Cameroon came from behind to trump Cape Verde Islands 2-1 on Saturday and become the second country to reach the final African qualifying phase for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
The Samuel Eto-less “Indomitable Lions” joined Nigeria in the third round thanks to second-half goals from substitutes Achille Emana and Alain Nkong on the Atlantic island. Veteran Claudio “Lito” Aguiar raised hopes of a shock Group 1 victory for the “Blue Sharks” with a goal in the 39th minute, but Emana leveled six minutes into the second half and Nkong struck the winner on 65 minutes.
Barcelona striker Eto’o missed the top-of-the-table clash because of a one-match suspension and Cameroon struggled up front until German coach Otto Pfister replaced Modeste Mbami and Achille Webo at halftime. Cameroon have 13 points and Cape Verde (9) could join them as one of the best eight runners-up from the 12 groups if they overcome Tanzania in Dar es Salaam next month.
PHOTO: AFP
Tanzania ended a four-match run without a win by walloping Mauritius 4-1 in Curepipe through goals from Jerson Tegete (two), Shadrack Nsajigwa and Nizzar Khalfan, but are doomed to finish third in the standings.
Giant-killers Burkina Faso had their hopes of joining Cameroon in the next phase put on hold after a goalless top-of-the-table showdown with Tunisia in Ouagadougou. The “Burkinabe Stallions” needed maximum points to clinch first place in Group 9 and they were seeking a double over Tunisia having scored twice in the closing stages to snatch a shock 2-1 away victory in June. A draw in Burundi will assure Burkina Faso of first place.
Burundi were the latest nation to defeat the Seychelles, winning 2-1 in Victoria thanks to goals from Henry Mbazumutima and Claude Nahimana, before Philip Zialor reduced the arrears.
Minnows Sierra Leone climbed above 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa into second spot in Group 4 after defeating Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in Freetown via goals from Kewullay Conteh and Sheriff Suma.
Juvenal Edjogo put away a stoppage-time consolation goal for the visitors, who were suffering a fourth consecutive loss after launching their campaign with a home victory over the “Leone Stars” three months ago.
South Africa dominated runaway leaders Nigeria in Port Elizabeth, only to lose 1-0 when a counterattack 20 minutes from time ended with Ikechukwu Uche firing a low shot past Itumeleng Khune.
Kenya moved three points clear of Guinea at the top of Group 2 by edging Namibia 1-0 in Nairobi, with Jamal Mohammed converting a penalty on the stroke of halftime after John Njoroge was tripped.
Gambia thrashed Liberia 3-0 in a Group 6 West Africa derby to move above Senegal into second place, one point behind Algeria.
Njogu Demba scored twice and Ousman Jallow once during the first half in Banjul.
Yesterday in Antananarivo, Madagascar defeated Botswana by a single goal, scored by Stephan Rabemananjara in the 18th minute.
Taiwanese women’s doubles star Hsieh Su-wei and Australian teenager Maya Joint on Tuesday eased into the Eastbourne Open quarter-finals in England as Hsieh prepares for the Wimbledon Championships next week. Four-time Wimbledon women’s doubles champion Hsieh and 19-year-old Joint fired two aces and converted five of eight break points to defeat Japan’s Shuko Aoyama and Poland’s Katarzyna Piter 6-3, 6-3 in 58 minutes on the grass court. Hsieh and Joint are today to face fourth seeds Barbora Krejcikova of the Czech Republic and Latvia’s Jelena Ostapenko, who advanced on Monday with a 6-4, 6-3 victory over Quinn Gleason of the US and
BEAT THE HEAT: A brutal heat wave in the US has made cooling breaks standard. Dortmund’s coach said the weather could shape the destiny of the tournament Chelsea on Tuesday beat Esperance of Tunisia 3-0 to set up a FIFA Club World Cup last-16 tie against SL Benfica, who earlier defeated Bayern Munich 1-0, as furnace-link heat and the threat of thunder and lightning wreak havoc at the tournament. Elsewhere, minnows Auckland City claimed a memorable draw against Boca Juniors, while Los Angeles bowed out of the tournament with a stalemate against Flamengo. In Charlotte, Andreas Schjelderup scored the only goal for Benfica in their Group C clash with Bayern in front of 33,287 fans, finishing first-time from a cutback by his fellow Norwegian Fredrik Aursnes in the 13th
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