CAPE TOWN – Nigeria suffered a humiliating home defeat in World Cup qualification as the Central African Republic grabbed a last-minute winner for a shock victory in Lagos.
Substitute Karl Namnganda, who plays in the fourth tier of French football, took advantage of a defensive mix-up between William Troost and Leon Balogun to score a stunning winner and throw their qualifying section wide open.
The upset overshadowed the rest of the day´s African qualifiers where there was also a significant win for tiny Equatorial Guinea over Zambia and a third successive victory for Tunisia.
Norwegian-based striker Ibrahima Kone netted a hat-trick for Mali as they thrashed Kenya 5-0 while Benin´s win in Tanzania put them in pole position in their group.
Nigeria had won their opening matches in Group C and were expected to push further ahead at the expense of lowly Central African Republic, who was without their only recognised star Geoffrey Kondogbia of Atletico Madrid, who is refusing to play because of the poor organisation around the team.
Victor Osimhen hit the post early in the second half for Nigeria and fluffed another chance but the Super Eagles were largely subdued in what was expected to be a routine home assignment.
It was the biggest win in the Central African Republic´s football history as they moved to four points.
Nigeria still lead the group on six points but Cape Verde’s 2-1 win in Liberia, where Garry Rodrigues rifled home a stoppage-time winner, also puts them on four points.
Tunisia kept up their 100 per cent record after three games in Group B as they beat Mauritania 3-0 at home, with second-placed Equatorial Guinea three points back.
Mali shrugged off having to cede home advantage and play in Agadir, Morocco because of the poor condition of their stadia as they hammered Kenya and are two points ahead of Uganda in Group E. Uganda won 1-0 also on Thursday away to Rwanda.
Ibrahima Kone was the toast of the Malian side as he scored a hattrick and laid out one assist Les Aigles soared over Harambee Stars with an affirming 5-0 victory in Agadir.
Mali remained unbeaten in Group E and now move top with seven points with the fourth round of matches scheduled for Sunday. Kenya dropped to third with two points and now must win the return tie in Nairobi to get themselves back into contention.
It took Mali only seven minutes to break the deadlock after a shambolic start by the Kenyans. The Harambee Stars cheaply lost the ball in a dangerous area with Mali turning possession, Kone playing out wide to Adama Traore, the latter slicing a low shot between keeper Ian Otieno’s feet.
The Malians doubled their tally in the 22nd minute when Traore returned the favour to nod down the ball for Kone, the latter battling Joseph Okumu to direct the ball into the net.
With his side being run all over by Mali, new coach Engin Firat made changes after 34 minutes, Joash Onyango and Lawrence Juma coming off for Abdallah Hassan and Eric Zakayo.
But, it would be Mali who was flying away at 3-0 in the 35th minute with Kone adding his second with a simple tap in after a corner was flicked his way and over keeper Ian Otieno.
It was 4-0 at the stroke of halftime when Kone completed his hattrick from the penalty spot after Moussa Djenepo was hauled down inside the box.
At the start of the second half, the coach made another change, bringing keeper Otieno off for Faruk Shikalo. Kenya were better but Mali were content with the score and took to the back seat.
It would be the Malians who would score again to complete the five-star performance. A brilliant strike from Moussa Doumbia from the outside of the boot hit the upright and bounced off Shikalo’s chest and into the net.
In Group J, Benin remained two points clear of the Democratic Republic of Congo as both teams won.
Steve Mounie scored a 71st minute winner for Benin away to Tanzania, while the Congolese were 2-0 home winners over Madagascar in Kinshasa.
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