Agence France-Presse CAIRO: Defending champions Egypt were held 0-0 away to Botswana Saturday as the second round of 2008 African Nations Cup qualifiers kicked off. The result lifted the Pharaohs above Group 2 surprise package Mauritania into first place on four points, one more than the minnows from the north-west of the continent. Coached by former Algeria World Cup star and coach Ali Fergani, Mauritania trounced Botswana 4-0 at home last month and will regain the leadership if they avoid defeat away to Burundi Sunday. Veteran coach and former national team defender Hassan Shehata, who guided hosts Egypt to a record fifth Nations Cup title last February, fielded an array of local and Europe-based talent at the National Stadium in Gaborone. But despite dominating territorially and creating most of the clear-cut chances, a mix of wild finishing and bad luck robbed the visitors of the victory they would have expected from the long journey to southern Africa. Dodging defeat was a relief for recently appointed Botswana coach Colwyn Roe from England after losses away to Zambia and Mauritania, and at home to the Cameroon Olympic squad. The Cameroon senior team continued their impressive form under new Dutch coach Arie Haan with a 3-0 home triumph over rising force Equatorial Guinea in a top-of-the-table Group 5 encounter. Germany-based striker Idrissou Mohammadou, a late addition to the squad after the injury-induced withdrawal of reigning African Footballer of the Year Samuel Eto o, was the two-goal hero at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium. He broke the deadlock after 73 minutes in Yaounde and struck again 60 seconds from full-time after fellow striker Achille Webo, from Spanish club Osasuna, hit the second. Long a whipping boy of African football, Equatorial Guinea have made steady progress helped by an oil boom in the tiny central African state and launched their campaign with a home victory over Liberia. Rwanda, who collapsed in the second half when losing by three goals at home to four-time Nations Cup winners Cameroon, are away to Liberia Sunday in a battle of basement dwellers. Malawi overcame the dramatic midweek sacking of German coach Burkhard Ziese to surprise Zimbabwe 1-0 in Group 12 thanks to a 33rd-minute goal from Moses Chavula at Chichiri Stadium in Blantyre. Ziese was slightly injured in an attack by supporters of the Flames and manhandled out of the national stadium by stewards ahead of his dismissal following a series of poor results. Replacement Kinnah Phiri, a former national team midfielder, lifted spirits sufficiently for Chavula to break the deadlock against 2004 and 2006 Nations Cup qualifiers Zimbabwe. Portsmouth striker Benjamin Benjani Mwaruwari captained the Warriors of Zimbabwe in the absence of injured veteran Peter Ndlovu and while he lamented the loss, his Malawian parents will have mixed feelings. Morocco, whose only Nations Cup title was won in Ethiopia 30 years ago, beat Malawi in the first round and are now favored to top the three-team pool and claim a place at the 2008 finals in Ghana. Wilnes Brutus was the toast of Seychelles after they beat Mauritius 2-1 in an Indian Ocean showdown to collect their first points in Group 4, which includes Tunisia and Sudan, who meet later Saturday in Tunis. The striker put the home team ahead after 23 minutes and snatched the winner eight minutes from full-time in Victoria after Kevin Gordon had leveled early in the second half. Seychelles have traditionally struggled against the Mauritians, who exceeded expectations at home in the first round last month by holding 2004 champions Tunisia to a goalless draw. Sudan defeated Seychelles 3-0 in the other first-round match, but a Tunisian team guided by former France coach Roger Lemerre are expected to qualify for their eighth consecutive Nations Cup tournament. The highlight of a 22-match weekend program is the Sunday clash between Zambia and South Africa, who face the grim prospect of failing to qualify for the finals for the first time since 1997 if they lose the Group 11 fixture. The 12 group winners and the best three runners-up from the 10 four-team pools advance to the finals of the tournament with hosts Ghana who qualify automatically.
African Nations Cup champions Egypt held in Botswana
