Africa World Cup 2014 qualifying results: Mali defeats Algeria with late Maiga winner

World Cup in Brazil 2014

كأس العالم في البرازيل 2014

Mali hosted Algeria on Sunday in a World Cup qualifier that would favour the home side, as the Eagles were able to appease home fans with a 2-1 victory at the Stade du 4 aout in Ouagadougou.

The encounter began well for the north Africans, as Islam Slimani scored in the 7th minute to give the Fennecs an early lead, but the Malians equalised on the half hour thanks to Mahamadou Ndiaye.

The Eagles earned all three points with an 80th minute winner from Modibo Maiga, ending the match 2-1 to Mali.

The result means that Group H is headed by Benin on four points, with Algeria and Mali level on three, while Rwanda are bottom of the standings on one point.

Ethiopia scored a goal in each half of the game to send the Central Africa Republic packing back home without a point. Saladin Said bagged a double to improve on their last week’s 1-1 draw game against South Africa.

It was a game well fought from both sides, but it was the host who kept the smiles on the faces of their fans at the Addis Ababa Stadium. Malawian referee, Anthony Ramsy Raphael, had to issue four yellow cards – three on CAR and the other on Ethiopia – to keep the game going.

The 23-year-old Wadi Degla forward scored in the 33rd minute and with two minutes to end proceedings, he doubled their lead. Ethiopia now top Group A on four points with Botswana at the bottom.

Sudan top Group D on four points after drawing with Lesotho on Sunday. The Falcons of Jediane were highly expected to maul their host after beating reigning African champions Zambia 2-0 last week.

The Crocodiles seem to have done their homework well after an embarrassing 7-0 defeat in the hands of Ghana in their opening fixture. They now have a point, but sit at the bottom of the table with Ghana trailing Sudan followed by Zambia. The Chipolopolo shot down the Black Stars of Ghana in Saturday’s 1-0 game at the newly constructed Levy Mwanawasa Stadium.

Both teams are still struggling to find their bearings in the race to Brazil 2014. Zimbabwe lost at home to Guinea while Mozambique suffered a 2-0 defeat against Egypt last week. The two teams are sitting at the bottom of Group G with one point each.

The OS Mambas could not light up the Maputo Stadium and managed to only draw with the southern African side of Zimbabwe. Both teams could not create chances that could yield positive results and sharing the spoils means a great deal of effort is required in their next games scheduled for March 2013.


The Taifa Stars made up for their 2-0 loss to Cote d’Ivoire in last week’s fixture by beating Gambia 2-1 on Sunday.

The Gambians first opened the lead with a Momodou Ceesay strike with just seven minutes into the game. But the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium came to life when the eastern Africans replied with two goals all in the second half.

Shomari Kapombe restored parity in the 60th minute before Erasto Nyoni put them in the lead from the spot with six minutes to stoppage time. The Taifa Stars are now second on the table behind Cote d’Ivoire, who are leading with four points.

But for a Labama Bokota goal from the spot in the 88th minute, Rwanda could have lost all points to Benin at home. The west Africans got the lead through Razak Omotoyossi in the 74th minute. Both sides kept pressing to find the net until Adjamossi had red with five minutes to end proceedings, making it possible for the Amavubi to come back into the game.

The Stade Amahoro went into frenzy when the Rayon Sports striker converted nicely to level the score for the home side. The Squirrels now boast of four points after that 1-0 win against Mali in their opening fixture last week. Rwanda have just a point in the campaign.

Togo were unable to reply any of the two goals from their DR Congo counterparts at the Martyrs Stadium in Kinshasa. The Leopards were too strong for the Sparrow Hawks and dictated the pace of the game with a goal in each half of the game.

TP Mazembe talisman Tresor Mputo got his name first on the score sheet in the 24th minute, before his team-mate Dieumerci Mbokani doubled their lead through a penalty goal in the 81st minute. With Libya beating Cameroon 2-1 in the other game, DRC now go second on the log while the north Africans move to the summit of the table.

Liberia and Angola are yet to record a win in this campaign. They shared the spoils at the Antoinette Tubman Stadium in Monrovia. The Palancas Negras could be content with the results, at least, since they obtained another point last week against Uganda.

The same cannot be said of the west Africans who suffered a 3-1 defeat in the cruel hands of Senegal a week ago. The Lone Star sit at the bottom of Group J with just a point while Senegal are at the summit with four points followed by Uganda and Angola in that order.