JOHANNESBURG: Holders Nigeria were handed a shock defeat at the start of the group phase of African Nations Cup qualifying on Saturday while Ghana also still seemed to be nursing a World Cup hangover.

Nigeria threw away a 1-0 lead in losing 3-2 at home to Congo and Ghana had to fight for a 1-1 draw at home to Uganda as some of the continent’s top teams were given tough workouts.

Ivory Coast came from behind to beat Sierra Leone 2-1 with two goals in five minutes while Cameroon and Algeria, Africa’s other two representatives at the World Cup, both won.

There were also home wins for Burkina Faso, Gabon and Tunisia and an away triumph for the tiny Cape Verde Islands. Zambia, winners in 2012, were held to a goalless draw at home by Mozambique.

Congo became the first country in 33 years to win a competitive match in Nigeria as they beat the Nations Cup champions in Calabar with two goals from French-born striker Thievy Bifouma.

Nigeria were last beaten in a competitive home game when they lost 2-0 to Algeria in a World Cup qualifier in Lagos in 1981.

The Congolese Red Devils were not even supposed to be in south-eastern city Calabar having lost a preliminary tie against Rwanda. But the Rwandans were kicked out of the competition for fielding an ineligible player and Congo got a second chance.

Celtic defender Efe Ambrose nodded Nigeria into a13th-minute lead at UJ Esuene Stadium but Prince Oniangue equalised two minutes later and Bifouma’s double put the game out of the African champions’ reach in the biggest surprise of the round.

Substitute Gbolahan Salami scored in the final minute of normal time, ultimately only a consolation for Nigeria after they couldn’t make six minutes of injury time count.

Nigeria dropped behind early pace-setters South Africa and Republic of Congo in Group ‘A’ before travelling to play South Africa next week.

Ghana almost followed Nigeria to a shock defeat at home in Group ‘E’ when Tony Mawejje put Uganda ahead at Baba Yaro Stadium in Kumasi.

Andre Ayew saved the Ghanaians with a 50th-minute penalty, but the home crowd in Kumasi booed their own players, in part for Ghana’s poor performance on Saturday but also because of their World Cup failure.

Cameroon put a desperate World Cup behind them as debutant Clinton Njie and striker Vincent Aboubakar scored in a 2-0 victory in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Stephane Mbia produced a captain’s performance at left back having taken the armband from Samuel Eto’o who announced his international retirement last month.

Ivory Coast began a new era without Didier Drogba, who has also quit the international stage, by defeating Sierra Leone 2-1 in the other Group ‘D’ game in Abidjan. Gervinho scored the winner as the Ivorians came from behind to beat their west African rivals.

In Group ‘B’, Algeria won 2-1 at Ethiopia while heavy rain meant the match between Mali and Malawi was called off. Yacine Chikaoui scored a late penalty to give Tunisia a come-from-behind 2-1 win over Botswana.

Shock 2012 African champions Zambia started disappointingly in Group ‘F’ as they were held 0-0 by Mozambique at Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola. Cape Verde took advantage of Zambia’s slip to win 3-1 at Niger and lead Group ‘F’.

Burkina Faso, runners-up at the last finals, overcame Lesotho 2-0 with goals from Jonathan Pitroipa and Alain Traore and Samson Mbingui netted with a scorching shot as Gabon beat Angola 1-0 in Group ‘C’.

The qualifiers see 28 teams split into seven groups, with the top two in each group winning places at the Cup of Nations in Morocco in January and February.

There is also a place for the best third-placed team. South Africa, Senegal and Guinea all opened the three-month qualifying competition with victories on Friday.

Published in Dawn, September 8th, 2014