Angola, Ghana win again as Togo are humbled in qualifiers

[TheGift]

BLOEMFONTEIN, June 8 (Reuters) - Angola and Ghana both won their second successive World Cup qualifiers, but there were contrasting results on Sunday for two of Africa’s other representatives at the finals in Germany last year.

Angola came from a goal down to win 2-1 in Niger while Ghana also won vital away points in a high-tempo 3-2 triumph over Lesotho as the qualifying campaign on the continent completed a second successive weekend of matches

The Ivory Coast were held to a disappointing goalless draw in Madagascar and Togo suffered an embarrassing 2-1 defeat at tiny Swaziland.

Fullback Yamba Asha, who missed the last World Cup finals because of a drugs ban, scored a 71st-minute winner for Angola as they won away in Niamey to continue their wining start to Group Three.

Niger had taken a third-minute lead through Abdulkarim Dakawa but Flavio equalised on the half-hour mark.

Two goals from Nottingham Forest striker Junior Agogo saw Ghana also post a second successive triumph but they conceded late goals in a dramatic finish to the match played in Bloemfontein, South Africa.

“The boys are buzzing, we did what we needed to do to come away with the points,” Agogo told reporters.

The lack of attacking prowess for the Ivory Coast was all too evident as they were held to a goalless draw in Antananarivo. Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and Aruna Dindane were all absent.

Swaziland won their first World Cup qualifier for 15 years in beating Togo, whose line-up included Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor.

Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo, who have also been to World Cup finals tournaments, won their respective games on Sunday. But 2002 quarter-finalists Senegal were held to a 0-0 draw in the Gambia.

Samuel Eto’o was among the scorers as Cameroon breezed past hosts Mauritius 3-0 in Group One while a twice-taken penalty from Zola Matumona ensured a narrow 1-0 home win for the Congolese over Malawi in Kinshasa.

Botswana and Rwanda both won away from home while Razak Omotoyossi scored twice to give Benin the biggest win of the day - a 4-1 home triumph over Uganda.

A further 23 qualifying matches will be played around Africa next weekend.

Angola, Ghana win again as Togo are humbled in qualifiers - World Soccer - Yahoo! Sports