Sudan stunned title-holders Nigeria 1-0 on Saturday in an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier, while Algeria, Ivory Coast and South Africa achieved impressive away victories.
Algeria overcame Malawi 2-0, while South Africa triumphed by the same score in Brazzaville against the Republic of the Congo and Ivory Coast won 2-1 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Sierra Leone exceeded expectations to hold Cameroon 0-0 in Yaounde after surrendering home advantage because of the Ebola epidemic, while Togo upset Uganda 1-0 in Kampala.
The qualifiers took place amid a demand from next year’s hosts, Morocco, that the Jan. 17 to Feb. 8 tournament be postponed over an Ebola crisis.
However, the African Football Confederation insisted on Saturday that the three-week championship would go ahead as scheduled.
A Bakry Almadina header on 41 minutes in Khartoum gave Sudan a first Group A win as Nigeria slumped to bottom place with a solitary point halfway through the qualifiers.
Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel netted three minutes from time, but was clearly offside and he pulled another shot wide as the Super Eagles mounted a late offensive.
Sudan are 34 places below Nigeria in the African rankings and started the match as rank outsiders after being well-beaten by South Africa and Congo Brazzaville last month.
South Africa made it three wins from five visits to Atlantic city Pointe-Noire by netting twice within four minutes soon after halftime.
Bongani Ndulula silenced a 15,000 crowd crammed into the Stade Municipal by scoring via a bicycle-kick on 52 minutes.
Tokelo Rantie doubled the lead with a close-range shot after a superb pass from fellow England-based professional Dean Furman.
South Africa captain Senzo Meyiwa then made a string of saves to keep Congo at bay and when the Red Devils did score during stoppage-time, the effort was ruled offside.
Defenders scored both Algeria goals in Blantyre, with Rafik Halliche putting the Desert Foxes ahead on 10 minutes and substitute Djamel Mesbah adding a second goal in stoppage-time.
Halliche nodded a corner past goalkeeper McDonald Harawa and Mesbah scored with a deflected close-range shot for the top-ranked team in Africa.
Wilfried Bony from English Premier League outfit Swansea City fluffed a penalty for Ivory Coast, then scored to give the Elephants a halftime lead in Kinshasa.
Cedric Mongongu leveled off a spot-kick, only for Max-Alain Gradel to earn the Ivorians maximum points with a goal seven minutes from time.
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