 places below five-time African champions Cameroon. Their best international showing was reaching the Cup of Nations quarter-finals last year.
Meanwhile, Senegal overcame a two-goal deficit to beat long-time Group B leaders Democratic Republic of Congo 3-2 in Kinshasa and take a two-point advantage.
Cedric Bakambu and Newcastle United signing Yoane Wissa scored for the Congolese before a second-half revival by the Senegalese culminated in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Pape Matar Sarr firing the winner.
Wins for Senegal away to South Sudan and at home to Mauritania during October will clinch a third straight World Cup appearance.
Nigeria are in danger of missing a second successive World Cup after drawing 1-1 away to Group C leaders South Africa in Bloemfontein.
Super Eagles defenders scored both goals in the first half, with captain William Troost-Ekong diverting a cross into his own net and Calvin Bassey nodding the equaliser off a cross.
Nigeria trail South Africa by six points. Their hopes of making it the 2026 tournament in North America probably hinge on finishing second and securing a play-offs slot.
A win would have qualified Egypt for the World Cup from Group A, but they had to settle for a 0-0 draw away to second-placed Burkina Faso. The Pharaohs need two more points to seal a fourth qualification.
