World Cup qualifiers: Mali, up to the last 10, in the CM standings, setback for Ghana
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Malik advanced to the final round of the Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday with a 3-0 win over Rwanda by 10 players, and Ghana had a major setback in their efforts to reach Qatar next year.
Ghana drew 1-1 with Ethiopia, a result that opened the door for South Africa to take a three-point lead over Ghana in the absence of a single match in Group G.
The match will be a match between the two in Cape Coast, Ghana, on Sunday, as a draw will lead to the decisive knockout stages of 10 teams that South Africa and Ghana will lose in their second consecutive World Cup. Only the team winners advance.
Captain Andre Ayew put his left foot into a curly foul in Johannesburg in the 22nd minute to put Ghana ahead of Ethiopia. The Ghanaians missed a series of good chances in the first half, and Ethiopian skipper Getaneh Kebede was left unmarked in the middle to score the equalizer in the 72nd minute.
South Africa capitalized on Zimbabwe to win 1-0 and put themselves in pole position to pass. South Africa has not been to the World Cup since its inception in 2010.
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Mali joined Senegal and Morocco to reach the playoffs to be played in March. Thursday was the first of six rounds of the African qualifiers to end the group stage and decide the quarter-finals.
Mali’s job was made much easier when Rwandan Djihad Biziman lost control of the ball next to his penalty and then dragged Mali striker Ibrahima Kone into the red in the eighth minute.
Mali dominated from then on, and Moussa Djenepo threw the ball to the post. Konek took advantage of a terrible mistake by Rwandan goalkeeper Emery Mvuyekure and gifted the ball in front of the goal, making it 2-0 in the first half.
Caliph Coulibaly fired a powerful volley from the 3-0 result, and the Mali players danced around the corner flag to celebrate their promotion to the final round.
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Earlier Uganda drew 1-1 with Kenya on the same team, and Mali’s victory ensured Uganda’s elimination.
Kenya announced that its government was dissolving its national football federation and firing its leaders, and it was playing out for hours, amid allegations of mismanagement of money. Federation President Nick Mwendwa refused to heed the government’s order, putting the two parties on the road to a clash.
Senegal, already in the final stages, managed a 1-1 draw in Togo to keep the start of the standings unbeaten when Habib Diallo equalized.
A surprise is emerging in Group J, Benin, which has never been to the World Cup, or even close, for two points from Congo, which is in first place in the standings. Congo will host Benin on Sunday when that team is decided.
Mohamed Salah plays for Egypt on Friday, and a win in Angola, which has been knocked out, would confirm his place in the playoffs.
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