Tuesday's fixtures across Africa brought to a close gameweek eight of the African World Cup qualifying campaign, and draws the curtain down on a fascinating international break for the continent's top sides.
While some African nations have taken major steps towards next year's tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico, some of the would-be heavyweights must now start facing up to the prospect of watching 2026's football jamboree from the outside.
Here are the big headlines from gameweek eight of Africa's World Cup qualifying campaign, as well as a look ahead at what's still to be decided when the group stage concludes in October.
South Africa closing in on World Cup, Nigeria on the brink
In truth, compared to recent international breaks, this week has been an improvement from Nigeria, as they went unbeaten, seeing off Rwanda in Uyo and then drawing 1-1 with South Africa in Bloemfontein on Tuesday.
However, in the context of the Super Eagles' campaign to date, it simply isn't good enough, with failure to take maximum points from Bafana Bafana away from home now leaving them all but out of the running for automatic progression from Group C.
William Troost-Ekong's own goal on 25 minutes gave South Africa the lead at the Free State Stadium, before fellow defender Calvin Bassey - admirably taking the initiative -- forced an equaliser before the break.
Nigeria had struggled to find their rhythm across a tense first half, but were unable to capitalise on several decent opportunities after the break to take maximum points. The absence of Victor Osimhen may well have proved costly for Eric Chelle's side as, without their star striker, the three-time African champions had little in the way of cutting edge to see off their fierce old rivals.
Credit must also go to Hugo Broos and Bafana, not just for this international break, as they've seen off Benin and held Nigeria, but for their overall campaign, which has yielded 17 points from a possible 24, and takes them to the cusp of a fourth ever World Cup.
Bafana aren't completely over the line yet, particularly given FIFA's pending decision on the punishment they are to receive for fielding ineligible Teboho Mokoena in March's routine victory over Lesotho... but they're the closest they've been in a generation.
It's embarrassing that Nigeria, amidst their complaints about the playing surface at Bloemfontein, are relying on an administrative error from Bafana and a FIFA ruling to remain 'alive' in the race for the World Cup, but even best-case scenarios may not be enough for the Eagles now.
Let's say that Bafana are docked three points, taking them down to 14, they'd still require only four more points from Zimbabwe away and Rwanda at home to move out of reach, regardless of Nigeria's results against Lesotho and Benin.
Years of managed decline appear to be catching up with the NFF who, despite the wealth of riches available to them, are yet to establish the conditions best conducive to getting the best out of the Eagles' massed ranks of talent.
Even if they take two wins from October's fixtures, and end the campaign on 18 points, it may not be enough to reach CAF's playoffs to determine who moves forward from African qualifying to contest the inter-continental playoffs.
Expect a Nigeria-free World Cup for the second consecutive edition, comfortably a new low-point in the country's modern footballing history.
A World Cup without Cameroon?
No African country has featured in more World Cups than Cameroon, who have qualified for eight previous editions and only missed three competitions sine first reaching the tournament in Spain in 1982.
Despite chaos in the federation, and the controversial leadership of FA President Samuel Eto'o, they gave a good account of themselves in Qatar, holding Serbia in a thriller before Vincent Aboubakar's 92nd-minute winner dispatched Brazil.
Returning to the top table -- despite the 9.5 qualifying places open to Africa -- is proving trickier, with Cameroon facing up to the prospect of the playoffs (at best). Their away clash with group leaders Cape Verde in Praia may not exactly have been a 'must win', but it certainly was a 'must not lose', yet the Indomitable Lions did just that as Dailon Livramento's second-half winner proved the difference.
Cape Verde now enjoy a four-point lead at the top of Group D, and will advance with victory over Libya away in their next match, or at home against Eswatini in the final group game.
Of course, attention will turn to the bubbling dispute between Eto'o and head coach Marc Brys, whose personal battle has undermined Cameroonian football since the Belgian's appointment in June 2024.
Was Eto'o's hand behind the decision to start Aboubakar, without a club and without a competitive club appearance since April, against both Eswatini and Cape Verde, while limiting the involvement of Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, despite his excellent form for New York Red Bulls?
Qualification for Cape Verde, ranked 73rd in the world, would represent an outstanding achievement for a country who only qualified for their first ever Africa Cup of Nations in 2013.
They are poised to become the second smallest nation -- after Iceland -- to ever feature at world football's grandest showpiece.
Senegal show true colours with magnificent comeback
On a different day, we could be discussing Senegal as one of the continental heavyweights -- alongside Nigeria and Cameroon -- set to miss out on the tournament, but a stunning comeback against the Democratic Republic of Congo has put them back in the driving seat in Group B.
The Leopards have a strong record in front of their own fans, and appeared on course to take a tighter grip on pole in Group B when they took a 2-0 lead inside 33 minutes through Cédric Bakambu and Newcastle United's £55 million new boy Yoane Wissa.
However, this Senegal side have demonstrated their resiliency in the past, and did so again here, with Pape Gueye pulling a goal back six minutes after the Leopards' second, before goals from Nicolas Jackson and substitute Pape Matar Sarr turned the tables completely in the second half.
Sarr's 87th-minute strike, coming only four days after the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder had added the second to see off Sudan, caps off a fine international break for him, as the 22-year-old's star continues to ascend.
The win takes Senegal into top spot, two points clear of the Congolese, and with more favourable fixtures as they look to book their place among the elite.
Tuesday's comeback was comfortably the defining moment of Pape Thiaw's reign as head coach so far, with the 44-year-old yet to truly win over all doubters after Senegal's eye-raising decision to axe legendary AFCON-winning head coach Aliou Cisse for his former teammate.
The Teranga Lions, like already-qualified Morocco, are firmly on course to reach three consecutive World Cups for the first time in their history.
Opportunity missed for Gabon, Cote d'Ivoire set to capitalise
Like Nigeria, Gabon can be proud of the results achieved during this international break, even if they may not be enough to carry them to the World Cup.
The Denis Bouanga-inspired Panthers saw off Seychelles away in some style last week, being holding Africa's champions Cote d'Ivoire to a 0-0 draw in Franceville on Tuesday.
On paper, it's a fine result against a side ranked 35 places above them in the FIFA world rankings, but it's an opportunity missed for Gabon, chasing a first ever World Cup qualification, as they remain a point behind the Elephants with two to play.
Given Emerse Fae's side will be expected to take maximum points from Seychelles and Kenya in their outstanding games, Gabon may not have another opportunity to overtake their opponents.
For all the movement and energy of Bouanga, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Jim Allevinah, they rarely prised open an Ivorian defence well marshalled by Odilon Kossounou. The hosts will surely live to regret a fine strike by Red Star Belgrade's Shavy Babicka that struck a post.