JOHANNESBURG, June 9: Ethiopia gained a crucial 2-1 victory in Botswana on Saturday to stay two points ahead of fancied South Africa in a thrilling Group ‘A’ race for World Cup survival.
Congo, Ivory Coast and Tunisia also took giant leaps towards winning their World Cup qualifying groups although they were all overshadowed by the exploits of a resurgent Ethiopia.
A couple of first-half goals for leading scorers Getaneh Kebede and Saladin Ahmed put bottom seeds Ethiopia in control before Tebogo Sembowa pulled one back in Lobatse.
Victory for Ethiopia, who returned to the African Cup after a long absence this year and proved difficult opponents in the finals, maintained their push for an historic World Cup appearance as they are in line to secure a place in the final phase of the African preliminaries if they win again next weekend.
Ethiopia have 10 points and South Africa eight with two rounds left.
South Africa overcame a gruelling 36-hour trip to Yaounde after travel problems to beat Central African Republic 3-0 with goals by Bernard Parker, Siphiwe Tshabalala and Katlego Mphela.
Congo and Tunisia lost their 100 percent records but away draws inched them closer to winning their respective groups.Giant defender Christopher Samba withdrew on the eve of the game but Congo held neighbours Gabon to a 0-0 draw in Franceville to earn a six-point lead over their second-placed opponents in Group ‘E’.
A late equaliser from Fakhreddine Ben Youssef gave Tunisia a 2-2 draw at closest challengers Sierra Leone and a five-point lead in Group ‘B’. The Tunisians can clinch top spot by winning in Equatorial Guinea next weekend.
African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure was among the scorers as Ivory Coast triumphed 3-0 in Gambia to take their points tally in Group C to 10 from four games. Morocco also beat Tanzania 2-1, leaving the Ivorians four points clear with two matches to play.
Zambia retained their one-point lead over 2010 World Cup quarter-finalists Ghana in Group ‘D’ after sinking Lesotho 4-0.
Ghana won 3-1 in Sudan on Friday with two goals from Asamoah Gyan.
However, wins for Ghana away to Lesotho next weekend and at home to Zambia during September will take them through at the expense of the shock 2012 Cup of Nations champions.
And Senegal head a now-tight Group ‘J’ after giving up an early lead against Angola via striker Papiss Cisse to draw 1-1. Uganda beat Liberia 1-0 to close within a point of the Senegalese.
Libya drew with Congo in Tripoli in Group ‘I’ on Friday while African champions Nigeria beat Kenya on Wednesday to open a two-point in Group ‘F’.
The 10 group winners go through to the playoffs in October and November to determine the five African qualifiers for Brazil 2014.
Results: Group ‘A’ Botswana 1 Ethiopia 2 Central Africa Republic 0 South Africa 3
Group ‘B’ Sierra Leone 2 Tunisia 2 Cape Verde Islands 2 Equatorial Guinea 1
Group ‘C’ Gambia 0 Ivory Coast 3 Morocco 2 Tanzania 1
Group ‘D’ Zambia 4 Lesotho 0 Sudan 1 Ghana 3
Group ‘E’ Gabon 0 Congo Brazzaville 0
Group ‘F’ Kenya 0 Nigeria 1 Malawi 0 Namibia 0
Group ‘I’ Libya 0 Democratic Republic of Congo 0
Group ‘J’ Angola 1 Senegal 1 Uganda 1 Liberia 0—Agencies
