/ 10 August 1999

IVORY COAST INTO ALL AFRICA

IVORY COAST have clinched the final place for the eight-nation All-Africa Games football tournament in South Africa during September. The Ivorians join the hosts, Algeria, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritius, Uganda and Zambia at the seventh finals of an event restricted to players born on or after January 1, 1977. All-Africa qualifiers are staged regionally and Cote d’Ivoire pipped hosts Ghana for Zone 3 honours on goal difference after the teams accumulated five points each in a mini-league. Ghana had to defeat Cote d’Ivoire in the final round to top the standings and missed several chances in a 0-0 draw that saw Ivorians Youssouf Tidiane and Mamadou Coulibaly cautioned for time wasting. Cote d’Ivoire can call on the teenage stars from African club champions ASEC and will be among the favourites to succeed Egypt as winners of the quadrennial championship.