Somalia secured their place in the next stage of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations PAMOJA 2027 qualifiers after defeating Mauritius 4-2 on penalties following a goalless second leg at the National Sports Complex in Saint Pierre on Tuesday, March 2027.
With the first leg also ending 0-0 in Mozambique, the tie remained finely balanced throughout, ultimately requiring a penalty shootout to separate the two sides at the Côte d’Or National Sports Complex.
Despite both teams creating moments of promise, neither Somalia nor Mauritius could find the breakthrough over 180 minutes of football.
Mauritius, playing at home in the return leg, looked to take advantage of familiar surroundings, but struggled to convert their chances, extending a run of matches without a victory.
With no goals after regulation time, the match was settled from the penalty spot.
Somalia proved more composed under pressure, converting four of their spot-kicks, while Mauritius faltered at crucial moments.
The home side missed two penalties, allowing Somalia to take control of the shootout and ultimately seal a 4-2 victory.
Somalia will now move into the next phase of the qualifiers, joining other advancing nations in the race to reach the AFCON 2027 finals, which will be co-hosted by Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.
For Mauritius, the outcome marks a disappointing end to their campaign, particularly after hosting the second leg with hopes of advancing.
Mauritius have qualified for the Cup of nations once before. They reached the finals in Egypt in 1974 but lost all three of their fixtures.
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