Nigeria set to qualify, Ghana and S. Africa in dire straits

JOHANNESBURG: Nigeria hammered African champions Cameroon on Friday to virtually seal a 2018 World Cup place, but Ghana drew and South Africa lost to suffer serious qualifying setbacks.

Current and former Chelsea midfielders Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel scored one goal and created another as Nigeria overwhelmed Cameroon 4-0 in southeast city Uyo.

A late strike from Thomas Partey of Atletico Madrid salvaged a 1-1 home draw for lacklustre Ghana against Congo Brazzaville in Kumasi.

Russia-based Nuno Rocha broke the hearts of confident South Africa by scoring twice as Cape Verde came from behind to triumph 2-1 in Praia.

The return of Moses and Mikel to the “Super Eagles” line-up coincided with the best Nigerian performance for years as they crushed the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations winners.

It was a record-equalling winning margin for Nigeria in a World Cup qualifier and the heaviest defeat suffered by Cameroon in an African eliminator.

Nigeria can take an uncatchable lead in the “group of death” if they win in Cameroon tomorrow — provided Zambia and Algeria drew in Lusaka late yesterday.

Even one Group B point in Yaounde would send Nigeria to Russia, if Zambia and Algeria draw twice.

Nigeria have nine points, Cameroon two and Zambia and Algeria one in a mini-league that, so far, has proven far more onesided than anticipated.

Odion Ighalo and Mikel scored in the opening half and Moses got the victory-sealing third on 55 minutes after Nigeria had survived intense Cameroon pressure. Recent Leicester City signing Kelechi Iheanacho nodded the fourth goal to give Nigeria their widest winning margin since trouncing Zimbabwe 5-1 in Abuja 12 years ago.

“After the third goal, we were not a team,” admitted Cameroon coach Hugo Broos. “We did not have power to fight.”

Uganda top Group E with seven points, one more than Egypt after beating them 1-0 in Kampala Thursday. Ghana have two and Congo one. AFP