http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2015/m=10/news=history-made-in-eventful-african-qualifiers-2711523.html
History made in eventful African qualifiers
(African Football Media) 13 Oct 2015
© AFP
For the majority of African favourites, the passage into the second
round of CAF qualifying tournament for the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™
was smooth. For three of them, however, the journey has already come
to an end.
Highlights
Abdul Razak the hero
Forward Fiston Abdul Razak, who plays his club football for South
African club Mamelodi Sundowns, was the hero for Burundi, scoring two
goals in the 2-0 victory over Seychelles in the second leg. The
islanders are still waiting for their first-ever World Cup victory
after Razak also scored the only goal in the first leg in Roche
Caiman.
Madagascar held at home
Madagascar did most of the hard work away from home with a 3-0 victory
in the Central African Republic. They could thus afford to treat their
fans in the Stade Municipal de Mahamasina in the capital Antananarivo
to an entertaining match, in which all four goals were scored before
the break. Junior Gourrier gave the visitors the lead in the seventh
minute, before Falimery Ramanamahefa and Abel Andrianantenaina turned
things around. Eudes Dagoulou then levelled matters just before
half-time to make the final score 2-2.
Namibia survive scare
After playing to a 1-1 draw in Gambia, Namibian coach Ricardo Mannetti
was hoping for an easier task at home, but it was not to be as the
visitors worked hard to find an upset. With the score again knotted at
1-1, it took a Hendrik Somaeb goal on the hour to separate the two
teams and send the Brave Warriors through to the next round.
Eritrea continue waiting
As one of the African teams that has never won a World Cup match, the
going was always going to be tough for Eritrea in Francistown against
Botswana, especially as the home side had won the first leg 2-0 in
Eritrea. But Henok Goitom claimed the opening goal for Eritrea to give
his side something to cheer about. It was only the third goal the Red
Sea Boys had ever scored in qualifying. Mogakolodi Ngele killed off
any hope they had of surprising the home side with a brace and Joel
Mogorosi added a third for the Zebras, who won 5-1 on aggregate.
A draw in Nairobi
Under most circumstances, Mauritius would have been well pleased to
escape Nairobi with a goalless draw. However, after losing the opening
leg 5-2 the draw against the Harambee Stars merely restored some
Mauritian pride at the Moi International Sports Center.
Upsets
Chad stun Sierra Leone
Although Sierra Leone lost their first leg 1-0 in N'Djamena, the Leone
Stars were expected to turn things around in the return leg, even
though they had to play their home match in Nigeria. Their task was
made more difficult early on as Leger Djimrangar gave Chad the lead in
the 45th minute. Although Alhaji Kamara (70) and Abdul Sesay (79)
turned things around, it was too little, too late as Chad went through
on the away-goal rule to advance to the next stage for the first time
in their history – having twice been denied the privilege on the
away-goal rule.
Comoros make history
The island-state of Comoros advanced to the second round of the
qualifying competition for the first time in their history after a 1-1
draw in Lesotho. What makes Les Coelecantes' success even more
remarkable is the fact that they have yet to win a single World Cup
qualifying game. Mohamed M'Changama was the hero for his side as his
goal secured the win on the away-goal rule after a scoreless first
leg.
Taifa Stars keep on shining
Tanzania, ranked 35 places behind Malawi, were made to struggle by the
Flames as the home side went ahead shortly before the break through
John Banda. But although the southern African country threw everything
forward in the second half, they failed to find the other goal that
would have tied matters, and the Taifa Stars advanced 2-1 on
aggregate.
Star player
Liberian coach James Debbah had called on his strikers to make more of
their chances after the Lone Stars drew 1-1 with Guinea-Bissau in the
first leg in Monrovia, and Spanish-based striker William Jebor heeded
his coaches' call. The 23-year-old scored twice early on in the game
in Bissau. Although the home side pulled one back shortly before the
break, they had little more to add before Jebor grabbed his hat-trick
in injury time. The three goals took his tally to four after he
already scored his side's only goal in the 1-1 draw in the first leg.
The number
4 - The number of goals that Niger striker Moussa Maazou scored in the
Menas' 6-0 aggregate victory against Somalia. Maazou, who plays his
club football in China PR, grabbed both in the 2-0 first leg victory
in Addis Ababa and then added two more in the 4-0 win in Niamey.
What they said
“We thank God that we managed to go through despite our failure to
score goals. We will work on our minor mistakes while in Dar Es Salaam
and begin preparing intensely for our match against Algeria,” Tanzania
coach Charles Boniface Mkwasa, whose side advanced, despite losing the
return leg 1-0 in Malawi.
Second leg results
Malawi 1-0 Tanzania (1-2 on aggregate)
Ethiopia 3-0 Sao Tome and Principe (3-1 on aggregate)
Kenya 0-0 Mauritius (5-2 on aggregate)
Madagascar 2-2 Central African Republic
Burundi 2-0 Seychelles (3-0 on aggregate)
Namibia 2-1 Gambia (3-2 on aggregate)
Sierra Leone 2-1 Chad (2-2 on aggregate, Chad advance on away goal rule)
Niger 4-0 Somalia (6-0 on aggregate)
Guinea-Bissau 1-3 Liberia (2-4 on aggregate)
Lesotho 1-1 Comoros (1-1 on aggregate, Comoros advance on away goal rule)
Mauritania 4-0 South Sudan (5-1 on aggregate)
Botswana 3-1 Eritrea (5-1 on aggregate)
Postponed: Swaziland – Djibouti
Second round draw
Niger v Cameroon
Mauritania v Tunisia
Namibia v Guinea
Ethiopia v Congo
Chad v Egypt
Comoros v Ghana
Swaziland/Djibouti v Nigeria
Botswana v Mali
Burundi v DR Congo
Liberia v Côte d’Ivoire
Madagascar v Senegal
Kenya v Cape Verde
Tanzania v Algeria
Sudan v Zambia
Libya v Rwanda
Morocco v Equatorial Guinea
Mozambique v Gabon
Benin v Burkina Faso
Togo v Uganda
Angola v South Africa
Received on Tue Oct 13 2015 - 22:28:08 EDT