Zim, Mozambique triumph at home

half for a 2-0 victory over former champions Morocco in Maputo.
Zimbabwe and Mozambique are rare participants in the premier African national team championship and their presence would be welcomed by hosts South Africa with the prospect of many supporters travelling from the neighbouring states.
Angola and Morocco will enjoy home advantage in the mid-October return matches and the aggregate winners will be among 15 teams who join automatic qualifiers South Africa for the three-week tournament next January and February.
Bastos conceded an early own goal before a Khama Billiat shot and an Archieford Gutu header gave Zimbabwe a three-goal half-time lead that was trimmed early in the second half when Djalma scored.
It was a competitive baptism of fire for Uruguay-born Black Antelopes coach Gustavo Ferrin, although the away goal will give the Angolans some hope for the second leg in Luanda.
Mozambique wasted several chances that triggered the constant booing of striker Jerry Sitoe before Almiro Lobo broke the deadlock and Domingues snatched a potentially crucial second goal in stoppage time.
Democratic Republic of Congo are virtually assured of returning to the Cup of Nations after a seven-year absence thanks to a 4-0 whipping of Equatorial Guinea in Kinshasa.
It was one-way traffic toward the Equatoguinean goalmouth from the kick-off with the Congolese Lions forcing 11 first half corners, but they had to wait 55 minutes before translating the dominance into goals.
Dieumerci Mbokani from Champions League group phase qualifiers Anderlecht of Belgium broke the deadlock and completed the rout 11 minutes from time after Deo Kanda and Isama Mpeka also scored.
Meanwhile, Cameroon slipped to a surprise loss at Cape Verde, Central African Republic moved closer to its first major tournament and defending champion Zambia won narrowly at the start of the final round of qualifying for the African Cup of Nations on Saturday.
Cote d’lvoire came from 1-0 and 2-1 down to beat Senegal 4-2 in the first leg of their tie. Ghana beat Malawi 2-0.
Cameroon lost 2-0 and are in danger of missing out on their second straight African Cup of Nations finals ahead of decisive second-leg matches in October.
Just seven months after lifting the trophy in Gabon, Zambia entered qualifying for next year’s tournament in South Africa with a 1-0 home win over Uganda through a first-half goal by captain Christopher Katongo.
After eliminating seven-time winners Egypt in the last round, Central African Republic are one game away from a long-awaited place at the Nations Cup finals after a 1-0 victory in their home leg against Burkina Faso. Nigeria were held to a 2-2 draw in Liberia.
Elsewhere, Mali beat Botswana 3-0, strikers Daniel Cousin and Emmanuel Adebayor scored as Gabon and Togo drew 1-1, Sierra Leone and Tunisia drew 2-2 and Sudan beat Ethiopia 5-3 as the last round of qualifiers began with 10 first-leg matches.
The remaining five ties were played yesterday as 30 teams battle over two legs for a place at the 16-team African Cup of Nations finals alongside host South Africa.
Without captain and leading striker Samuel Eto’o, who has refused to return to international duty after a lengthy ban, Cameroon lost against a team that was once ranked well below the four-time African champions.
Now, only four places separate the slumping 61st-ranked Cameroon and Cape Verde in the Fifa rankings and the Indomitable Lions have a two-goal deficit to overturn back at home if they are to avoid joining Egypt as another high-profile absentee at the continental championship.
Cote d’lvoire, the top-ranked African team and losing finalist in Gabon, relied on goals by star names Salomon Kalou, Gervinho, Didier Drogba and Max Gradel to battle past Senegal in Abidjan, which had led through Dame N’Doye and then Papiss Cisse. In Accra, Christian Atsu scored in the eighth minute and Anthony Annan added a second with a powerful drive in the 51st to put Ghana in control of their tie against Malawi, which had James Shangala sent off late on. — AFP.