Egypt maintained their faultless Africa Cup of Nations’ title defence and World Cup qualifiers Nigeria became the latest team to progress to the quarter-finals in Angola on Wednesday.
Egypt had already assured their last eight ticket but finished the first round with a 2-0 win over Benin in Benguela to top Group C with a maximum nine points.
They are the only one of the 15 Cup contenders not to shed a point in the opening fortnight.
PHOTO: AFP
Egypt continued their seemingly charmed path with goals from Ahmed al-Mohammadi and Emad Motaeb earning them a last eight date against the Group D runners-up — Cameroon, Tunisia or Gabon, on Monday.
For all the pre-competition hype promoting Ivory Coast as favorites it is the six-time champions who have put up a faultless first round display.
In Lubango a double either side of the break from Russia-based Osaze Odemwingie and a late contribution from substitute Obafemi Martins earned Nigeria a comfortable 3-0 win over Mozambique.
The Super Eagles now progress to a quarter-final tie against the winners of Group D.
They join Ivory Coast, Angola, Algeria, Ghana and the Egyptians in the next stage with the final two places to be decided on Thursday with the final batch of Group D games.
Mozambique dismissed coach Mart Nooij after the defeat.
Fezal Sidat, chairman of Mozambique’s football federation, said that the Dutch coach’s contract will not be renewed.
“There is no point to renew with Mart Nooij, who could not fulfill his goal of taking the team to the final,” Sidat said.
Meanwhile, Togo should have told the African Nations Cup organising committee (COCAN) they were travelling by bus to Cabinda before their delegation was attacked by separatists, COCAN said on Wednesday.
“The teams should travel by plane. Togo did their training camp in Congo and from there, under their decision, travelled to Cabinda by bus,” COCAN general director Justino Fernandes was quoted as saying on the organising committee’s Web site.
“Both the Confederation (of African Football) and the Organising Committee in Luanda were not aware of the situation,” he added, although the Togo team bus was escorted by Angolan police.
“If we had been informed, we would certainly have provided them with an airplane, from Pointe Noire, Congo, to the province of Cabinda.
“We had no idea that Togo would be travelling by road from Congo to Cabinda.”
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