Iheanacho gives Nigeria winning start
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, Sept 4, (AP): Kelechi Iheanacho’s two goals gave Nigeria a winning start in their bid to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
Nigeria beat Liberia 2-0 thanks to Iheanacho’s first-half double, and fellow former African champions Tunisia, Cameroon and Ghana also won on a day the heavyweights avoided any major upsets.
Only Ivory Coast came away disappointed with their start to World Cup qualifying after a 0-0 draw in Mozambique despite controlling that game.
Iheanacho put Nigeria ahead in the 22nd minute in Lagos with a left-foot shot from the far right of the penalty area that took Liberia goalkeeper Ashley Williams by surprise and beat him at the near post. Iheanacho’s second just before halftime was the result of some subtle footwork as a header dropped to him and he controlled the ball with his left foot, and swiveled and scored with his right.
Tunisia scored all their goals in the second half and Wahbi Khazri’s 82ndminute penalty rounded off a 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea.
Cameroon were comfortable in a 2-0 win at home over Malawi, with early goals from Vincent Aboubakar and Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui. That gave Cameroon the advantage over Group D rivals Ivory Coast.
The Ivorians created several clearcut chances in Mozambique and came closest when Max Gradel’s long-range free kick was punched over by Emanue Siluane, who smiled broadly after pulling off his save. Ivory Coast just couldn’t get past him.
Ghana weren’t at their best against Ethiopia but Mubarak Wakaso’s goal in the 35th was enough to secure a 1-0 win.
“The Ethiopians did well and if we had lost it would have been a disaster,” Ghana coach Charles Akonnor said.
Ghana lead Group G ahead of South Africa and Zimbabwe, who drew 0-0 in Harare as coach Hugo Broos couldn’t conjure up a winning start to his time as coach of South Africa.
Egypt superstar Mohamed Salah arrived in Gabon to join the Pharaohs for their World Cup qualifying match, the Egyptian soccer association said Saturday.
The association said in a brief statement that Liverpool’s Salah has joined the Egyptian team in preparing for Sunday’s game against Gabon in Franceville.
The 29-year-old Salah missed the Pharaohs’ 1-0 win over Angola on Sept. 1 in Cairo after Liverpool refused to release him because of coronavirus restrictions. Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny also missed the game against Angola.
Egypt is among countries on Britain’s coronavirus “red list,” so the two players would have been required to quarantine upon their return from Cairo and miss two Premier League games each.
Elneny did not travel to Franceville and will miss the game against Gabon because of a muscle injury sustained during training Thursday, the association said in a separate statement.