Nigeria's World Cup qualifying hopes dealt major late blow; Egypt, Morocco move closer

Nigeria conceded a last-minute goal in a major blow to its World Cup qualifying hopes on Tuesday, when Egypt and Morocco all but booked their places at next year's tournament.

Zizo’s goal was enough for unbeaten Egypt's 1-0 win over Sierra Leone in Cairo, while Morocco looks assured of qualifying with a nine-point lead over its rivals after a 2-0 win over Tanzania.

Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz scored a penalty after Nayef Aguerd broke the deadlock on a rebound for Morocco’s fifth win from five games in Group E.

Zizo struck just before the break for Egypt to maintain a five-point lead over Burkina Faso, which had defeated Guinea-Bissau 2-1 on Monday in Group A.

Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Chirewa scored in the final minute to silence the home fans in Uyo, Nigeria as the visitors claimed a 1-1 draw.

Nigeria star Victor Osimhen put the Super Eagles on course to claim just their second win in Group C after Friday’s 2-0 victory over Rwanda had rekindled Nigeria's qualification hopes.

But the 21-year-old Chirewa, a late substitute, equalized in the 90th to earn Zimbabwe's draw.

Meanwhile, South Africa defeated Benin 2-0 to consolidate the top spot. Bafana Bafana leads with 13 points from six rounds, five clear of Rwanda (which drew with Lesotho 1-1) and Benin. Nigeria stayed fourth in the group with just seven points.

Only the nine group winners secure automatic qualification. The four best-placed runners-up will compete to be the African contender in FIFA's six-country playoff for the last two qualification spots at the World Cup next year in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

Wolfsburg forward Mohammed Amoura scored a hat trick as Algeria defeated Mozambique 5-1 to open a three-point lead over the visitors in Group G. Guinea's qualification hopes are all but over after a 1-0 loss to Uganda, the team's third defeat leaving it eight points behind Algeria in fifth.

Cape Verde remained top of Group D with a 2-1 win in Angola, though Cameroon responded with Vincent Aboubakar scoring twice in a 3-1 win over Libya. Cape Verde stayed a point ahead of Cameroon.

Sudan lost control of Group B with David Sebit scoring in stoppage time to earn South Sudan a 1-1 draw.

It allowed both Congo and Senegal to take advantage, which they did with 2-0 wins over Mauritania and Togo, respectively.

Congo moved top of Group B on 13 points, one ahead of unbeaten Senegal and Sudan. Sudan dropped to third on goal difference.

Ghana moved atop Group I by scoring a total of eight goals in back-to-back wins over Chad and Madagascar, helping ease the disappointment of failing to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations in November.

Otto Addo’s team eased to a 5-0 rout of Chad in Accra on Friday, then enjoyed a 3-0 win over Madagascar on Monday to seize control of the group.

Comoros, the surprise early leader, stayed three points behind Ghana on Tuesday with a 1-0 win over Chad.

Ivory Coast needed goalkeeper Yahia Fofana at his best as it held on for a 1-0 win over Gambia on Monday to stay a point above Gabon atop Group F.

Sébastien Haller’s early goal was enough for the Elephants to win in Abidjan, keeping the team top after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had scored twice for Gabon to beat Kenya 2-1.

Ivory Coast, the reigning Africa Cup champion, had previously beaten Burundi 1-0 in Morocco on Friday, while Gabon had a 3-0 win over the Seychelles on Thursday.

Tunisia consolidated top spot in Group H on Monday with two late goals to beat Malawi 2-0.

Four rounds of qualifiers remain.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Morocco's Brahim Díaz celebrates after scoring the second goal during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Morocco's Brahim Díaz celebrates after scoring the second goal during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Morocco's national team pose for a group photo ahead of Group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Oujda municipal stadium, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Morocco's Nayef Aguerd celebrates after scoring the first goal during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Morocco's El Khannouss Bilal, center, challenges Tanzania's Novatus Dismas Miroshi during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Tanzania's Mudathiri Yahya Abbas, right, is challenged by Morocco's El Khannouss Bilal during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Morocco's Saibari Ismael attempts a shot during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Morocco's Brahim Díaz celebrates after scoring the second goal during the World Cup group E qualifying soccer match between Morocco and Tanzania at the Stade municipal d'Oujda, Morocco, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo)

Egypt's Mohamed Eldemerdash, left, challenges Sierra Leone's Alhassan Koroma during a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Cairo International Stadium, Egypt, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egypt's Omar Marmoush, passes through Sierra Leone's players during a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Cairo International Stadium, Egypt, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egypt's Mohamed Salah, center, and Omar Marmoush, right, celebrate with their team after they score at Sierra Leone's during a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Cairo International Stadium, Egypt, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egypt's Abdallah Mostafa, right, jumps for the ball with Sierra Leone's Kawara Momdh during a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Cairo International Stadium, Egypt, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

Egypt's Hassan Mahmoud, right, challenges for the ball with Sierra Leone's goalkeeper Sesay during a World Cup 2026 qualifying soccer match at Cairo International Stadium, Egypt, Tuesday, March 25, 2025. (AP Photo/Amr Nabil)

SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — Lauren Betts was so dominant inside that she barely missed, scoring 31 points on 15-of-16 shooting to lead UCLA past Mississippi 76-62 on Friday night and sending the Bruins to the Elite Eight of the women's NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2018.

The 6-foot-7 Betts added 10 rebounds and three blocks for the No. 1 overall seed, which will face LSU on Sunday for a spot in the Final Four. The Tigers beat N.C. State 80-73 earlier Friday.

UCLA coach Cori Close called Betts a “generational player.”

“She’s not only dominant for herself, but she makes everybody on the floor better. And so you just want to put the ball in her hands as many ways and as many times as possible,” Close said.

Kiki Rice added 13 points and seven assists and was the only other player in double figures for the Bruins (32-2).

Tameiya Sadler scored 14 points for the fifth-seeded Rebels (22-10), who had reached the Elite Eight five times, but not since 2007.

Betts had a similar line — 30 points and 14 rebounds — in the Bruins' second-round 84-67 victory over Richmond.

“We’ve worked so hard to get here and I’m just so proud of the selflessness,” Betts said. “I think that to get to this point, it doesn’t matter who’s having their best game, it’s just getting wins at the end of the day. It took a lot of grit from everybody tonight, but I’m so proud of this program.”

Betts is one of just three players to have multiple games with at least 30 points and 10 rebounds in the tournament in the last 25 seasons.

Ole Miss beat Baylor on its home floor to reach the Sweet 16 for the second time in the past three years. In 2023, the Rebels upset Stanford in the second round before falling to Louisville.

“When I look at the season, no one wanted us here, and no one thought we would be here. And we’re still here," Ole Miss coach Yolett McPhee-McCuin said. “We got this far, but unfortunately, we ran into a tough team tonight and did not prevail. But at the end of the day, we will continue to build."

Betts' layup put the Bruins ahead 19-10 in the opening quarter, but Ole Miss closed within 21-19 on KK Deans' jumper.

Deans' fast-break layup at the end of the first half got the Rebels within 30-29 at the break.

The Bruins opened the second half with an 8-0 run and went up 45-33 on Londynn Jones' 3-pointer.

Gabriela Jaquez was all alone on a fast-break layup that put UCLA up 63-46 in the final quarter, and Ole Miss never threatened after that.

UCLA’s only two losses this season came against JuJu Watkins and Southern California before the Bruins got their revenge in the Big Ten Tournament final, beating USC 72-67.

“Honestly, I feel like ever since our loss to SC, I’ve just completely changed my mindset going forward. I think just being aggressive, no matter what, and doing whatever I need to do to help my team and just continuing to be positive regardless of what happens,” Betts said.

The Trojans will also play in Spokane, facing Kansas State on Saturday. It will be their first full game without Watkins, who tore the ACL in her right knee during the first quarter of a 96-59 second-round victory over Mississippi State.

There were not enough superlatives for Betts' performance. She scored 16 of UCLA's 30 first-half points, the second time this season that she's scored more than half of the Bruins' points in a half.

She finished the game with a plus-23 rating, the highest of any player. And the Big Ten's defensive player of the year now has 93 blocks this season.

Last year, UCLA lost to LSU 78-69 in the Sweet 16. Now the Bruins have a chance at revenge.

“We expected to be in this position and it’ll be a good opportunity for all of us who were on the team last year because LSU’s the team that knocked us out,” Rice said. “So obviously want to come out, play hard and play really well against them.”

AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-womens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here.

UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) looks to get around Mississippi forward Starr Jacobs (7) during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 28, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) runs to guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) and forward Kendall Dudley (22) as they celebrate after the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Mississippi, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

UCLA head coach Cori Close directs her team during the first half against Mississippi in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Young Kwak)

UCLA guard Gabriela Jaquez (11) dribbles the ball during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament against Mississippi, Friday, March 28, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

UCLA guard Kiki Rice (1) looks to get around the defense of Mississippi guard Sira Thienou (0) during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 28, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)

UCLA center Lauren Betts (51) looks to pass the ball as Mississippi forward Starr Jacobs (7) defends during the first half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 28, 2025, in Spokane, Wash. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane)