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The Hindu
The Hindu
Sport
AFP

African giants make a mark

Timely intervention: Malawi’s Chembezi Denis blocks a shot at goal from Mozambique’s Ocozias Nhaca. (Source: AFP)

Liverpool star Sadio Mane was among the goals for Senegal which, along with Nigeria and Tunisia, took significant steps on Tuesday toward qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

All three nations are seeded first in mini-leagues and have a maximum six points after two rounds.

Another of the 10 four-team groups is led by lowly Tanzania, which scored off a penalty awarded after just five seconds when defeating Madagascar.

Mane shrugged off being yellow-carded to complete a 3-1 victory by converting an 87th-minute penalty.

Boulaye Dia gave Senegal a lead cancelled by a Silvere Ganvoula penalty in first-half added time before Watford forward Ismaila Sarr nudged the visitors ahead again and Mane put the result beyond doubt.

100th appearance

Ahmed Musa made his 100th appearance for Nigeria, which overcame the handicap of lacking seven players because of British coronavirus travel restrictions to defeat Cape Verde 2-1 in Mindelo.

Among the absentees was Leicester City star Kelechi Iheanacho, whose two goals got the Super Eagles off to a winning start in Group C four days ago against Liberia.

Own goal

Victor Osimhen equalised on 29 minutes for Nigeria after Dylan Tavares put the hosts ahead and the Group C clash was settled by a Kenny Rocha own-goal 14 minutes from time.

Early and late goals sealed a 2-0 triumph for Tunisia over Zambia in Ndola, giving the north Africans an early three-point advantage in Group B.

Former Premier League forward Wahbi Khazri converted a penalty and substitute Anis Ben Slimane pounced on a loose ball to net from close range two minutes into stoppage time.

The results: Group A: Burkina Faso 1 (Tapsoba 64) drew with Algeria 1 (Feghouli 18).

Group B: Zambia 0 lost to Tunisia 2 (Khazri 9-pen, Ben Slimane 90+2); Equatorial Guinea 1 (Salvador 59-pen) bt Mauritania 0.

Group C: Cape Verde 1 (D. Tavares 19) lost to Nigeria 2 (Osimhen 29, Rocha 76-og).

Group D: Malawi 1 (Mbulu 10) bt Mozambique 0.

Group F: Angola 0 lost to Libya 1 (Al Khoja 43).

Group G: Ethiopia 1 (Seyoum 90+4-pen) bt Zimbabwe 0.

Group H: Congo 1 (Ganvoula 45+2-pen) lost to Senegal 3 (Dia 27, Sarr 83, Mane 87-pen).

Group I: Sudan 2 (Yousif 54, 90+2) lost to Guinea-Bissau 4 (Piqueti 8, 39, Mendy 11, Balde 82).

Group J: Tanzania 3 (Nyoni 2-pen, Miroshi 26, Salum 52) bt Madagascar 2 (Rakotoharimalala 36, Fontaine 45+2).

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