Road to Qatar 2022: Results from Friday African qualifiers
Matchday 3 actions continued across several match venues in Africa on Friday in the Qatar 2022 World Cup qualifiers. As always, myactiveonline brings you the updates from all the match venues including the shocks and the heartbreaks. You can take a look at the previous days’ results here.
The Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire were too much for the Flames of Malawi to consume, though the Elephants were away from home. It was an emphatic 0-3 defeat to Malawi thanks to a goal from Max-Alain Gradel in the first half and one each from Ibrahim Sangare in the second half and Jeremie Boga in added time. The Ivorians claim top position on the log with seven points while Malawi takes up a place in between Cameroon in second and Mozambique in fourth.
Cameroon produced a win at home to get their campaign on track, now trailing Ivory Coast by a point. A brace from Eric Maxim Choup-Moting in each half and another from Karl Toko Ekambi were enough to secure the victory though the visitors made an effort to fight back in the latter stages of the second half. A goal by Geny Cipriano Catamo with 10 minutes left to play gave the visitors hope for a comeback but they were undone by a red card late on to Danilo Muze. Mozambique remains bottom of Group D with a solitary point.
Ambrosini António Cabaça Salvador, Ary Papel and Jonathan Buatu produced a goal each to ensure Angola run out 3-1 winners over Piere-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon. A goal from Ambrosini on the 25th-minute gave the Palancas Negra a one-goal lead before the break. Another one after the break from Papel set them off to a comfortable lead but Axel Méyé’s goal in the 83rd-minute for The Panthers offered hope for a comeback fight to salvage a point. However, the comeback could not materialize as Buatu scored in the first minute of added time to seal the win for Angola. Angola is third in the group on three points and Gabon last on a single point.
Egypt managed a 1-0 win over Libya to move to the summit of Group F, with a point more than their north African neighbours. Omar Marmoush’s 49th-minute goal was the difference for the Pharaohs against The Mediterranean Knights. Libya dropped to second on the table ahead of the return leg on Monday.
In Group A, the race is getting tighter between Burkina Faso and Algeria for the sole ticket to advance to the next stage of the qualifiers. The Stallions thrashed Djibouti 0-4 away from home on matchday 3 with Abdul Tapsoba scoring a brace, one goal each in either half. Issa Kaboré and Mohamed Konaté completed the scoring for Burkina Faso at the Stade de Marrakech in Morroco on the 50th and 59th-minutes respectively. Burkina Faso is second on the table with seven points. Djibouti is winless after three matches and has conceded 16 goals, scoring only two.
The Desert Warriors of Algeria gave The Mena of Niger a chastening defeat at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Bilda with a thumping 6-1 victory. Riyad Mahrez and Islam Slimani both scored a brace each with the former opening the scoring in the 27th-minute before adding his second from the penalty spot at the hour mark. Sofiane Feghouli scored Algeria’s second two minutes after the recess before Daniel Sosah halved the deficit for Niger. Algeria then continued their rampage with Mahrez’s second goal and an own goal from Zakariya Souleymane in the 70th-minute. Slimani then completed the scoring with his two goals in the 76th and 88th-minute. Algeria is leading Group A with seven points, the same as Burkina but with a superior goal difference. Niger is third on the table.
Return here later to see results for Saturday’s matches and more.
By: Clifford Adumbire | myactiveonline.com
