Defending champions Egypt are on the brink of elimination from next year’s Africa Cup of Nations, while Ivory Coast secured a place in the finals on Sunday with two games to spare.
The record seven-time title holders could only draw 0-0 with South Africa in a tense Cairo qualifier that produced few clear-cut scoring chances for the teams ranked third and fourth respectively on the continent.
Ivory Coast triumphed 6-2 in Benin, with Didier Drogba and Gervais “Gervinho” Kouassi bagging a brace each to take an unassailable eight-point lead in their section.
Photo: AFP
There was plenty for home fans to celebrate, with Guinea and Tunisia winning decisively, Angola, Central African Republic and Liberia winning narrowly, while Comoros Islands held Libya.
Although South Africa spent more time defending than attacking at a subdued Military Academy Stadium, they created the best chances, but Katlego Mphela and Tlou Segolela failed to score when one-on-one with goalkeeper Essam al-Hadary.
Veteran al-Hadary became so frustrated with the failure of his teammates to translate plentiful possession into goals that he ventured up the field with the ball late in the second half. However, he was dispossessed and was relieved to see a long-range lob from rival captain Siphiwe Tshabalala finish well off target.
Defender Ahmed al-Mohamady twice came close for Egypt in the opening half, heading a cross over from point-blank range and having a shot from well inside the penalty area held at the second attempt by the impressive Itumeleng Khune.
South Africa lead Group G with eight points, followed by Niger (six), Sierra Leone (five) and Egypt (two) with two rounds to be played in September and October.
Ivory Coast could hardly have dreamed they would score six in Cotonou having won only 2-1 when the countries met in Accra three months ago, but a great start saw them gallop into a three-goal led with 31 minutes gone.
Stephane Sessegnon, Drogba and Gervinho scored early against Benin, before Drogba and Gervinho scored a second goal each and Wilfried Bony completed the rout four minutes from time.
Issam Jemaa scored a hat-trick as Tunisia thumped 10-man Chad 5-0 in Group K, with the other goals in Sousse coming from Aymen Abdennour and Oussama Darragi against opponents who had Didier Mbayi sent off just before halftime.
Tunisia shade Malawi on goal difference in the battle for second place behind pool winners Botswana in the only mini-league where two teams qualify automatically because there are five competitors.
Guinea trounced Madagascar 4-1 in Conakry to go three points clear of Nigeria in Group B, while Angola kept alive their slender Group J hopes with a 1-0 victory over Kenya in Luanda thanks to a “Manucho” goal.
Liberia edged Group A leaders Cape Verde Islands 1-0 for their first win of the competition and the Central African Republic joined Morocco at the summit of Group D with a 2-1 win against Tanzania in Bangui.
The Comoros Islands, the youngest member of the African soccer family, ended a long run of competitive losses by holding Libya 1-1 in Mitsamiouli, which left the North Africans a point behind Group C table-toppers Zambia.
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