Angola, Togo boost chances |
http://www.sina.com.cn 2005/06/20 19:25 Shanghai Daily |
Angola, Ghana and Togo boosted their World Cup hopes after the latest batch of African zone qualifiers on Saturday. None of the three countries have previously qualified for the finals. Ghana took over the leadership of Group 2 with a shock 2-0 win over South Africa in Johannesburg. Angola drew 1-1 with joint leader Nigeria in a Group 4 tie in Kano while visiting Togo held Senegal to a 2-2 draw to remain at the top of Group 1. Matthew Amoah and Michael Essien, who plays for French champion Olympique Lyon, scored in the final 15 minutes as Ghana inflicted the first home defeat on South Africa in World Cup qualifying history. Ghana now leads South Africa on goal difference with two matches to go. The Ghanaians have an easier run-in, with a home match against Uganda in September and an away game with the Cape Verde Islands in October. Angola midfielder Paulo Figuereido scored on the hour to force the 1-1 draw with Nigeria. Both sides have 15 points but with games against lowly Gabon and Rwanda to come, Angola has qualification to Germany 2006 in its own hands. Jay-Jay Okocha scored early as Nigeria took the lead in the northern city on the edge of the Sahara desert. Monaco's Emmanuel Adebayor grabbed a late equalizer for Togo in Dakar. Togo has 17 points, one more than Zambia, which won 2-1 over Mali with a last-minute strike in Chililabombwe. Senegal, which reached the quarterfinals of the 2002 World Cup, is two points behind Togo and has a difficult trip to second-placed Zambia to come. (Reuters/AP) |
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