Mahrez brace helps Algeria qualify for African Nations Cup Finals

JOHANNESBURG: Manchester City star Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Algeria trounced Togo 4-1 in Lome to qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

Mauritania, for the first time, Guinea and the Ivory Coast later raised to 13 the number of qualifiers for the biennial tournament.

Cameroon, Egypt, Madagascar, Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Tunisia and Uganda had booked places before Sunday.

That leaves 11 places up for grabs during matchday 6 next March with former champions Congo Brazzaville, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and South Africa among the contenders.

Mahrez, the 2016 African Footballer of the Year, netted either side of a Youcef Attal goal to give the Desert Foxes a three-goal advantage within 30 minutes.

Kodjo Fo-Doh Laba pulled one back for Togo in the second half before Baghdad Bounedjah completed the scoring in stoppage-time.

Algeria have 10 points from five matches in Group D, Benin seven and Togo and the Gambia five each.

An Ismael Diakite goal six minutes from time earned Mauritania a come-from-behind 2-1 victory over Botswana in Nouakchott and qualification from Group I.

Guinea and the Ivory Coast drew 1- 1 in a top- of- the- table Group H clash in Conakry with an early Mohamed Yattara goal for the home side cancelled by JeanMichael Seri.

Burkina Faso, Tanzania, DR Congo and Zimbabwe squandered chances on Sunday to secure places in the newly-expanded 24-team tournament, which kicks off on June 15.

Mateus bagged a brace for Angola in a 2-1 Group I win over Burkina Faso in Luanda while Tanzania fell 1-0 in Lesotho, where Nkau Lerotholi nodded the 76th-minute Group L winner.

William Jebor netted in the second half as Liberia upset Group G leaders Zimbabwe 1-0 in Paynesville while Congo and Democratic Republic of Congo drew 1-1 in the same mini-league. — AFP