At the end of two rounds of group stage action in Africa’s qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil, only two teams – Egypt and Tunisia – are sitting on a maximum six points. But while Egypt, who scored a late winner on Sunday, can look forward to the next matchday with some optimism, there will be concern in Cameroon, who were stunned by Libya, as only the group winners advance to the final round.
In a match played in the Tunisian city of Sfax due to security concerns in Libya, the North Africans stunned the Indomitable Lions with a late goal scored by Ahniash. The game had originally been scheduled to take place behind closed doors, but this was then changed allowing 5,000 fans to watch. Zouay gave the Libyans an early start, which German-based Choupa Moting equalised for the six-time FIFA World Cup finalists. As the match was heading towards a draw, substitute Ahniash, who was thrown into the deep end with just five minutes to go, scored the winner deep into injury time.
In Group A, Ethiopia moved to the top of the standings with a 2-0 victory over the Central African Republic. The Black Lions are on four points, while their opponents have three. South Africa and Botswana, who drew on Saturday, are on two and one points respectively.
Sudan, who stunned African champions Zambia in their opening Group D match last weekend, missed out on a chance to put some distance between themselves and the chasing pack as they managed no better than a goalless draw in Lesotho.
In Group C, Erasto Nyoni converted a late penalty for Tanzania as the Taifa Stars moved into second place in the table behind Côte d’Ivoire, who drew 2-2 in Morocco on Saturday.
In Group G, Egypt scored three times in the second half in Conakry to secure a dramatic 3-2 victory over Guinea, while Zimbabwe played to a goalless draw in Mozambique.
Algeria failed to join Egypt and Tunisia on six points, losing to Mali 2-1 after going ahead in the opening minutes in Burkina Faso. Also in Group H, well-travelled striker Razak Omotoyossi scored his second goal of the qualifying campaign as Benin secured a 1-1 draw in Rwanda to move to four points.
Congo DR, who lost their opening game in Cameroon 1-0, bounced back on Sunday with a 2-0 victory against Germany 2006 qualifiers Togo. Striker Tresor Mabi Mputu opened the scoring midway through the first half.
The home side were then reduced to ten men when Albert Mutamba was sent off shortly before the break. Anderlecht striker Dieumerci Mbokani marked his return from 14 months of international wilderness by scoring a penalty nine minutes from the end to take Congo DR to three points in Group I.
Angola’s Palencas Negras, also surprise 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists, will have their work cut out for them if they want to repeat that feat after a goalless draw in Liberia that leaves them with two points from their two opening games. The team from southern Africa enjoyed more of the match, but failed to find the breakthrough they needed to beat the Lone Stars. Angola and Uganda both have two points, while Senegal, who drew in Uganda on Saturday, top Group J with four points.
The Full standing of the teams after round two:
Group A
At Addis Ababa
Ethiopia 2 (Said 38, 88) Central African Republic 0
Saturday
At Gaborone
Botswana 1 (Nato 38) South Africa 1 (Gould 14)
Standings (played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points)
Ethiopia 2 1 1 0 3 1 4
C.A.R. 2 1 0 1 2 2 3
S. Africa 2 0 2 0 2 2 2
Botswana 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
Group B
Saturday
At Malabo
Equatorial Guinea 2 (Edjogo 13, 42) Sierra Leone 2 (Bangoura 22, 25)
At Praia
Cape Verde Islands 1 (Fortes 26) Tunisia 2 (Khelifa 14, Jemaa 46)
Standings
Tunisia 2 2 0 0 5 2 6
S. Leone 2 1 1 0 4 3 4
E. Guinea 2 0 1 1 3 5 1
C. Verde 2 0 0 2 2 4 0
Group C
At Dar es Salaam
Tanzania 2 (Kapombe 60, Nyoni 84-pen) Gambia 1 (Ceesay 9)
Saturday
At Marrakech
Morocco 2 (Kharja 41-pen, Abourazzouk 89) Ivory Coast 2 (Kalou 8, K. Toure 60)
Standings
I. Coast 2 1 1 0 4 2 4
Tanzania 2 1 0 1 2 3 3
Morocco 2 0 2 0 3 3 2
Gambia 2 0 1 1 2 3 1
Group D
At Maseru
Lesotho 0 Sudan 0
Saturday
At Ndola
Zambia 1 (C. Katongo 15) Ghana 0
Standings
Sudan 2 1 1 0 2 0 4
Ghana 2 1 0 1 7 1 3
Zambia 2 1 0 1 1 2 3
Lesotho 2 0 1 1 0 7 1
Group E
Saturday
At Libreville
Gabon 1 (Ebanega 55) Burkina Faso 0
At Pointe-Noire
Congo Brazzaville 1 (Malonga 90) Niger 0
Standings
Congo 2 1 1 0 1 0 4
Gabon 2 1 1 0 1 0 4
B. Faso 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
Niger 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
Group F
Saturday
At Blantyre
Malawi 1 (Banda 90+4) Nigeria 1 (Gabriel 89)
At Windhoek
Namibia 1 (Botes 85) Kenya 0
Standings
Nigeria 2 1 1 0 2 1 4
Namibia 2 1 0 1 1 1 3
Malawi 2 0 2 0 1 1 2
Kenya 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
Group G
At Maputo
Mozambique 0 Zimbabwe 0
At Conakry
Guinea 2 (Camara 19-pen, Bangoura 88) Egypt 3 (Aboutrika 57, 67-pen, Salah 90+3)
Standings
Egypt 2 2 0 0 5 2 6
Guinea 2 1 0 1 3 3 3
Zimbabwe 2 0 1 1 0 1 1
Mozambique 2 0 1 1 0 2 1
Group H
At Kigali
Rwanda 1 (Bokota 88-pen) Benin 1 (Omotoyossi 74)
At Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
Mali 2 (Ndiaye 30, Maiga 82) Algeria 1 (Slimani 7)
Note: Match moved from Bamako due to security concerns
Standings
Benin 2 1 1 0 2 1 4
Algeria 2 1 0 1 5 2 3
Mali 2 1 0 1 2 2 3
Rwanda 2 0 1 1 1 5 1
Group I
At Kinshasa
Democratic Republic of Congo 2 (Mputu 23, Mbokani 81-pen) Togo 0
At Sfax, Tunisia
Libya 2 (Zouay 8, Esnany 90) Cameroon 1 (Choupo-Moting 16)
Note: Match moved from Tripoli due to security concerns
Standings
Libya 2 1 1 0 3 2 4
DR Congo 2 1 0 1 2 1 3
Cameroon 2 1 0 1 2 2 3
Togo 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
Group J
At Monrovia
Liberia 0 Angola 0
Saturday
At Kampala
Uganda 1 (Walusimbi 85-pen) Senegal 1 (Cisse 37)
Standings
Senegal 2 1 1 0 4 2 4
Uganda 2 0 2 0 2 2 2
Angola 2 0 2 0 1 1 2
Liberia 2 0 1 1 1 3 1
Note: Group winners qualify for knockout final round
Reported by FIFA.com and Agence France Presse,AFP
Written by NEWSTRAWL ONLINE UPDATE
Sodiq Oyeleke is a Media, Human Resources, Project Management and Public Relations Practitioner
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