Kickoff South Africa (Cape Town)
9 June 2008
Cape Town — African champions Egypt began a determined march on Afcon 2010 to be played in Angola in 2010 when tore minnow Djibouti apart at weekend, recording a 4-0 win in searing heat.
Cameroon’s Indominatble Lions, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa also recorded comfortable wins at the weekend.
Results of the weekend’s group qualifiers:
Group 1:
Cameroon have extended their lead at the top of Group 1 after beating Mauritius 3-0 in Curepipe in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers on Sunday.
Andre Bikey who plays for Reading in the English Premier League opened the scoring for the Indomitable Lions after just 12 minutes.
Barcelona's Samuel Eto’o extended Cameroon's lead 15 minutes later to send his side in 2-0 ahead at halftime.
Cameroon continued to put pressure on Mauritius’ defence in the second-half.
Substitute Gustave Bebey Mbangue sealed 2008 Nations Cup runners-up dominance with the final goal three minutes from the end.
But there are injury worries for coach Otto Pfister after Eto’o left the pitch limping midway through the second half.
The Indomitable Lions are now three points clear at the top of the group.
Pfister was a happy man even though he complained about the quality of pitch.
“We played well although the playing surface was very poor,” he told BBC Sport.
“We now have a big chance to qualify for the 2010 African Cup and World Cup and the team spirit is very good.”
Mauritius Coach Ashok Chundunsingh said that Cameroon was the sort of opponents his side needed in order to progress.
Group 2:
A brace from Gilbert Mushangazhike gave Zimbabwe a 2-0 victory over Namibia in Group 2 of 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
Mushangazhike scored the goals in both halves to down the Brave Warriors.
Zimbabwe now top Group 2 with four points ahead of Namibia.
Meanwhile Kenya defeated Guinea 2-0 in the other qualifier on Saturday.
France-based striker Dennis Oliech scored both goals for the home side in Nairobi.
The Auxerre ace gave Harambee Stars the lead after just three minutes with the second coming five minutes after the break.
The defeat is a severe blow to Guinea's aspiration of reaching the second phase of the qualifiers.
The Sylli National, who played at the recent African Cup of Nations in Ghana, were held to a 0-0 draw by Zimbabwe in Conakry last week.
The next round of matches will be played next week when Kenya host Zimbabwe, while Namibia takes on Guinea in Windhoek.
Group 3:
Angola remains unbeaten in Group 3 of the 2010 World Cup\con qualifying rounds after beating Niger by 2-1, in Niamey.
With this result, the Palancas Negras continue on top of the standings with six points, followed by Benin who defeated Uganda 4-1 on Sunday as well.
Benin and Uganda both have three points.
Angolan goals were scored by Flávio Amado (30 minute) and Yamba Asha (71), while Abdul Karim Dakawa scored for the hosts.
Group 4:
South Africa put their challenge for a place at the 2010 African Cup of Nations back on track with a comfortable 4-1 win over Equatorial Guinea on Saturday.
Two first-half goals helped Bafana Bafana to secure the victory in Group 4 of the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in Pretoria.
Kagisho Dikgacoi put South Africa in the lead in the 10th minute before Surprise Moriri's strike on 34 minutes extended their advantage.
Thembinkosi Fanteni looked to have sealed an emphatic win with his goal on the hour mark but Juvenal pulled one back from the penalty with 14 minutes remaining.
Bafana Bafana then made sure of victory when Dikgacoi bagged his second of the game in injury time.
As hosts of the 2010 World Cup South Africa qualify for the tournament automatically but still need to go through qualifying to reach the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola in the same year.
In Saturday’s other Group 4 game, visiting Nigeria needed a late goal to beat Sierra Leone 1-0 and extended their lead at the top of the group.
Defender Joseph Yobo scored with only one minute remaining to snatch the victory in Freetown.
Yobo applied the finishing touch in a goalmouth melee to hand the Super Eagles the win.
Nigeria, who twice saw their hosts hit the woodwork, beat South Africa 2-0 last Sunday in their opening qualifier.
The Super Eagles are top of the group with maximum six points while Leone Stars are firmly rooted to the bottom with no points.
Sierra Leone's next qualifier is at home to South Africa while Equatorial Guinea play host to Nigeria on the weekend of June 14-15.
Group 5:
Ghana survived a late onslaught by Lesotho to win 3-2 in the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers played in Bloemfontein.
The Black Stars dominated most of the game going 3-0 up after Laryea Kingston opened his account after 15 minutes and Junior Agogo scored a brace.
But Lesotho scored two goals in injury time courtesy of Sello Muso and Lehlohonolo Seema.
Ghana maintain their position at the top of Group 5 with six points, while Lesotho are third.
Second placed Libya survived a late scare to secure a 1-0 win over Gabon on Saturday.
The North Africans sealed the win thanks to an awful own goal by Bruno Ecuele Manga in the 6th minute.
Manga clumsily took the ball over his own line after a Hesham Shaba cross that didn’t seem any real threat.
The visitors emerged strongly after the break, setting up a frenetic second-half but the Libyans hung on for a hard-earned victory.
Libya are now second in the group with three points after two matches while Gabon, who have played one game, are bottom with no points.
Libya travel to South Africa to face Lesotho next weekend, while Ghana will play Gabon in Libreville.
Group 6:
A brace from midfielder Karim Ziani helped Algeria to a 3-0 home win over Liberia in a Group 6 2010 World Cup qualifying match played in Blida.
Rafik Djebbour, who plays for Greek side Panionios, put the Desert Foxes ahead on the quarter hour mark.
Ziani, who plays for French side Olympique Marseilles, then struck two minutes later for Algeria's second.
The 25-year-old then claimed his second of the night with a penalty early in the second half to seal the win.
The win revives the North African nation’s campaign after suffering a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Senegal in last Saturday in their opening group match.
In the other Group 6 match played at the weekend, Gambia and Senegal played to a goalless draw.
Algeria next play the Gambia away on June 14 while Liberia meet Senegal at home one day later.
Group 7:
Madagascar held Ivory Coast to a surprise 0-0 draw in the 2010 World Cup and Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers at the weekend.
The Elephants had many of their stars on show such as Arsenal's Kolo Toure and Tottenham's Didier Zokora.
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