adminSubstitute Getaneh Kebede, who replaced fellow-striker Adane Girma for the second half in Addis Ababa, snatched the lone goal two minutes from time in the high-altitude east African city.
Ethiopia returned to the top of Group A with seven points, two more than overnight leaders South Africa, who overcame Central African Republic 2-0 in Cape Town on Saturday thanks to goals from Thabo Matlaba and Bernard Parker.
Tanzania scored three second-half goals to thrash four-time World Cup qualifiers Morocco 3-1 in Dar es Salaam and climb to within a point of Group C pacesetters Ivory Coast.
Thomas Ulimwengu broke the deadlock a minute after half-time and there was a brace for Mbwana Samata before Youssef El Arabi reduced arrears four minutes into stoppage-time.
This humiliating loss, coupled with draws against Gambia and Ivory Coast, means Morocco are all but out of the running for Brazil, and the future of recently appointed coach Rachid Taoussi must be in doubt.
Litsebe Marabe levelled a minute from time to give minnows Lesotho a 1-1 draw with 2012 African champions Zambia in Maseru after Collins Mbesuma opened the scoring entering the closing stages.
The failure to collect maximum points was a bitter blow for Zambia, who stay top of Group D with seven points, but Ghana can close the gap to just one point if they defeat Sudan in Kumasi late last night.
Mozambique and Guinea drew 0-0 in a dour Group G clash in Maputo, leaving leaders Egypt with the possibility of opening a five-point gap should they beat generally poor travellers Zimbabwe in Alexandria tomorrow.
Meanwhile, African champions Nigeria snatched a dramatic draw and there were vital wins for Burkina Faso, Cameroon and South Africa on Saturday in World Cup qualifiers.
Nnamdi Oduamadi, who was not part of the 2013 African Cup of Nations-winning squad last month, equalised three minutes into stoppage time after 17-year-old Francis Kahata had given Kenya a shock first-half lead in Calabar.
Burkina Faso, runners-up to Nigeria in South Africa after a giant-killing run that far exceeded expectations, trounced Niger 4-0 at home in a must-win match, although the impact was diluted as group leaders Congo Brazzaville also won.
Record four-time African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto’o scored in each half as fallen giants Cameroon used home advantage to win 2-1 against Emmanuel Adebayor-less Togo and take the Group I lead.
Thabo Matlaba and Bernard Parker were on target as wasteful South Africa won 2-0 in Cape Town over Central African Republic, whose capital Bangui fell this weekend to rebels opposing President Francois Bozize.
There were also victories for Ivory Coast, playing without dropped icon Didier Drogba, Malawi and Tunisia while 2013 Cup of Nations flops Angola fought back to hold Senegal.
Kenya captain Victor Wanyama, from Scottish champions Celtic, predicted his side would stun Nigeria, and they came agonisingly close after Kahata scored from a free-kick.
But the Super Eagles salvaged a draw three minutes into additional time when the Harambee Stars failed to clear and Oduamadi earned his country a point that left them ahead of Malawi in Group F on goals scored.
Malawi upset Namibia 1-0 in Windhoek through a mid-second half goal from Gabadin Mhango to give caretaker coach Edington Ng’onamo a win in his first competitive outing.
Ivory Coast, whose fifth consecutive failure to justify favouritism at a Cup of Nations cost Drogba his place, outplayed Gambia 3-0 in Abidjan through goals from Wilfried Bony, Yaya Toure and Salomon Kalou.
Tunisia moved five points clear of Sierra Leone in Group B after winning the top-of-the-table clash 2-1 in Rades with Oussama Darragi and Wahbi Khazri on target before Alhassan Kamara reduced arrears.
Giant Queens Park Rangers centre-back Christopher Samba was the Congo match-winner against Gabon in Pointe Noire, snatching the only goal on 67 minutes to give the Red Devils a six-point Group E advantage.
Senegal, playing a first competitive game under French coach Alain Giresse, took a first half lead through Moussa Sow in Conakry only for Amaro Costa to equalise for Angola 15 minutes from time.
The fixture was moved to the Guinea capital because of a one-year ban on the national stadium in Dakar after crowd trouble forced a Cup of Nations qualifier against Ivory Coast to be abandoned last October.
Jonathan Pitropia, voted player of the tournament at the 2013 Africa Cup, gave Burkina Faso a third-minute lead, Aristide Bance hit the second before halftime and Charles Kabore and Prejuce Nakoulma added late goals.
In Abidjan, Ivory Coast ran out convincing 3-0 winners over Gambia in a Group C 2014 World Cup qualifying match at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Abidjan on Saturday night.
Goals from Wilfried Bony, Yaya Toure and Salomon Kalou secured all three points for the Elephants on the night, and they consequently move four points clear of second-placed Tanzania.
Ivory Coast went in the game off the back a disappointing 2013 African Cup of Nations campaign after bowing out to Nigeria in the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The Elephants played to a 2-2 draw against Morocco in their last qualifying match while Gambia lost 2-1 to Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.
On form striker Wilfried Bony spearheaded the Ivorian attack in absence of captain Didier Drogba, who was left out of the squad.
The Elephants are looking to qualify for yet another World Cup while the Scorpions are keen on making their debut at an international tournament.
The first half of the match ended goalless in Abidjan with the Elephants failing to capitalise on their chances in front of goal.
Wilfried Bony opened the scoring for Ivory Coast in the 49th minute of the game. The Vitesse striker converted from the penalty spot after Gervinho was brought down inside the box.
The Elephants doubled their lead 10 minutes later through Yaya Toure. The talismanic Manchester-based midfielder headed into the back of the net from a Cheick Tiote cross.
Solomon Kalou stretched the Ivoirians lead to three in the 70th minute of the match. Gervinho made an excellent run through the entire Gambian back line before assisting the Lillie forward who bagged his third goal of the current qualifying campaign.
The Scorpions valiant first half performance was to no avail in the end as the Elephants handed them their second loss of the campaign.The impressive victory asserts the Elephants position on top of Group C and boosts their bid to travel to Brazil next year.
Nine nine other qualifiers were scheduled for yesterday and a further two fixtures tomorrow will bring the mini-league competition to the halfway stage with the 10 group winners advancing to the knockout final phase. — AFP.
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