OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Saturday 5.30pm.
SOUTH Africa became the second country to qualify for the 2000 African Nations Cup when they defeated Mauritius 2-0 at Kings Park here on Saturday.
Dreadlocked midfielder Thabo Mngomeni broke the deadlock in a tense Group 4 qualifying tie after 57 minutes with a close-range shot and substitute Benni McCarthy clinched victory with a 79th-minute goal.
South Africa have 10 points with an away match againt Angola to play on June 20 and are guaranteed one of the two qualifying places with Gabon well placed to fill the other.
Gabon host Angola on Sunday in Libreville – where they have not lost a Nations Cup qualifier since 1971 – and a win will take them to the finals in Ghana and Nigeria.
Tunisia were the first country to reach the biennial showcase of African football after winning 2-0 in Uganda during April and co-hosts Ghana and Nigeria and holders Egypt are automatic entrants.
South Africa laboured for almost an hour before a capacity 50000 crowd in the Indian Ocean city before Mngomeni scored his first international goal in 10 appearances.
David Nyathi held off the challenge of Jerry Louis, his cross eluded three Mauritians and Mngomeni rifled a right-foot shot past goalkeeper Orwin Castel from close range.
The nervous South Africans still lacked conviction and it took a debatable goal from Ajax Amsterdam striker McCarthy to seal a place at the 16-nation tournament.
Television replays suggested McCarthy was marginally onside as he ran on to a Philemon Masinga pass, rounded Castel and planted the ball in the net with his left foot.
Man-of-the-match Masinga could have finished with a hat-trick as he wasted several good first-half chances and headed a John ‘Shoes’ Moshoeu free kick against the post.
Meanwhile, Uganda scored with four minutes left to snatch a 1-0 win over Liberia in an African Nations Cup Group 7 qualifying match at Nakivubo Stadium in Kampala on Saturday.
Victory ended a disastrous run of three consecutive group defeats during which the Cranes failed to score a goal and put them back in contention for the second qualifying place.
Runaway leaders Tunisia clinched a place at the 2000 finals in Ghana and Nigeria by winning 2-0 in Uganda during April and Uganda, Algeria and Liberia are battling to join them.
Tunisia have 12 points, Uganda six and Algeria and Liberia four each with Tunisia hosting Algeria on Sunday and the final two matches scheduled for mid-June.
Ssozi scored the decisive goal to give coach Paul Hasule success in his first competitive match since replacing Asuman Lubowa, who quit after the home loss to Tunisia. — AFP