http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/y=2015/m=10/news=swaziland-rout-djibouti-somalia-lose-to-niger-2710641.html
Africa
Swaziland rout Djibouti, Somalia lose to Niger
(AFP) 09 Oct 2015
© AFP
Swaziland shed a goal-shy FIFA World Cup™ record by trouncing Djibouti
6-0 in a first round, first leg Russia 2018 qualifier.
The southern Africa team had scored just twice in seven previous away
preliminary games, averaging a goal every 315 minutes. Not only did
Swaziland struggle to score, they lost all seven matches, including
six-goal hidings from Angola and Togo. But after taking the lead in
first-half stoppage-time in the tiny Horn of Africa state, Swaziland
scored another five goals past goalkeeper Guedi Hassan during 24
second-half minutes.
The rout equalled the biggest away victory in a World Cup qualifier in
Africa with Congo DR winning 6-0 in Djibouti in a 2010 qualifier.
Congo, Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia and Zambia have won World Cup
qualifiers on the road by five goals.
Djibouti, the weakest national team in Africa and the joint second
weakest in the world according to the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking,
survived until Mthunzi Mkhontfo scored on the stroke of half-time. But
the floodgates opened at the El Hadj Hassan Gouled Stadium once Sabelo
Ndzinisa doubled the lead for the Burning Spear 17 minutes into the
second half. Substitutes Muzi Dlamini and Sandile Hlatjwako struck
within four minutes, veteran midfielder Tony Tsabedze got the fifth
goal and Mxolisi Lukhele completed the blitz.
Somalia, another East African minnow, lost 2-0 to Niger. China
PR-based Moussa Maazou scored both Nigerien goals, after 58 minutes
and four minutes later from a penalty kick. Somalia, seeking a first
World Cup victory after three draws and six losses, created chances
but a lack of international experience told against them.
Gambia against Namibia in Bakau near Banjul seemed likely to be the
closest of the day's three qualifiers and so it proved with the hosts
fighting back to force a 1-1 draw. Petrus Shitembi put the reigning
Southern Africa champions ahead midway through the second half at the
Independence Stadium.
Finland-based Demba Savage, one of many professionals playing for
European clubs in the Gambian line-up, equalised 12 minutes from time.
The 13 first-leg schedule finishes Saturday when Eritrea play Botswana
in Asmara, Chad meet Sierra Leone in N'Djamena and the Central African
Republic tackle Madagascar in Antananarivo. Because of violence in
Bangui, the Central African Republic must play both legs in the huge
Indian Ocean island.
Received on Fri Oct 09 2015 - 19:13:14 EDT