Unheralded Central African Republic and Niger continued a series of shock results in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers on Sunday to keep up their hopes of clinching unlikely places in next year’s finals alive.
Niger’s 2-1 win over South Africa and a home draw for Central African Republic with Morocco meant both countries, with little previous pedigree in the game, are one win away from a first-ever appearance at the continental championship.
Kofi Dankwa’s 10th-minute header and a close-range tap-in just after halftime from Moussa Maazou ensured a 2-1 win over South Africa in Niamey and elevation to top spot in Group G.
Photo: AFP
Niger, who have a 100 percent home record, have a one-point lead over Sierra Leone and South Africa, but they must now keep up their giant-killing run with an away win over eliminated Egypt next month to make sure of winning the group.
South Africa, who had not conceded a goal in four qualifiers, are still favorites to finish top as they host Sierra Leone in the last round of matches next month, but Niger could go to the finals as one of two best runners-up.
The same applies to Central African Republic, who had won just a single Cup of Nations qualifier in four decades of participation before the start of this year’s preliminaries.
They share top place in Group D with Morocco, both on eight points, with one game to go.
Sunday’s results continued a year of upsets which have seen defending champions Egypt eliminated and former winners Algeria, Cameroon, Nigeria and Tunisia all in danger of missing out on the finals in January.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles helped their cause with a 2-0 away win in Madagascar, but they are still three points behind Guinea in Group B.
Veteran centerback Bobo Balde scored just after the half-hour as Guinea beat Ethiopia 1-0 in Conakry.
Uganda needed only a point from their away match in Angola to qualify for the first time since 1978, but they lost 2-0 to second-half goals from Manucho and Flavio.
Previously unbeaten Uganda, with 10 points from five games, are still one point clear of Angola at the top of Group J and they can qualify with a win at home to Kenya in their final match next month.
Ramadhan Agab scored 13 minutes from time to hand Sudan a 1-0 away win against Congo in Brazzaville that saw them join Ghana at the top of Group I, which will be decided when last year’s World Cup quarter-finalists visit Khartoum next month.
Zambia went one point above Libya in Group C after winning 2-1 in the Comoros Islands. Zambia host Libya in their final group game.
In Sunday’s other matches it was Zimbabwe 3, Liberia 0; Namibia 1, Gambia 0; Burundi 1, Benin 1; and Togo 1, Botswana 0.
Along with co-hosts Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast and Senegal have already qualified.
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