JOHANNESBURG: The giants of African football demonstrated their strength in the first series of 2008 Nations Cup qualifiers this weekend. Of the eight teams among the top 10 in action, defending champions Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Morocco and Togo won while Guinea and Tunisia featured in goalless draws. Hosts Ghana qualify automatically for the biennial showpiece and Ivory Coast had a bye after the withdrawal of Djibouti from a competition in which 46 teams are challenging for 15 places at the finals. Egyptian players wore black armbands in memory of defender Mohammed Abdel Wahad, who died of a heart defect after collapsing last week while practicing with African club champions Al-Ahli. Abdel Wahad, 23, helped the host country win the Nations Cup a record fifth time last February, pipping Ivory Coast in a penalty shootout. The Pharaohs are 38 places above Burundi on the African rankings and the gap in class soon told with Germany-based striker Mohamed Zidan giving the title holders a sixth-minute lead in the Group 2 match. Hosni Abd Rabou and midfield magician Mohammed Aboutrika added first-half goals and Captain Ahmed Hassan converted a penalty eight minutes after the break before Musabah Suleimani reduced arrears from another spot kick. Top-ranked Nigeria shook off the absence through injuries of leading striker Obafemi Martins and veteran midfielder Jay-Jay Okocha to overcome Niger 2-0 in a Group 3 encounter. Yakubu Aiyegbeni, back after a lengthy absence triggered by a fallout with coach Augustine Eguavoen, put the Super Eagles ahead with 27 minutes gone in Abuja and Christian Obodo struck early in the second half. Cameroon were impressive 3-0 victors in Rwanda through second-half goals from substitute Guy Feutchine, Geremi Njitap and debutant Landry Nguemo as Dutch coach Arie Haan got off to a dream start in Group 5. Senegal, another country with a new coach, gave Pole Henri Kasperczak maximum points with a 2-0 triumph in Group 7 over Mozambique, who contributed to their downfall in Dakar when Fernando Matola conceded an own goal. Morocco won by the same score at home to Malawi in Group 12 with Marouane Chamakh breaking the deadlock after 53 minutes in Rabat and Mbarek Boussoufa also on target for the Atlas Lions. Togo put their 2006 World Cup woes behind them at home to Benin, winning 2-1 in Lome with the only surprise being the failure of prolific marksman Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal to score. World football governing body FIFA slapped an $80,000 fine on the Togolese last month after a series of embarrassing incidents in Germany related to player bonuses. Guinea were held in Conakry by Algeria, a good Group 8 result for the struggling north African Desert Foxes, who failed to qualify for the 2006 Nations Cup. Mauritius goalkeeper Orwin Castel saved a first-half penalty from Hamed Namouchi as depleted Tunisia had to settle for a point in a Group 4 match in Curepipe. Angola comfortably dealt with Swaziland in Group 6 with 2006 World Cup defenders Joao Jamba Pereira and Manuel Loco Cange punishing sloppy defending after corners to score in Mbabane. Eritrea, the lowest ranked team in the competition, caused a shock in the same pool by overcoming Kenya 2-1 in Nairobi where Yednekatchew Shimangus snatched the winner midway through the second half. Another southern Africa side to impress were Zambia, who defeated Chad 2-0 in N Djamena courtesy of early second-half goals from James Chamanga and Adubelo Phiri. This result added to the misery of Group 11 rivals South Africa, who travel to Lusaka next month. Bafana Bafana (The Boys) was held 0-0 by Congo in a dour Johannesburg struggle. Democratic Republic of Congo came from behind to edge Namibia 3-2 in Kinshasa while an early Dawit Meberahtu goal gave Ethiopia a 1-0 win over Libya in the other Group 10 fixture. The 12 group winners plus the best three second-placed teams qualify for the finals, which will be staged from January 20 to February 10, 2008, in Accra, Kumasi, Tamale and Sekondi. AFP
African giants demonstrate strength in Nations Cup
