African champs miss out
The African champions won’t be in Russia for next year’s Fifa World Cup after Cameroon drew 1-1 at home with Nigeria to be the first team eliminated in the final round of qualifying.
While the result put Group B leader Nigeria’s qualification hopes on hold, it definitely ended Cameroon’s.
Nigeria led in Yaounde through Moses Simon’s 30th-minute goal before Vincent Aboubakar equalised with a penalty in the 75th minute.
Cameroon pushed hard in the last 15 minutes as a World Cup place slipped away, with Nigeria goalkeeper Ikechukwu Ezenwa pulling off a double save in the dying minutes to deny Arnaud Djoum and Collins Fai.
The Indomitable Lions, who won the African Cup of Nations in February, are stuck on three points from four game while Nigeria are on 10 points and lead Zambia, who have a game in hand, by six points.
In the day’s other African World Cup qualifier, Libya produced a big surprise to beat Guinea 1-0 in neutral Tunisia.
Libya scored through Hamdou Mohamed and held on, playing the last half-hour with 10 men after Mohammed al-Gadi’s red card.
Tunisia, nine points, top the group by three points from DR Congo.
The five group winners will be Africa’s qualifiers for the World Cup in Russia with Tunisia, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Burkina Faso and Uganda the group leaders. — AP