Tanzania and Guinea Bissau picked up massive wins as match day two of the CAF qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar wound up on Tuesday night.
Tanzania were 3-2 winners over 2019 AFCON quarter finalists Madagascar in Dar es Salaam while Guinea Bissau thrashed Sudan 4-2 in Khartoum.
In Dar es Salaam at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, Madagascar had come from two goals down to draw 2-2 at halftime, but they could not go all the way as Feisal Salum Abubakar scored the winner for the Taifa Stars seven minutes after the restart.
The Taifa Stars had started the game on a high and just within 10 seconds had won a penalty after an infringement inside the box. Up stepped Erasto Nyoni and he made no mistake to give his side the lead.
They went 2-0 up after 26 minutes when Novatus Dismas found the back of the net with a good individual effort, picking the ball in midfield before dribbling in to score with a low shot.
Madagascar were stunned after a slow start but managed to slowly claw their way back. They halved the deficit in the 37th minute when Njiva Rakotoharimalala tapped home unmarked at the backpost.
At the stroke of halftime, the Barea drew level in scintillating fashion, when Thomas Fontaine stood behind a freekick before giving it a beautiful curl over the wall and into the top left of Aishi Manula’s goal.
Feisal Salum celebrates his goal
Having gone to the break level, the islanders were in strong belief they could turn the tide of the game to their favour. But they were back behind seven minutes after the break when Feisal ‘Fei Toto’ Salum struck Tanzania’s third with a well taken low effort off Mbwana Samatta’s cutback.
Meanwhile, Guinea Bissau went top of Group I after an assured 4-2 victory over host nation Sudan in Omdurman. Piqueti scored a brace for the Djurtus while Frederic Mendy and Mama Balde grabbed one each in the healthy win.
Mohamed Abdel Rahman scored a brace for the Sudanese, but it wasn’t enough on a day that they were outplayed and outfought.
Guinea Bissau went 1-0 up after only eight minutes when Piqueti picked the ball at the edge of the box, drove in and shot low past the keeper. Piqueti turned from scorer to provider when he laid in a cross from the left for Mendy to score.
The tempo was raised and the Djurtus went 3-0 up with Piqueti completing his brace with a smart low shot into the bottom left.
In the second half, Sudan got themselves into the game through Mohamed Abdel Rahman. The Sudanese had turned over possession and made it count, giving themselves a slight belief of a comeback just 10 minutes after the restart
But all their efforts to try and get back into contention came to nothing and it was Guinea Bissau who would add a goal with eight minutes left, Balde powering a header home off a corner.
Abdel Rahman scored his second of the afternoon for Sudan late on, but it was only for consolation.
Elsewhere, Burkina Faso played to a 1-1 draw with reigning African champions Algeria in Ouagadougou. Despite the draw, Algeria remained top of their group and extended their unbeaten run of matches to 29.
Algeria team
Algeria had chances especially in the first half, but Burkina Faso were an improved lot in the second period. But The Desert Foxes got themselves ahead after 17 minutes in sublime fashion. Youcef Belaili won the ball deep in his team’s own half before sending Silimani through on the right with a peach of a pass. The forward then cut back a cross into the box which Soufiane Feghouli tapped into an empty net.
On the half hour mark, Algeria had a brilliant chance. Another precise pass from Belaili fell on Slimani who did well to sit one defender down, but his shot at goal from a tight angle was blocked by the keeper.
In the second half, Burkina Faso came with more speed and precision. They were patient in attack and that ultimately paid off after 64 minutes when Abdoul Tapsoba drew them level. A long ball started by the keeper landed on Lassina Traore who dragged a cross into the box.
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