Super Eagles airborne again, now they must soar past SA

DEFENDING champions Nigeria beat Congo Brazzaville 2-0 to revive their bid to qualify for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

Second-half goals by Ikechukwu Uche and Aaron Samuel in Pointe-Noire boosted Nigeria’s prospects of making it to Equatorial Guinea, who stepped in as hosts on Friday in place of barred Morocco.

Nigeria now have to beat South Africa in Uyo on Wednesday to ensure automatic qualifi- cation regardless of Congo’s result in Sudan.

Villarreal striker Uche celebrated his long-awaited return to the Super Eagles in style when in the 59th minute he tucked away a penalty after Congo goalkeeper Massa fouled goal-bound Emmanuel Emenike.

Congo failed to draw level in the 65th minute, when Vincent Enyeama saved a penalty taken by Thievy Bifouma after Godfrey Oboabona handled a goal- bound shot inside his box.

Samuel then made the game safe for Nigeria with a goal a minute from full time.

Cameroon edged past DR Congo 1-0 to claim Group D and a spot in the finals courtesy of a 71st-minute winner from Vincent Aboubakar in Yaounde.

Zambia pipped hosts Mozambique 1-0 in Maputo to qualify in Group F with table toppers Cape Verde, while Burkina Faso and Gabon qualified from Group C.

Burkina Faso beat Lesotho 1-0 in Maseru and Gabon held Angola to a goalless draw in Luanda.

Guinea blew open Group E after they trounced Togo 4-1 in Lome, and they now have to beat Uganda by more than a 2-0 scoreline in their final match at home on Wednesday to book their ticket to the finals. Both Uganda and Guinea now have seven points, but Uganda are ahead on the head-to-head rule after they beat the Syli Stars 2-0 in Kam- pala in September.

Ghana, who still top the group with eight points, host Togo, who have six points. Uganda pipped Ghana 1-0 on Saturday thanks to an early Savio Kabugo goal after the teams drew 1-1 in Kumasi three months ago.

Malawi revived their hopes of qualifying after they beat Mali 2-0 at the Kamuzu Banda Stadium in Blantyre in Group B.

Second-half goals by Robert Ngambi and Esau Kanyenda earned Malawi only their second win in the qualifying series.

The Flames now have six points from five matches, the same as Mali, with Algeria already qualified. On Wednesday, Mali host Algeria and Malawi are away in Ethiopia.

Senegal joined Tunisia in qualifying from Group G after they stunned seven-time champions Egypt 1-0 in Cairo.

They now have 10 points from five matches, a point be- hind leaders Tunisia, and they could still win the group on Wednesday, when they host bottom team Botswana.

Egypt now need to win in Tunisia to stand any chance of finishing as the best third-placed qualifier. Islanders Cape Verde won Group F after they beat Niger 3-1. They now have 12 points from five matches, four points more than closest rivals Zambia, who they play away on Wednesday. – Sapa-AFP