Record six-goal triumph for South Africa, Fajr rescues Morocco

JOHANNESBURG, Oct 14, (AFP): Nigerian Odion Ighalo scored a hat trick, Moroccan Faycal Fajr spared blushes and Zimbabwean Knowledge Musona was a hero and villain in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying Saturday.

China-based Ighalo bagged a matchday 3 treble as Nigeria crushed Libya 4-0 in Uyo to continue a Group E recovery after starting with a shock home defeat by South Africa.

Fajr converted a penalty seven minutes into stoppage time as Morocco sneaked a 1-0 Group B win in Casablanca over The Comoros, ranked 104 places below them in the world.

Nigerian forward Odion Ighalo heads to control the ball during the African Cup of Nations qualification match between Nigeria and Libya in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State in southern Nigeria, on Oct 13. (AFP)

Ighalo scrambled the ball into the net to complete his hat trick with a quarter of the qualifier remaining.

A last-minute Samuel Kalu goal completed the rout of the ‘Mediterranean Knights’, whose Belgian coach Adel Amrouche quit this week over unpaid salaries.

Nigeria lie second with six points, one less than South Africa, who scored a record 6-0 win over The Seychelles in rain-lashed Johannesburg.

Goalkeeper Romeo Barra prevented an even more embarrassing scoreline for the Indian Ocean islanders as South Africa bettered the five goals they netted against Guatemala in 2010.

Lebo Mothiba, who has been in sparkling French Ligue 1 form, was among the scorers and set up a goal for Percy Tau with a brilliant back-heel.

Another Indian Ocean island state, The Comoros, were on the verge of their greatest achievement as they frustrated 2018 World Cup qualifiers Morocco for 96 minutes.

But then came heartbreak for the visitors as they conceded a penalty and Fajr scored to lift Morocco within a point of Group B pacesetters Cameroon.

Ronald Pfumbidzai struck a superb goal midway through the first half to put Zimbabwe on the road to glory at a packed 80,000-seat Stade des Martyrs.

Musona doubled the lead and then cynically fouled Issama Mpeko for which he got his second yellow card of the match followed by a red.

Yannick Bolasie nodded a stoppagetime consolation goal for the Congolese as they suffered a rare loss in their Kinshasa fortress.

Zimbabwe top the table with seven points, three more than central African neighbours DR Congo and Congo Brazzaville.

Mozambique goalkeeper Jose Guirrugo allowed a long-range, stoppage-time shot from substitute Deon Hotto slip from his grasp and into the net as Namibia fought back to win 2-1 in Maputo.

Group K is the tightest of the 12 mini-leagues with Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Namibia and Zambia all on four points with equal goal differences.

Leaders Tunisia battled to a 1-0 Group J win in Rades over Niger, who conceded six goals in Egypt last month amid complaints of a “beans-and-water” diet.

Yassine Meriah scored after 17 minutes for the ‘Carthage Eagles’, who had Ghailene Chaalali red-carded in the closing stages.

Matchday 4 begins Sunday with fixtures in Kenya and Guinea-Bissau followed by a further 21 qualifiers two days later.

In Nairobi, Kenya beat Ethiopia 3-0 in their Africa Cup of Nations Cup Group F qualifier on Sunday to move closer to a place in next year’s finals in Cameroon.

The two countries drew 0-0 in Ethiopia last Wednesday, but Kenya took the initiative early on in Kasarani and struck through goals from Michael Olunga, Eric Johanna and captain Victor Wanyama.

Kenyan coach Sebastian Migne made only one change to the side held to a point in Bahir Dar, and Eric Ouma went close inside the opening 10 minutes when his shot flashed wide from the edge of the area.

Olunga broke the deadlock on 23 minutes after pulling away from his markers to curl home the first goal after being put through by Swedish-based midfielder Johanna.

Johanna bagged a second for Kenya four minutes later to dampen the spirits of the Ethiopians who had threatened to dominate possession with their trademark passing game.

Tottenham midfielder Wanyama put the final nail in the coffin when he scored from a penalty in the 72nd minute.

The victory took Kenya to seven points at the top of the group to bolster their chance of qualifying for a first Africa Cup of Nations in 14 years.