Nations Cup results update and standings

Cameroon lift the last Cup of Nations and will soon know many of their rivals for 2002

Half of the 16-team field for next January's African Nations Cup finals in Mali is now known as the penultimate round of qualifiers unfold.

So far, Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco and Togo have qualified to join the hosts Mali, defending champions Cameroon, Senegal, and South Africa.

The top two teams in each of the seven qualifying groups go through to the finals.

Group One

Last year's runnners-up Nigeria booked their place at the finals with a 1-nil victory over Madagascar in Benin City.

A fifth minute goal from Benedict Akwuegbu secured a much-weakened Nigeria their place.

It was a less than convincing performance from the Super Eagles and the Malagasy fought hard to keep alive their own chances of reaching Mali 2002 alive.

A lacklustre goalless draw between Zambia and Namibia in Chingola leaves both teams along with Madagascar on 5 points.

  Group One table

1 Nigeria P5 GD 7-1 Pts 11

2 Madagascar P5 GD 5-6 Pts 5

3 Zambia P5 GD 4-5 Pts 5

4 Namibia P5 GD 5-9 Pts 5

Sat Nigeria 1 Madagascar nil

Sat Zambia nil Namibia nil

Group One results
Nigeria 4-0 Namibia
Zambia 1-2 Madagascar
Madagascar 0-0 Nigeria
Namibia 1-2 Zambia
Namibia 2-2 Madagascar
Nigeria 1-0 Zambia
Zambia 1-1 Nigeria
Madagascar 1-2 Namibia
Final fixtures
Madagascar v Zambia, Antananarivo, June 16
Namibia v Nigeria, Windhoek, June 16

Namibia host the Nigerians, and Zambia travel to Madagascar in two weeks time to decide who wins the group's other place at the finals.

Group Two
Liberia need only a draw at home in Monrovia on Sunday against South Africa to join Bafana Bafana in the finals next year.

George Weah's team will face a second-string South African outfit after coach Carlos Queiroz decided to give his first choice players a rest.

  Group Two table

1 South Africa P4 GD 8-3 Pts 10

2 Liberia P4 GD 11-3 Pts 9

3 Congo P4 GD 4-8 Pts 3

4 Mauritius P4 GD 2-10 Pts 1

Sun Liberia v South Africa

Sun Congo v Mauritius

It would be only the second time that Liberia have qualified for the finals and also comes as a morale booster ahead of their last two World Cup qualification matches in July, where they are also handily placed to go to Japan and South Korea next year.

Congo host bottom-placed Mauritius in the other group match on Sunday needing to win in Pointe Noire and hoping, at the same time, that Liberia lose to keep alive their remote chance.

Group Two results
Congo 1-2 South Africa
Liberia 4-0 Mauritius
Mauritius 1-2 Congo
South Africa 2-1 Liberia
Mauritius 1-1 South Africa
Liberia 5-1 Congo
South Africa 3-0 Mauritius
Congo 0-1 Liberia
Final fixtures
South Africa v Congo, Durban, June 16
Mauritius v Liberia, Curepipe, June 17

Group Three
Morocco secured qualification with a 1-1 draw in Kenya.

The Kenyans played impressively and it was lack of finishing that stopped them converting the numerous chances they created.

The result leaves Kenya still in the race to qualify for their first finals since 1992.

The Harambee stars are now on six points, one clear of Gabon and Tunisia who both have five after a 1-1 draw in Libreville.

  Group Three table

1 Morocco P5 GD 5-3 Pts 10

2 Kenya P5 GD 4-4 Pts 6

3 Tunisia P5 GD 5-6 Pts 5

4 Gabon P5 GD 7-8 Pts 5

Sat Kenya 1 Morocco 1

Sun Gabon 1 Tunisia1

The north Africans have recalled veteran striker Faouzi Rouissi for the match but allowed midfielder Zoubeir Baya to miss the match as he concludes his move from Freiburg in Germany to Besiktas in Turkey.

Group Three results
Gabon 2-0 Morocco
Kenya 0-0 Tunisia
Tunisia 4-2 Gabon
Morocco 1-0 Kenya
Kenya 2-1 Gabon
Tunisia 0-1 Morocco
Gabon 1-1 Kenya
Morocco 2-0 Tunisia
Final fixtures
Morocco v Gabon, Casablanca, June 16
Tunisia v Kenya, Tunis, June 16

Group Four
Algeria made sure of qualification by beating Angola 3-2, and Burkina Faso can follow on Sunday.

  Group Four table

1 Algeria P5 GD 9-6 Pts 11

2 Burkina Faso P4 GD 3-3 Pts 7

3 Angola P5 GD 6-6 Pts 5

4 Burundi P4 GD 1-4 Pts 1

Fri Algeria 3-2 Angola

Sun Burundi v Burkina Faso

Visitors Angola put up a tough challenge in Annaba, but could not equalise for a third time as defensive mistakes cost them dearly.

Burkina Faso are away at winless Burundi in Bujumbura and will not want to depend on the final game to qualify.

Group Four results
Algeria 1-1 Burkina Faso
Burundi 0-0 Angola
Burkina Faso 1-0 Burundi
Angola 2-2 Algeria
Algeria 2-1 Burundi
Burkina Faso 1-0 Angola
Angola 2-0 Burkina Faso
Burundi 0-1 Algeria
Algeria 3-2 Angola
Final fixtures
Angola v Burundi, Luanda, June 17
Burkina Faso v Algeria, Ouagadougou, June 17

Group Five
Togo qualified after a 3-nil away victory against Uganda in Kampala on Saturday.

A double strike from Coubadja, one in each half and another from , Dogbe early in the second half secured Togo's place at the finals.

  Group Five table

1 Senegal P3 GD 4-1 Pts 5

2 Togo P3 GD 6-0 Pts 7

3 Uganda P4 GD 1-10 Pts 1

Sat Uganda nil Togo 3

The result completes Group five as the Togolese join Senegal at Mali 2002, Although these two are scheduled to meet in the group's final game in two weeks time.

Group Five results
Uganda 3-1 Guinea
Senegal 0-0 Togo
Guinea 1-0 Senegal
Togo 3-0 Uganda
Uganda 1-1 Senegal
Guinea 0-0 Togo
Senegal 3-0 Uganda
Guinea results removed from standings
Final fixture
Togo v Senegal, Lome, June 17

Group Six
Ghana have qualified after a goal in injury time gave them a 2-1 away victory against Zimbabwe in Harare.

Although Zimbabwe still have a mathematical chance to qualify, so do Lesotho and DR Congo after they played a goalless draw in Maseru.

The result in Harare continues years of disappointment for Zimbabwe who have never qualified for the African Cup of Nations.

Their final fixture is away against DR Congo which is an intimidating prospect at the best of times.

  Group Six table

1 Ghana P5 GD 13-7 Pts 10

2 Zimbabwe P5 GD 7-10 Pts 9

3 Lesotho P5 GD 6-6 Pts 6

4 DR Congo P5 GD 5-8 Pts 5

Sun Zimbabwe 1 Ghana 2

Sun Lesotho nil DR Congo nil

Lesotho, who were leaders at the halfway stage, must play Ghana in Accra in their final fixture in two weeks time.

Group Six results
Lesotho 3-3 Ghana
Zimbabwe 3-2 DR Congo
Ghana 4-1 Zimbabwe
DR Congo 1-1 Lesotho
DR Congo 2-1 Ghana
Zimbabwe 1-2 Lesotho
Lesotho 0-1 Zimbabwe
Ghana 3-0 DR Congo
Final fixtures
DR Congo v Zimbabwe, Kinshasa, June 17
Ghana v Lesotho, Accra, June 17

Group Seven
A home win for Egypt over bottom-placed Sudan in Cairo on Sunday night will see the four-time African champions back at the Nations Cup finals.

Coach Mahmoud Al Gohary has left out 34-year-old striker Hossam Hassan, who has also lost his record this week as the world's most capped international to Mexico's Claudio Suarez.

  Group Seven table

1 Egypt P4 GD 6-2 Pts 9

2 Ivory Coast P4 GD 5-2 Pts 7

3 Libya P4 GD 4-6 Pts 6

4 Sudan P4 GD 0-4 Pts 1

Sun Libya v Ivory Coast

Sun Egypt v Sudan

Ivory Coast and Libya are contesting the other qualifying berth and meet in Tripoli on Sunday.

An away win for the Ivorians will also secure their berth in the finals, but a Libyan win would put them in line for their first appearance since they were hosts in 1982.

Group Seven results
Egypt 1-0 Ivory Coast
Libya 1-0 Sudan
Sudan 0-1 Egypt
Ivory Coast 2-1 Libya
Egypt 4-0 Libya
Ivory Coast 2-0 Sudan
Libya 2-0 Egypt
Sudan 0-0 Ivory Coast
Final fixtures
Ivory Coast v Egypt, Abidjan, June 17
Sudan v Libya, Khartoum, June 17