World Cup 2018: Ivory Coast and DR Congo win group games
Gervinho scored Ivory Coast's third goal against Mali |
Ivory Coast and DR Congo recorded opening group wins in 2018 World Cup qualifiers across Africa on Saturday, as South Africa conceded a late equaliser in Burkina Faso.
Ivory Coast beat Mali 3-1 to go top of Group C after Gabon and Morocco had earlier drawn 0-0.
DR Congo thrashed Libya in Group A, winning 4-0 in Kinshasa with Dieumerci Mbokani scoring twice.
The reigning African champions, Ivory Coast, took on Mali in Group C in Bouake with a largely new generation of players in the post Toure-brothers era.
The hosts were put under pressure after just 18 minutes when Sambou Yatabare scored to give Mali a 1-0 lead.
It took eight minutes for Ivory Coast to level the match, with Aston Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia scoring an equaliser.
Five minutes later, the Ivorians went 2-1 up after Mali's Salif Coulibaly struck into his own net.
Ivory Coast took a commanding 3-1 lead in the 34th minute when Gervinho (pictured), one of the few existing members of Ivory Coast's so-called "golden generation" volleyed in to put his side top of Group C, above Gabon and Morocco who drew 0-0 in Franceville earlier.
Gabon, hosts of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, were left frustrated by Morocco at home.
They looked to their Borussia Dortmund talisman, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, to conjure up a winner and he came closest to scoring in the 68th minute, only to see his header cleared off the line by Moroccan goalkeeper, Munir.
Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang |
In Group A, the Democratic Republic of Congo looked in firm control as they convincingly beat Libya 4-0.
Dieumerci Mbokani got the first of his two goals in the sixth minute with Jonathan Bolingi adding a second on the stroke of half-time.
Mbokani grabbed his second after 56 minutes to make it 3-0 to DR Congo, with substitute Ndombe Mubele adding a fourth late on for the hosts.
Tunisia host Guinea in the other Group A game on Sunday.
In other 2018 World Cup qualifying matches on Saturday, Burkina Faso missed two penalties but did manage to grab an injury-time equaliser as they drew 1-1 with South Africa in their Group D match in Ouagadougou.
Jonathan Pitroipa had the chance to put Burkina Faso 1-0 up in the 10th minute from the penalty spot, but South African goal-keeper Itumeleng Khune saved the spot-kick to keep his team in the match.
It remained 0-0 until the 80th minute when South Africa took the lead through Dean Furman against the run of play.
Burkina Faso got a second penalty of the game with Alain Traore stepping up to take it, but he missed from the spot.
South Africa and their coach Shakes Mashaba were denied a victory when Banou Diawara scored in the 91st minute for Burkina Faso to make it 1-1.
Senegal were hosting Cape Verde in the late Group D match on Saturday night in Dakar.
On Friday , the group phase of African World Cup qualifiers kicked off with Uganda holding Ghana to a 0-0 draw in Tamale in the opening game of Group E.
The other Group E match of the weekend takes place on Sunday, with Congo Brazzaville hosting Egypt.
Both matches in Group B - seen as the toughest of the five groups - are scheduled for Sunday with Zambia facing Nigeria in Ndola and Algeria playing Cameroon in Blida.
Only the five group winners will qualify for Russia 2018 from Africa.
Source: BBC
No comments
Your comments and Encouragement are welcome