[ad_1]
By Mark Gleeson
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – South Africa have won last place in the finals of the African Nations Cup with a 2-1 win over Libya thanks to a double win at Percy Tau on Sunday to complete training for the 24-team final played in Egypt.
The tiny 24-year-old striker, loaned by British Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion to Union SG in Belgium, scored with two powerful strikes in the second half to ensure his country's second place behind Nigeria in the group E.
Earlier Sunday, Benin, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zimbabwe also secured their qualification.
Benin beat its Togolese neighbor 2-1 in Group D to end the international career of former Arsenal striker, Manchester City and Emmanuel Adebayor of Tottenham Hotspur.
Tanzania won 3-0 at home against their already qualified Ugandan neighbor.
Tanzania finished second in the L group ahead of the small Lesotho kingdom, which needed a victory outside the Cape Verde Islands to qualify for the first time, but which is why they have won. is held tied at 0-0.
Zimbabwe finished first in Group G with a 2-0 home victory over Congo-Brazzaville, while the Democratic Republic of Congo was second in the section after beating Liberia 1-0 in Kinshasa.
Khama Billiat and Knowledge Musona scored for Zimbabweans in the first period, while Cedric Bakumbu was the Congolese hero.
South Africa, which had missed the last finals in Gabon two years ago, needed only a draw against Libya, forced to organize the match. neutral territory in neighboring Tunisia because of a FIFA ban on organizing home matches.
Libya would have qualified at the expense of South Africa with a win and dominated a first-half scoreless with Manchester-born Ahmed Benali at the center of his attacks.
But Tau opened the scoring after 50 minutes of play, before Libya tied Benali a penalty in the 65th minute but the visitors regained the advantage three minutes later when Tau fired a shot from left to ensure the progress of his country.
The draw for the 24-team finals will take place in Cairo on April 12th. Cameroon won the trophy in 2017 by defeating Egypt in Gabon.
The complete list of qualifications is as follows: Egypt (hosts), Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea Bissau, Côte d 'Ivoire, Kenya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco , Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal. , South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zimbabwe
(Report by Mark Gleeson, edited by Ken Ferris)
Source link
