Cameroon, the Côte d’Ivoire and Morocco moved to within one point of qualification for the African Nations Cup finals on a weekend overshadowed by the death of 12 spectators in a stampede in Zambia.
Spectators were trampled in a rush for free buses at the end of Zambia’s 3-0 win over Congo in Chililabombwe on the country’s northern copperbelt on Saturday.
A government investigation has been ordered and the result of an official enquiry promised by Friday, officials said.
The deaths were the latest in a long list of tragedies at African stadia, light on proper crowd control and adequate security arrangements.
The Chelsea pair of Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba scored the first and last goal in Côte d’Ivoire’s 5-0 demolition of Madagascar in Bouake on Sunday, with Arouna Kone (2) and Gneri Yaya Toure grabbing the others.
The match was played in a carnival atmosphere in the former capital of the rebel held north as officials marked the peace deal signed in March.
The rout lifted the Ivorians’ tally to 13 goals in three games without a goal conceded.
Cameroon also kept up their 100% record in the qualifying competition as Samuel Eto’o got the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Liberia in Monrovia on Sunday.
Morocco’s 2-0 win over Zimbabwe in Casablanca on Saturday also sees them a single point from the mathematical certainty of qualification.
Further progress
Early goals from French-based striker Marouane Chamakh and Youssef Hadji leaves Morocco needing a draw away against Malawi on June 16 to qualify for next January’s finals in Ghana.
World Cup finalists Angola and Togo will be through to the finals if they win their next ties on June 17 after further progress at the weekend.
Togo, playing without captain Emmanuel Adebayor, scored a late goal to win 1-0 in Sierra Leone while Angola progressed to within three points of qualification after their draw in Eritrea on Saturday and failure by Kenya to win in Swaziland on Sunday.
Kenya and their Swazi hosts played out a drab goalless draw.
Tunisia and Sudan also looked to go through from Group Four after they beat island opposition on Saturday while 2010 World Cup hosts South Africa continued their march with a 4-0 home win over Chad — their biggest winning margin.
The 12 group winners and three best second place finishers progress to the tournament in Ghana.
Away draws for Egypt and Senegal slowed down their progress while Mali and Guinea face the stark reality of missing out after failure to win on Sunday.
Mali drew in Benin while Guinea were held to a surprise 2-2 home draw by Gambia in Conakry.
Defending champions Egypt took an early lead through Anderlecht’s Ahmed Hassan but Mauritania’s French-born import Yohan Langlet equalised win the 72nd minute.
Tico-Tico scored twice as Mozambique revived their hopes with a 3-1 home win over Burkina Faso in Maputo. – Reuters