The 35-year-old Drogba led his country at the Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa this year but the team exited at the quarter-finals stage.

As a result, the former Chelsea star was axed from the squad for March's World Cup qualifier against Gambia.

Despite Drogba's 96 caps and 60 international goals, Lamouchi has resisted the urge to recall the Galatasaray veteran.

Cote d'Ivoire leads its World Cup qualifying group by one point from Tanzania. Morocco has two points while Gambia props up Group C with one point.

Manchester City's Kolo Toure was also overlooked.

Romaric N'Dri Koffi, who plays for Real Zaragoza in Spain, and Jean-Jacques Gosso, of Turkish side Mersin Idman Yurdu, were recalled.

There are two new names in the squad - defender Serge Aurier of Toulouse and striker Mathis Bolly from Germany's Fortuna Duesseldorf.

Cote d'Ivoire will face Gambia away on June 8 and Tanzania eight days later in Dar Es Salaam.

Lehlohonolo Majoro put Chiefs ahead four minutes into the second half in northern city Polokwane and Sibusiso Zuma equalised two minutes from time.

Chiefs went into the penultimate-round fixture at Peter Mokaba Stadium needing one point to clinch the championship having led since the start of the season.

And it survived three anxious minutes of stoppage time to get it, and take an unassailable four-point advantage over second-place Platinum Stars.

The night belonged to Chiefs, watched from the stand by suspended English coach Stuart Baxter, with assistant Doctor Khumalo on the touchline.

"Thank you to our supporters, who stood by us through thick and thin. They played a huge role in our success," said former South Africa midfield star Khumalo.

"Majoro did not make a big impact during the first half and we told him at half-time he had another 15 minutes to prove himself."

Opponents and venues for the July 14 and 18 fixtures are yet to be confirmed.

However, one is set for Durban and the second game will be linked to the 95th birthday of revered statesman Nelson Mandela, it was announced at a press conference in Johannesburg on Wednesday.

City, whose star-stacked squad includes Cote d'Ivoire midfielder and reigning African Footballer of the Year Yaya Toure, won the Premier League last year and is set to finish runner-up behind Manchester United this season.

Players and officials described the CAF Champions League game as "hell" and "terrifying" after travelling reporters were arrested and had equipment confiscated and the team was intimidated throughout the trip.

SAFA official Elvis Shishana, who also travelled to Lubumbashi, said "it was a terrifying experience" and he was relieved to be "back home in one piece."

Midfielder Lehlohonolo Masalesa said the group feared for their lives when fans started burning cars after the game.

Orlando Pirates lost 1-0 but won the tie 3-2 on aggregate.

SAFA said it will "express its strong dissatisfaction" to CAF.

"We are looking forward to staging the tournament there between June 18 and July 2," said Cecafa secretary Nicholas Musonye, who visited the region last week to inspect the facilities.

"The two states are very determined they will organise a very successful event," he told AFP, speaking in Nairobi, the Cecafa's headquarters.

Officials from Cecafa - the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations, a regional football tournament for league champion teams - have identified two venues in El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state.

In addition, a 20,000-capacity stadium is nearing completion in Kadugli, the state capital of South Kordofan.

Musonye said he was confident the venues would be ready and suitable.

"We will make a second inspection visit on May 17 for a final assessment," he added.

The Sudan Football Federation has been keen to spread the game in the restive states.

So far 13 teams, including defending champion Yanga of Tanzania, have confirmed they will take part.

This year will mark the 10th year since violence broke out in Sudan's western Darfur when non-Arab rebel groups took up arms against the central government in Khartoum.

Various conflicts persist in Darfur: rebel-government clashes, inter-Arab and tribal fighting, as well as carjackings and other banditry.

Ethnic African rebels rose up against the Arab-dominated Khartoum government in 2003.

Rebels in South Kordofan have in recent months shelled Kadugli, as they battle government troops.

The ethnic and religious-minority rebels belong to an alliance that is seeking to overthrow the Khartoum regime.

"The match was called off after Heartland refused to continue the game after a fan was shot in the foot by police inside the stadium and the fans protested," Pillars media officer Idris Malikawa said on Wednesday.

"The fan was said to have done something illegal - he has been rushed to hospital."

The match was goalless after half an hour before this incident.

"Pillars fans would have to be commended for the way and manner they comported (behaved) themselves during the problem," said Malikawa.

"The situation was brought to normal but Heartland refused to continue for fear of their safety despite assurances from the match officials."

However, Heartland media officer Cajetan Nwokpara gave a different account, saying some home fans invaded the pitch.

"Our match was inconclusive because some home fans invaded the pitch with knives, cutting the net and trying to remove the goal post after they had done so with the corner flags," he said.

"I don't really know what caused this. We were escorted to our hotel by the security and everybody in our team is okay."

Interestingly the same fixture last season also ended in controversy after Heartland players claimed they were manhandled by their home fans after they managed a 1-1 draw in Kano.

The top three were unchanged with world champion Spain at number one followed by Germany and Brazil's arch South American foe, Argentina.

Croatia owes its sharp climb largely to their recent 2-0 "derby" win over Serbia to sit above Portugal (+2), Colombia, England, Italy (-3), Holland (-1) and Ecuador (+1), who complete the top 10.

Brazil, on a diet of friendlies ahead of staging next year's World Cup, registered a brace of draws in March - 1-1 against Russia and 2-2 with Italy - before seeing off Bolivia 4-0.

The South American giant - five-time winner of football's biggest prize - dropped in the rankings because FIFA's list awards more points for qualifying matches than friendlies.

England dropped three places to seventh after the 1-1 World Cup qualifying draw in Montenegro, which came after an 8-0 victory against minnow San Marino.

Wales leapt an astonishing 22 places from 71st to 49th, with their 2-1 win in Scotland followed by a 2-1 defeat in Croatia.

Australia dropped seven spots to 46th as the third-ranked Asian team behind Japan (26) and Korea Republic (42).

Cote d'Ivoire is the highest-ranked African team, moving up a place to 12th.

South Africa's sports ministry and FIFA said there was a "concrete conclusion" from the three parties on a long-awaited commission to look into possible corruption in games involving the South African national team just weeks ahead of the world's top tournament.

South Africa's widely-praised hosting of the World Cup three years ago has now been tainted after a FIFA report last year found "compelling" evidence that some of the national team's warm-up games for the tournament were fixed.

The South African Football Association conceded there was evidence it had been infiltrated by match-fixers ahead of the games and some of its own officials are under suspicion.

South Africa sports minister Fikile Mbalula, FIFA secretary general Jerome Valcke and South African Football Association president Kirsten Nematandani held talks at FIFA in Zurich on Friday and agreed on a way forward after months of little or no progress on an investigation into the allegations - which bring match-fixing close to FIFA's showpiece event.

The independent commission would be set up by the government, with its mandate limited only to investigating any irregularities in South Africa's friendly games ahead of the World Cup.

FIFA also proposed that its own ethics committee be part of the commission, but this was subject to approval by the South African government, the parties said in a joint statement.

No players have been implicated in fixing, with suspicions centred on the involvement of now-convicted match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal and his bogus company, which appointed referees for some of the games.

FIFA and SAFA haven't identified the exact matches that might have been fixed but South Africa's 5-0 win over Guatemala and 2-1 win over Colombia in late May 2010 have long been under suspicion.

Nigeria is top of its qualifying group on five points from three matches with Malawi also on five points but with an inferior goal difference.

Last week, FIFA adjusted Nigeria World Cup qualifiers because of its participation at the FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

This meant the African champion will play Kenya in Nairobi on Wednesday, June 5, and then take on Namibia in Windhoek on Wednesday, June 12, before flying to Brazil for the Confederations Cup.

Nigeria has now proposed that its Group F matches as well as those involving closest rival Malawi be played on the same day. This would either be on June 5 and 12 or the original dates of June 8 and 15.

The formal complaint to FIFA was made by Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) general secretary Musa Amadu.

"We make this request in the interest of fairness, as at the moment, Nigeria and Malawi have same number of points (five) and for Nigeria to play two days before Malawi in each of the two important qualifying games in June will give undue advantage to the Malawians," said Amadu.

"We see the FIFA Confederations Cup as a key tournament, but we also know we have to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup finals as priority.

"It is important to us to go to the FIFA Confederations Cup and then return to Brazil a year later for the FIFA World Cup finals."

Anouma took his case to CAS after the Confederation of African Football judged he could not stand against long-time incumbent Issa Hayatou as he was not - and had never - been a member of the CAF Executive Committee - a condition of the CAF Statutes imposed by Hayatou in September.

He had been proposed for the position by the Ivorian Football Federation (FIF).

Cameroonian Hayatou will now stand unopposed at the CAF congress at its congress in Marrakech this weekend.

A CAS statement read: "The CAS Panel in charge of the case, after having heard the parties at a hearing on 1 February 2013, decided to dismiss the appeal of Jacques Anouma; broadly following the reasoning of the CAF Executive Committee, whose jurisdiction to decide the contested decision was recognised by the CAS.

"Thus, it was confirmed that the CAF Statutes adopted in September 2012 were applicable in assessing the validity of the candidates in the presidential election and Anouma did not meet these criteria because he had never been a member the CAF Executive Committee.

"The CAS, however, recognised Jacques Anouma's right to appeal alone to the CAS despite the fact that his candidacy had been put forward by the FIF and that such Federation did not support Anouma during the arbitration procedure."

FIFA said it opened a disciplinary case and invited the Football Association of Zambia to provide an explanation "together with any documentary evidence it might deem appropriate."

"The players were all suspended by the Finland Football Association for match-fixing offences and these sanctions were extended as to have worldwide effect by the chairman of the FIFA Disciplinary Committee," football's world governing body wrote in a statement.

FIFA said it believes at least four of the players - who were not identified - appeared in official matches in Zambia.

In 2011, nine Zambian players received suspended sentences of at least six months from courts in Finland.

Seven players from RoPS team in Rovaniemi and two from AC Oulu were linked to taking bribes from Singaporean fixer Wilson Raj Perumal to help Asian organised criminals arrange betting coups.

Perumal was arrested in Finland in February 2011 and later jailed after a criminal trial.

Now co-operating with authorities in Hungary, Perumal has given evidence which is key to FIFA and law enforcement agencies piecing together the scope of match-fixing plots worldwide carried out by crime syndicates with Singapore connections.

FIFA and Interpol have urged governments worldwide to help fight match-fixing, as football authorities have limited investigative powers and jurisdiction only over people within the sport.

Keshi announced his decision to stand down on Monday, less than 24 hours after guiding Nigeria to its third continental crown with a 1-0 win over Burkina Faso.

It had been reported Keshi had a falling out with Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) officials after they booked a flight home for the squad ahead of its quarter-final against tournament favourite Ivory Coast, a match it won 2-1.

However, after a meeting with Nigeria's Sports Minister Bolaji Abdullahi, he has been persuaded to carry on.

A statement from the NFF, labelled as being on behalf of Keshi, read: "My attention has been drawn to reports in the media that I have resigned my appointment as head coach of Super Eagles of Nigeria.

"While I have had cause to express my displeasure over some issues that happened in the course of our participation in the AFCON which my team won by the grace of God, especially concerning my relationship with the Nigerian Football Federation.

"I have since had opportunity to discuss the various issues with all concerned.

"I am therefore pleased to say that I have reconsidered my position and have decided to continue with my job.

"I want to thank the Honourable Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, for his swift and kind intervention."

It is a remarkable about-turn from Keshi who had told a South African radio station that he had quit.

The 51-year-old appeared on Metro FM, part of public broadcaster SABC, and said he had informed the NFF of his decision after the final.

Metro FM presenter Robert Marawa tweeted: "Stephen Keshi has just announced that he handed over his resignation letter after the game exclusively on 083Sport@6 With Marawa on MetroFM''.

Keshi is only the second man to win the Nations Cup as a player and a coach - after Egypt's Mahmoud El Gohary.

The Super Eagles edged out Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final to claim their third Cup of Nations title but it appears prior tensions between Keshi and the Nigerian Football Federation have led to his exit.

Keshi appeared on Metro FM, part of public broadcaster SABC, and said he had informed the NFF of his decision after the match.

Metro FM presenter Robert Marawa wrote on Twitter: "Stephen Keshi has just announced that he handed over his resignation letter after the game exclusively on 083Sport@6 With Marawa on MetroFM."

Keshi had revealed tensions between himself and the NFF before the semi-finals of the tournament, telling a press conference he would 'pack his bags and leave' if he felt unwanted.

According to reports, Nigerian officials had booked a flight home for the squad, due to depart immediately after its quarter-final against tournament favourite Cote d'Ivoire - seen by Keshi as a vote of no confidence.

Nigeria won the match 2-1.

Keshi, only the second man to win the Cup of Nations as a player and a coach - after Egypt's Mahmoud El Gohary - said after victory in the final that he wanted to see other African countries give local coaches a chance rather than continuing to import from abroad.

He told Nigerian newspaper Vanguard: "My dream was to make Nigerians happy. We are not there yet. This is a work in progress but I want to dedicate this to all Nigerian coaches, who have been praying for this.

"In Africa, they give you a job today and want you to win the World Cup the next day. This cannot work. You have to give local coaches a chance.

"To succeed, we need time and I thank God that all the years of waiting have finally ended.

"Our people do not know how to give you time to get your programme through.

"These things take time but people seem not to care about it. But I thank God for seeing us through.

"There is a lot of potential in this team. I needed to push them and they responded. They were great as a team."

For Pitroipa to be able to take part, the referee in Wednesday's game had to admit he had made a mistake in booking the player for a second time for diving, something Tunisian Slim Jdidi has done, CAF president Issa Hayatou said.

"Everyone realised that this referee did not officiate well," Hayatou announced in Johannesburg on Friday.

"They've told me the referee has sent a letter saying he got it wrong.

"From this moment, the CAF executive committee will pass on the matter to the disciplinary commission, who will announce their decision.

"The referee admitted his error in his report given to the (CAF) secretary general (Hicham El Amrani) - he recognised that he had got it wrong."

Jdidi's admission that he had erred paves the way for the red card to be rescinded and for Pitroipa to take his place in the Burkina Faso side to face Nigeria at Soccer City on Sunday (Monday AEDT).

Pitroipa produced the only goal in the 1-0 extra-time quarter-final win over Togo.

He has helped lighten the blow of the Burkinabe losing their best striker Alain Traore to injury.

Jdidi, who has been suspended for his poor performance in Wednesday's game, sent off the Rennes forward in the 117th minute of the game that Burkina won on penalties against Ghana.

In the aftermath of Sunday's 1-0 extra-time defeat, Adebayor rounded on the inexperienced Six in a no-holds-barred attack on the Frenchman's style of management.

"The coach was not a help! Me, I was on the pitch, so I couldn't do both jobs (coaching and playing).

"I tried to do my best, but it's true he didn't help us," the Tottenham Hotspur striker told French radio station RFI.

Adebayor's sentiments were endorsed by Togo goalkeeper Kossi Agassa, who in a not-so-veiled criticism of Six's tactical nous said: "It's not up to the players on the pitch to make changes."

Six, when contacted by AFP, said that he wanted to have "a cool head before making an assessment" of Togo's Nations Cup campaign and the reaction from Adebayor and Agassa.

But he went on to point out that: "I took them (the team) to a place where they had never been before," referring to Togo's first appearance in a Nations Cup quarter-final.

Togo's build-up to the 2013 Nations Cup was dominated by a "will-he-won't-he" saga involving Adebayor's participation after a series of run-ins with the Togolese Football Federation over matters of security, management and bonuses.

Adebayor told RFI: "If the Togo team is organised in the best way possible, I will always be there for it.

"It's true that I hear each time 'he's coming, he's not coming' - but that's because there are lots of problems.

"If these problems are resolved, I will be there.

"You've seen that I give the best of myself. I speak in the dressing room, I'm a leader, I'm the captain."

On his international future, Adebayor said: "My international career is not stopping here. I've been in a Nations Cup quarter-final, now I think I've got the qualities to go to the semi-finals, and a final, and to win the title.

"But you know as well as I do that our management isn't really up to that.

"With our performance at this Nations Cup, the country, the president of the republic, the fans have seen what we are capable of. Now it's up to them to invest so that we can organise in the best manner possible."

Togo's Cup campaign came to an end when Jonathan Pitroipa broke the deadlock on 105 minutes to book the Burkinabe a semi-final meeting with Ghana in Nelspruit on Wednesday.

Captain Emmanuel Adebayor twice went close to putting Togo ahead in the second half of regular time on Sunday.

Then Pitroipa struck with a near-post header off a corner that went into the net via the underside of the crossbar.

The 18-year-old has immediately been loaned out to Swedish side Djurgarden for the rest of the year.

Djurgarden manager Magnus Pehrsson said: "The combination that Donyoh is a talented player who fits into our style of play, and that Manchester City believes in him, makes him an interesting addition to our squad."

The Professional Football League (LFP) announced that the meeting of the Ligue 1 champion and French Cup winner will be played on 3 August, a week before the 2013-2014 campaign gets under way.

It will be the fifth consecutive year in which the one-off match has been held outside France.

Since 2009, the Champions Trophy has been staged in Canada (Montreal), Tunisia (Rades), Morocco (Tangier) and in the United States, at the home of the New York Red Bulls, where Cup winner Lyon beat champion Montpellier on penalties last July.

On this evidence the 2013 host will have to show marked improvement in its next Group A games against Angola and Morocco if it is to avoid a group stage exit.

Cape Verde, population only half a million, was the moral winner, producing the two best chances of this Cup opener in front of a near 90,000 crowd at a wet, cold Soccer City stadium.

South Africa coach Gordon Igesund gave a frank assessment of his team's contra-performance.

"The first half was a complete waste of 45 minutes," he declared.

"The players panicked, everything was at 100 miles an hour (and) the second half wasn't much better, perhaps nerves got to them.

"We know now we have to beat Angola next Wednesday - we can't play for a draw.

"We're not doomed, we have another two games, and five points might be enough to go through."

Cape Verde coach Luis Antunes was brimming with pride, declaring: "We have upheld the dignity of Cape Verde, a small but great country.

"We can leave here with our heads held high

"The players were excellent and we achieved our aim not to lose. Now we have to improve again."

The only time the vuvuzela-blowing fans fell totally silent was for President Jacob Zuma's opening address - the head of state's head protected by the few umbrellas in the stadium with his citizens banned from bringing theirs for security reasons.

Highlight... The day's fireworks were saved for the AFCON opening ceremony

Igesund made four changes from last weekend's drab goalless draw against Algeria - with Bernard Parker and Lehlohonolo Majoro in attack.

For Cape Verde, marshalled by dreadlocked skipper Nando Neves, this was the mother of all baptism of fires, playing the host in front of a partisan crowd in the stadium that hosted the 2010 World Cup final.

The result was the same when Angola and Morocco began their Group A campaigns at Soccer City.

Former Manchester United striker Manucho might have secured Angola all the points but his header from an inviting cross flashed just wide in the dying moments.

No way through... Angola and Morocco gave nothing away

Angola fired an early warning shot when Mingo Bile hit a low drive that forced Nadir Lamyaghri into a good save in the third minute, while Morocco threatened when Mounir El Hamdaoui drove forward and fired in an effort that warmed the palms of Mamona Lama.

Liverpool's Oussama Assaidi hooked an effort over the bar in the 14th minute as Morocco again threatened, but that was as good as the first period got as chances dried up.

Morocco's highly-rated Montpellier playmaker Younes Belhanda suffered a slight muscle injury ahead of the match and was only fit enough for a place on the bench, but he was quickly into the action after coming on in the 63rd minute, firing a low shot wide from inside the area.

Yet it was Angola who looked most likely to break the deadlock late on and Mateus went close in the 87th minute with a fierce shot from distance that went straight down the throat of Lamyaghri.

With the clock ticking down there was still time for one more chance to come and go, Manucho spurning perhaps the game's best opening as he flung himself at Mateus' cross but somehow glanced his diving header from six yards beyond the far post.

While violent and often spectacular during summer, they often spark a burst of life in the country surrounding Johannesburg, known as the Highveld.

Thunderstorms also represent the build-up to the tournament in Africa's largest economy and fifth most populous state.

The tournament has been dogged by slow ticket sales and lacklustre marketing, with a match-fixing scandal within the South African Football Association also proving an unnecessary distraction.

However, local organising committee (LOC) CEO Mvuzo Mbebe and South Africa's sports minister Fikile Mbalula have both expressed their confidence in the event.

Mbalula said: "The excitement is there and we'll see as the games proceed but we've got a culture here in this country, black or white, whatever tournament we come to the party big time... Let the party begin."

Mbebe said the LOC had been allocated a budget of 336 million rand ($36.2 million), while added costs of the tournament such as security and money spent by the host cities could see the total figure reach between 800 million and 900 million rand.

He said 30,000 to 40,000 African visitors were expected to come into South Africa, with the projected travelling support between the cities being 200,000 people, including the substantial African migrant communities that now call South Africa their home.

About 12,000 temporary jobs had been created as a result of the tournament, Mbebe added.

South Africa's national lottery has also contributed 13.5 million rand towards the 5000 volunteers who will assist the competition, the majority of them South African.

On the playing field, South African coach Gordon Igesund said he had intentionally not played his starting line-up in three warm-up games before the start of the competition to ensure an element of the unknown.

His side meets tournament rookies Cape Verde at Africa's largest stadium, the 94,000-seater National Stadium, which hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Netherlands.

Igesund said the starting XI for the tournament opener would only be known on Saturday.

"I've had to keep my starting line-up and opposition guessing," he said.

Igesund, who has coached four different teams to South Africa's top-flight division title, believes his charges are ready for Saturday and the rest of the tournament.

"We've got information on all the Cape Verde players and we're aware of them. Our mindset has always been very positive. The players around me are very positive ... We're ready for this tournament now."

His opposite number Lucio Antunes, who has vowed to only speak to the media in Portuguese, said earlier this week that the pressure was on South Africa as host.

"I think that the pressure will be on South Africa since they are at home in the first match," Antunes said, speaking through a translator at the time.

"The group games will not be easy, even with us, but playing big teams from Africa will help us get to be among the best teams."

Interest in African football's premier competition has grown in recent years with a rapidly expanding audience inside and outside Africa.

"We'll be present in Europe, we'll be present in the Arabic countries. We expect to have a viewership of two to three billion people," local organising committee head Mvuzo Mbebe said.

Broadcasting rights for Africa's largest sporting event are a cash cow the organiser, the Confederation of African Football (CAF), guards jealously.

CAF sold the media distribution rights for the tournament to French company Sportfive, which sends the match feed to broadcasters.

However, many TV stations in Africa cannot afford the hefty fees, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, while others try to steal and resell broadcasts.

"Some people were trying to sell these television and radio broadcasting rights or related advertising spaces in Nigeria," said the distributor's African affiliate LC2 Media-Afnex.

It was "compelled to draw the public's attention to the fact that these aforementioned people are usurpers", said the company.

"All TV and radio broadcasts of Afcon South Africa 2013, without prior written authorisation, will constitute an act of piracy, leading to systematic and immediate prosecution."

South African public broadcaster SABC will be the host broadcaster during tournament.

It will film the 32 matches with high-definition cameras, edit the pictures, and send the feed to Sportfive's satellites.

Sportfive then distributes the images to rights-holders.

Pirates tap into this transmission without anybody knowing, explained SABC group head of sport Sizwe Nzimande.

"They hack like you would hack any computer programme," he told AFP.

"They are sending it to another satellite, which then sends it to a receiver tower. You have now got a pirate feed."

The technology to do this is as common as TV cameras, he added.

"It's sophisticated, but it's readily available."

CAF tries to safeguard the transmission by giving access codes that change regularly to rights-holders, but pirates even get around that.

"We have a team capable of great things at the 2013 Cup of Nations," remarked Drogba.

"It would be great to win the trophy now. Honestly, we are getting tired of losing out each time.

"We showed great solidarity against Senegal (in the qualifiers). We fought together, everybody gave of himself and this helped us to win.

"And now everybody expects a trophy. We hope to give the cup to our country."

Drogba inspired the Elephants to reach the 2006 championship final against host Egypt and he was again instrumental as his country marched into the 2012 final against Zambia.

But on both occasions the two-time African Footballer of the Year ended up on the losing side with last year's failure the more disappointing after he blasted a penalty over in regular time against shock winner Zambia.

Drogba is the arrow head of his country's 'golden generation' that includes Yaya and Kolo Toure, Didier Zokora and Emmanuel Eboue.

And now, at 34, the tournament in South Africa is most likely to be the last hurrah for the big striker and he would wish to crown it with the ultimate victory.

The Ivorians will again be the tournament favourites as they were since 2006, when they qualified for a first FIFA World Cup.

Besides the Drogba generation, younger players like Gervinho of Arsenal, Arouna Kone of Wigan Athletic and Salomon Kalou of Lille have come into their own in this very talented team.

Yet, the hope of an entire country rests on the powerful shoulders of Drogba to inspire the Elephants to only their cup triumph after beating Ghana on penalties in the 1992 final.

In May, the charismatic striker made history when he netted the penalty that gave Chelsea an historic UEFA Champions League triumph, and he was voted the best Cote d'Ivoire footballer last year.

However, against most expectations, he was beaten to the CAF Footballer of the Year award by compatriot Yaya Toure.

In the twilight of his career, he has moved to China to cash in on his final years as a player, although rumours persist he could return to the big stage in Europe before hanging up his boots.

What is certain is that even though he now features in a backwater league, he has lost none of his predatory instincts.

Goals in the high-profile 2013 Cup of Nations qualifier against Senegal and in a recent friendly against Austria proved that.

It is a deserved position as the 'Elephants' from the western seaboard of the continent win many matches, draw some and lose rarely at competitive or friendly level.

They have a squad that must make rival coaches envious with the Toure brothers, Kolo and Yaya from English Premier League champion Manchester City, and long-serving captain Didier Drogba just some of the stars.

But for all the strength and skill of the Ivorians, the 'golden generation' has never emulated the team of 1992, who brought the Africa Cup to Abidjan for the only time after winning a marathon shoot-out with Ghana in Senegal.

Côte d’Ivoire come to 2013 host South Africa as favourite to win the January 19 to February 10 tournament despite a challenging first-round group that includes former champions Algeria and Tunisia plus little-to-lose minnow Togo.

It was also favoured to win in 2006, when it lost on penalties to host Egypt and in 2008, when it was too confident and took a 4-1 semi-final pasting from the Pharaohs in Ghana.

Come 2010 in Angola and nothing had changed - this time the Elephants would trample all before them - but someone forgot to tell Algeria, who snatched a last-minute equaliser before winning a quarter-final thriller in extra time.

The same scenario unfolded in Gabon/Equatorial Guinea last year with Ivory Coast the team to beat and although no rival succeeded in doing that, the gold medals eluded the 'golden generation' once again.

Usually deadly spot-kick taker Drogba blazed a regular-time penalty over the crossbar against dogged upstart Zambia, who survived 120 often torrid minutes and won on penalties.

This must have been the most heart-breaking of all the failures for ageing Drogba and the Toures after five victories and a draw and not one goal conceded during 570 minutes of action.

South Africa represents a final chance for China-based Drogba and once again Côte d’Ivoire is the choice of the pundits to win the final on February 10 at Soccer City, a Soweto stadium which is the largest in Africa with a 93,000 capacity.

"This Africa Cup is undoubtedly my last," the striker, who will bow out of international football at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil if Côte d’Ivoire qualify, told an Abidjan newspaper.

"I want to pour my whole heart and strength into this Africa Cup. We have come so close to winning the trophy twice, but that does not mean we should slow down. We have learnt from our failures and are returning to win the title."

While many stars have survived the last seven painful years, the coaches change after each tournament and inexperienced Tunisia-born French citizen Sabri Lamouchi is the latest saddled with fulfilling the great Ivorian expectations.

The sizzle of colourful public enthusiasm ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup is conspicuously absent, drawing criticism from foreign football supporters living in the country.

"If you look at 2010 there were flags on the roads. This time - nothing," said Christopher Kalibwe, 28, sporting his native Zambia's green, red, black and orange at a warm-up match in Johannesburg.

"You just read of it in the newspapers," he told AFP.

"I don't think there is any vibe," said Moroccan Rachid Souilek, who also watched a goalless warm-up draw between his country and defending African champion Zambia.

"It's not like the World Cup. The fever was there months before the tournament. There are no TV shows, no build-up."

South Africa hosts the three-week long tournament, having stepped in when turmoil in Libya forced the tournament to be moved from the North African country.

Comparisons to the extremely successful World Cup are inevitable as foreign media pick up on the lacklustre run-up.

"In contrast to the 2010 World Cup, when advertisements were put up well ahead of time in places like shopping centres, streets, airports, stadiums and cars, for this continental tournament the country has done little to show visitors what it has achieved in terms of organisation," reported Angolan news agency ANGOP.

But the organisers have hit back.

"I think it's unfair," Cup of Nations local organising committee (LOC) spokesman Sipho Sithole told AFP.

"You are expecting South Africa to have done the same that it did for 2010. If this was the 2017 (Cup of Nations) - the tournament we were supposed to host - and we had four years, it would have been fair."

Committee chief executive Mvuzo Mbebe blamed sponsors for the lack of hype, saying the LOC did not drive marketing during the World Cup.

"It was driven by sponsors," he said.

"With our limited resources, we can only do a certain amount."

Newspapers have been counting down the days to the January 19 tournament opener between South Africa and debutants Cape Verde Islands but radio ads only started this week.

Johannesburg-based TV sports channel SuperSport has bucked the trend with aggressive marketing of the 22-day championship.

Despite promises of timely publicity campaigns, the drive started late because the government released funds only in December, explained Sithole.

Various events in host cities marked the 10-day countdown this week. Marchers and rickshaws paraded through Durban's streets and a rally in up-scale Johannesburg suburb Sandton got crowds excited, though the attendance was low.

South Africa coach Gordon Igesund wasn't concerned.

"I think there's a great vibe," he told AFP. "Everyone's getting excited."

Qatar club Lekhwiya has reportedly spent 14 million euros ($17.65 million) to lure the 22-year-old from Tunis-based 2011 CAF Champions League winner Esperance.

Msakni's repertoire includes pushing forward with stealth to score often crucial goals, creating chances for teammates with inventive passes, or expertly executing a set piece.

He's a key figure in a team of dogged workers who has not progressed beyond the quarter-finals since a lone title nine years ago at home when it overcame Morocco in the first all-North Africa final.

It made last-eight exits in three of four subsequent tournaments, going down to Nigeria in 2006, Cameroon in 2008 and Ghana last year while dropping out after the first round of the 2010 tournament despite not losing.

Luck evaded the Carthage Eagles at the draw for the latest Cup of Nations in South Africa when it was grouped with Ivory Coast and Algeria - the top two ranked teams in Africa - plus Emmanuel Adebayor-inspired Togo.

Tunisia faces neighbour Algeria for the first time at the finals on January 22 at Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace in mining town Rustenburg and a win for either side would install it as favourite to progress with the Ivorians.

Coach Sami Trabelsi, who arrived with a bang in 2011 by winning the African Nations Championship for home-based footballers in Sudan, has set his squad a minimum target of reaching the quarter-finals.

"This is unquestionably the toughest of the four first round groups, but we are not complaining," he told South African reporters after the draw in Indian Ocean city Durban.

"My players are working really hard and I believe we can go far - maybe even to the decider again," he said, referring to the 1996 final defeat by host South Africa in Johannesburg.

Trabelsi needs no introduction to South Africa as he played in the final and has brought often elusive consistency to the national team as coach, although it had a scare en route to the 2013 tournament.

After coming from behind twice to hold Sierra Leone in Freetown, Tunisia justified its role as favourite to win the tie, but needed the away-goal rule to scrape through against its rival who played most of the game a man short.

Long-serving goalkeeper Aymen Mathlouthi captains the team and will be desperate to atone for an amateurish error that gifted Ghana the winner in a 2012 quarter-final.

Trabelsi hopes defender Aymen Abdennour takes good club form into the 22-day tournament, that skilful Oussama Darragi links cohesively with Msakni and that erratic leading scorer Issam Jomaa hits top form.

The 31-year-old has been struggling with a knee complaint recently and has not featured for the London side since its 3-0 home loss to Tottenham on December 1.

Fulham manager Martin Jol has made his frustration clear over the fact the Eagles still intended to call up Diarra for the Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on January 19.

However, after considering the advice of Fulham's medical team, Mali has reviewed the situation and Diarra will not participate in the tournament in South Africa.

The former Real Madrid midfielder, who joined Fulham in February 2012, will return to west London to continue his rehabilitation there.

The 60-year-old Frenchman replaces Joseph Koto, who was removed from the post after the Lions failed to qualify for this year's African Cup of Nations.

Giresse will be in charge of the Lions for the next two years, with qualification for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil first on the agenda.

"Giresse is the coach who best meets the criteria defined by the Senegalese Football Federation," FSF president Augustin Senghor told the media.

"He has a proven track record at the highest level in Africa."

Giresse has previously coached Gabon and Mali, leading the latter to a third-placed finish at the 2012 Cup of Nations.

But Zambia's "Copper Bullets" wasted several scoring chances and when Mukuka Mulenga unleashed a powerful shot eight minutes from time, goalkeeper Nadir Lamyaghri deflected it on to the woodwork and the ball was cleared.

The result came as a relief to France-born Zambia coach Herve Renard, who has come under media fire after friendly losses in Saudi Arabia and Tanzania last month and to Angola in Johannesburg last Saturday.

Zambia is in Group C with Burkina Faso, Ethiopia and Nigeria while Morocco faces host South Africa, Angola and Cape Verde Islands in Group A of a 22-day championship that kicks off on 19 January in Soweto.

Marseille winger Ayew failed to report to the side's training camp to have his injury assessed as requested.

With the deadline to submit its 23-man tournament squad falling on Wednesday, the Ghana Football Association had told Ayew it wanted him to attend the training camp in Abu Dhabi on Monday morning (UAE time) so that team doctors could look at his hamstring injury.

However, Ayew did not appear and now Appiah has taken the decision to omit the 23-year-old - who made the five-man shortlist for the 2012 African Player of the Year - from his squad.

In a statement on www.ghanafa.org, Appiah said: "I have decided to exclude midfielder Andre Ayew from the Ghana squad for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

"Following Andre's inability to join the Black Stars squad by Monday morning for Ghana's team doctors to assess the extent of his injury and fitness for the tournament, I have decided to work only with the players currently in camp.

"As Andre plans to arrive on Tuesday it means he would be unable to join any of my six training sessions before the Confederation of African Football's Wednesday deadline for the submission of the final squad."

Ghana won the last of its four African Nations Cup titles in 1982 but in the last three editions has finished third, second and fourth respectively.

Striker Geraldo, who plays for Brazilian second-tier club Parana, opened the scoring after eight minutes at Dobsonville Stadium and defender Amaro from championship runner-up Primeiro Agosto added a second five minutes from time.

Zambia, which begins the defence of the title on 21 January against Ethiopia in north-eastern South African city Nelspruit, lost away to Saudi Arabia and Tanzania last month.

But the losses will not unduly concern 44-year-old French coach Herve Renard as Zambia also posted poor warm-up results before winning the last Cup of Nations for the first time with a penalty shootout victory over favourites Ivory Coast.

A match in the city of Port Said between Egypt's most popular team, Al-Ahly, and local team Al-Masry turned deadly when home fans attacked visiting fans. The riot killed 74.

Attempts to restart the league since have failed because Al-Ahly fans are demanding perpetrators first be held to account. A verdict is due on 26 January in the trial of 73 security officials and fans.

The Egyptian Football Association said on Sunday that the ministries in charge of security and sports said restarting the tournament is 'positive for the economy, the sport' and would signify stability.

No spectators will be allowed into stadiums during the first season.

Manchester City duo Kolo and Yaya Toure join Newcastle United midfielder Cheick Tiote, Arsenal forward Gervinho and Wigan Athletic striker Arouna Kone in Lamouchi's selection ahead of the Elephants' pre-tournament trip to Abu Dhabi and subsequent friendly match with Egypt on 14 January.

Abdul Razak, 20, of Manchester City, is also included a line-up that boasts Shanghai Shenhua striker Didier Drogba, Galatasaray defender Emmanuel Eboue and Trabzonspor midfielder Didier Zokora, all of whom had spells in England with Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur respectively.

Cote d'Ivoire, which opens its campaign against Togo on 22 January, will also face Tunisia and Algeria in the group stages of a tournament hosted by South Africa. The final will take place in Johannesburg on 10 February.

Lamouchi told the Ivorian federation's official website: "I have chosen 23 players that I expect will work hard in Abu Dhabi and I hope they will all be available to go to the African Nations Cup.

"I did not want to pick more than 23 players and cause too much bad feeling among the group when the final list is announced."

Cote d'Ivoire squad: Barry (Lokeren), Yeboah (Dijon), Ali Sangare (IAFC), Bamba (Trabzonspor), Boka (Stuttgart), Eboue (Galatasaray), Lolo (Kuban Krasnodar), Tiene (Paris Saint-Germain), K Toure (Manchester City), I Traore (Brest), Razak (Manchester City), Romaric (Real Zaragoza), Gradel (St Etienne), Tiote (Newcastle United), Y Toure (Manchester City), Ya Konan (Hannover), Zokora (Trabzonspor), Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua), Kalou (Lille), Kone (Wigan Athletic), L Traore (Anzhi Makhachkala), Bony (Vitesse Arnhem), Gervinho (Arsenal)

Earlier this month Adebayor said he would not play for his country again until the Togolese federation hands over what he claims are unpaid bonuses.

Togo head coach Didier Six vowed to persuade the Tottenham Hotspur striker, who captains the national side, to return, but he has left the 28-year-old out of his 23-man party for the country's game in Sohar at the end of the month.

The former Arsenal man, who suffered a minor hamstring injury against Swansea City last weekend, has been named on a standby list for the match against Oman in case he changes his mind, but he has not been named in the full party.

Explaining the striker's absence, a statement on the Togolese federation's website read: "Emmanuel Adebayor had already announced he would not participate, and (he suffered an) injury last weekend in the Premier League."

Six yesterday said he had not given up hope of persuading Adebayor to change his mind and feature for Togo at the Cup of Nations, which kicks off in South Africa on 19 January 19 and runs until 10 February.

"It's clear that we will need Adebayor but don't forget we qualified without him during one of the play-off matches," he told Le Buteur.

"I am doing everything I can to get him to come back to us. He's a world-class player and the Togo national team captain. He is very important to the group.

"I will put all my strength to get him to change his mind but he has the last word. This is about more than just him sending a warning to ensure Togolese football moves forward."

Tottenham could be without Adebayor for up to six matches if he changes his mind and does go to the Cup of Nations.

The Manchester City player beat fellow Ivorian and former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba into second with Cameroonian Alex Song, of Barcelona, in third.

He joined Senegal forward El-Hadji Diouf, formerly of Liverpool, on two victories although he has some way to go to eclipse Cameroon's ex-Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o who has won four titles.

The Cote d'Ivoire player was crowned at an awards gala in Accra, the capital of Ghana, after being voted for by the head coaches or technical directors of the national associations affiliated to the CAF.

African Cup of Nations winner Zambia was named team of the year with its coach Herve Renard named coach of the year.

The 30-year-old striker skippered Chipolopolo (The Copper Bullets) to victories over Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan and Ghana before it pipped Cote d'Ivoire in a penalty shoot-out in the final.

Nobody outside the landlocked southern Africa country gave Zambia a chance of winning the greatest prize in African football but China-based Katongo played with an unquenchable spirit that rubbed off on his team-mates.

Katongo topped a worldwide poll among BBC viewers, listeners and Internet users, beating Cote d'Ivoire duo Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, Moroccan Younes Belhanda and Demba Ba of Senegal.

"This is a fantastic moment for me. I thank the people who voted for me. It is something I will never forget in my career," Katongo told the BBC.

Katongo fell out of the race to be voted CAF African Footballer of the Year after making the final 10. The winner will be named on Thursday in Accra, with Drogba, Toure and Cameroonian Alex Song the finalists.

Peter Ndlovu, 39, had playing spells in England with Coventry City, for whom he starred in the top flight, plus Birmingham City, Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United, before returning to African club football in 2004.

The crash that caused his brother's death occurred late on Saturday night.

The skilful attacker left Highlanders in his homeland to join Coventry in 1991, and stayed at Highfield Road until 1997.

A statement from the club, now in League One, read: "Coventry City Football Club is saddened to hear of a tragic road accident in Zimbabwe that has left former striker Peter Ndlovu in a critical condition and claimed the life of his brother Adam.

"It has been reported that both were travelling from an away match between Chicken Inn FC and a local side when Ndlovu's car suffered a tyre blow-out which caused the car to veer off the road 20 kilometres outside Victoria Falls.

"Ndlovu achieved iconic status during his six years with the Sky Blues where he netted 39 goals in 176 (league) appearances for the club.

"Coventry City sends its best wishes and condolences to the Ndlovu family who will be in our thoughts."

Zimbabwean media carried pictures of a severely damaged car, reported to have been the vehicle carrying the Ndlovu brothers home from a match.

A spokeswoman for the Mater Dei Hospital in Bulawayo, where Peter Ndlovu was being treated, said she could offer no details of his condition, after reports he had broken both legs.

Ndlovu's former agent Winston Makamure told BBC Sport: "Peter is now out of danger. He is now conscious and is communicating.

"He has internal injuries, head injuries, broken ribs and a broken leg."

Adam Ndlovu, who was 42 years old, also began his playing career with Highlanders before moving to Europe, in his case spending seven years in Switzerland between 1994 and 2001, culminating in a spell with FC Zurich.

Peter Ndlovu's second club in England was Championship side Birmingham, which released a statement which read: "The thoughts of everyone associated with Birmingham City Football Club are with Peter Ndlovu and his family following news of a serious car crash in Zimbabwe.

"Peter was a very popular player during his time at St Andrew's and we hope he pulls through this difficult time."

Ndlovu made 137 appearances and netted 28 times in all competitions for the Blues.

He joined Huddersfield on loan over the winter of 2000-2001, scoring four goals in six games for the Yorkshire club, and left Birmingham on a permanent basis in February 2001 when he joined Sheffield United on a free.

He played 154 times for the Bramall Lane club, scoring 29 goals, and left it in July 2004 when he returned to African club football.

The Blades released a statement on its official Twitter feed which read: "Our thoughts are with former player Peter Ndlovu, who has been critically injured in a car accident in his native Zimbabwe. #sufc."

Peter Ndlovu was capped 100 times by Zimbabwe, and his country's Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai sent his condolences to the family via his official Twitter account.

"I am deeply saddened at the passing on of soccer legend, Adam Ndlovu, who was taken away from us in the horror crash that left his young brother, Peter, in hospital," Tsvangirai wrote.

"I wish Peter a speedy recovery.

"Adam and Peter were part of our national football Dream Team in the 1990s and have continued to impart their skills to other young Zimbabwean footballers. They have made a significant contribution to culture in Zimbabwe.

"My prayers are with the Ndlovu family, the football fraternity and the nation at this sad loss.

"On behalf of my Office, my family and on my own behalf, I join with so many others who knew Adam, in offering our deepest sympathy on his passing."

The Blades confirmed the news in a statement on their official Twitter feed.

It read: "Our thoughts are with former player Peter Ndlovu, who has been critically injured in a car accident in his native Zimbabwe. #sufc."

Ndlovu moved to England in the northenr summer of 1991 to join Coventry. He made 196 appearances in all competitions for the Sky Blues, scoring 43 goals.

Ndlovu moved on to Birmingham in 1997, making a further 137 appearances and netting 28 times for the Blues.

He joined Huddersfield on loan over the winter of 2000-01, scoring four goals in six games for the Yorkshire club, and left Birmingham on a permanent basis in February 2001 when he joined Sheffield United on a free.

He played 154 times for the Bramall Lane club, scoring 29 goals, and left them in July 2004 when he returned to African club football.

He was capped 100 times by Zimbabwe.

A statement from Birmingham read: "The thoughts of everyone associated with Birmingham City Football Club are with Peter Ndlovu and his family following news of a serious car crash in Zimbabwe.

"Peter was a very popular player during his time at St Andrew's and we hope he pulls through this difficult time."

Al-Sayed Hamdy put Al-Ahly in front after 15 minutes as the CAF Champions League winner started brightly.

The Japanese side slowly came back into the match, though, and Hisato Sato levelled shortly after the half-hour mark.

But veteran Mohamed Aboutrika came off the bench to restore the Egyptian side's lead in the 57th minute and this time there was no way back for Sanfrecce.

Al-Ahly will play Brazilian side Corinthians in the semi-finals on Wednesday.

"They sought asylum and it has been given to them. They are with us now and we are handling the issue with the United Nations High Commissioner for refugees," Uganda's commissioner for refugees, David Kazungu, told dpa.

Police had been hunting for 18 Eritreans - 17 players and a team official - who disappeared in the suburbs of the capital Kampala on Saturday after the team was eliminated from the regional CECAFA Cup tournament after the group stage.

"They have told us that they are running away from forced conscription, governance issues and persecution," Kazungu said.

Members of Eritrea's national team have in the past defected during competitions outside the country.

The Horn of Africa nation has one of the world's most repressive regimes which does not tolerate dissent, freedom of speech, multi-party democracy and religion. It's citizens often suffer arbitrary detention, forced conscription and torture.

"The 18 members have told us their country is not safe for them once they return and they want political asylum," Uganda's junior minister for refugees Musa Ecweru told AFP.

"They are in the hands of the Ugandan government and United Nations and we have given them protection," he added.

Ugandan police were alerted on Monday when the team members disappeared after losing 2-0 to Rwanda in a regional tournament, according to the Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA).

"We have instructed police to call off the search for them because these people are not a threat to Uganda, they say they want protection," Ecweru said.

If the players pass an eligibility test, they will be given refugee status, he added.

Thousands leave the Red Sea nation every month, according to the UN, fleeing conscription and a hardline government that jails critics in harsh desert labour camps, and is ranked worst in the world for press freedom.

In 2007, six national players sought asylum in Angola after a game there, while in 2009, 12 national players sought asylum after a game in Kenya.

Last year, 13 members of Eritrea's Red Sea football club sought asylum in Tanzania.

Eritrean officials did not respond to requests for comment.

The footballers are believed to have absconded and hidden in the suburbs of the capital Kampala.

"We believe they have not flown out but are with relatives and friends in Kansanga or Nsambya where there is a large community of Eritreans," police spokesman Iddi Ibin Ssenkumbi told dpa.

Eritrea had been eliminated from the CECAFA cup competition on Saturday and was due to fly back to its country, in the Horn of Africa, on Tuesday, according to the Kampala-based Daily Monitor newspaper.

Defection is common among Eritrean players, the paper reported.

After the 2009 CECAFA tournament in Kenya, only the coach returned to Eritrea while the whole team absconded.

Eritrea is a one-party state which has a poor human rights record and which prescribes mandatory military service for both men and women.

According to rights group Human Rights Watch, the country has 'one of the world's most repressive governments'.

Its citizens often suffer arbitrary detention, torture, restrictions on freedom of speech and religion, and indefinite conscription, the rights group claims.

Côte d'Ivoire is expected to call up both men, as well as City fringe player Abdul Razak, for the tournament which takes place in South Africa from January 19 to February 10.

"If we lost Yaya and Kolo and maybe Abdul - who has not played a lot of games here, but maybe in January could be important - if we have two or three players injured and we don't have other players, I hope that they don't go to this competition," said Mancini.

"We talk and we need to talk more with their (international) manager, but it is difficult."

He will replace Rahman Gumbo, who resigned from the position last week after failing to lead Zimbabwe to next January's African Cup of Nations tournament in neighbouring South Africa.

Gumbo, a former national team player, was only appointed coach in March after the suspension of Norman Mapeza for his involvement in a match-fixing scam involving the national team playing unsanctioned games in eastern Asia.

Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the Cup of Nations after losing 2-0 to Angola in the qualifying stage. The team won 3-1 in the first leg in Harare but lost on aggregate because of the away-goals rule.

"The Zimbabwe Football Association settled for the German Coach, given the existing government-to-government co-operation which would see the Association engaging a highly qualified coach in the shortest possible timeframe," a statement from the board of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) read.

"The Association will however continue on a hunt for a highly qualified coach who should take charge of the Senior National Men's future Campaigns in the long term."

Mfanufikile Ndzimandze of Mbabane Highlanders told the Times of Swaziland on Wednesday that he dropped his boots when he and coach Sipho Xaba were chased by fans after his side's worst defeat in 22 years.

Ndzimandze says 'the situation was so bad no one was safe from the fans. I lost the boots as we were running to board the kombi (bus) ... some of the fans wanted to beat us up'.

The 27-year-old striker says fans keeping his boots would not help Highlanders, who slipped into the relegation zone after the loss to Malanti Chiefs.

Zambia won the African Cup of Nations for the first time in February with a penalty shootout victory over Cote d'Ivoire.

Cape Verde Islands has qualified for the 2013 event for the first time - its first major tournament - thanks to a victory over Cameroon.

This year Central African Republic won its first FIFA World Cup qualifier and beat Egypt in Cup of Nations qualifying.

"Gumbo resigned from his post just hours after a ZIFA (Zimbabwe Football Association) board meeting," the privately-owned NewsDay said citing sources at the football association.

Gumbo, a former national team player, was appointed coach in March after the suspension of Norman Mapeza for his involvement in a match-fixing scam involving the national team playing unsanctioned games in eastern Asia.

The resignation came after the football association's technical committee recommended the appointment of a foreign coach after analysing Gumbo's report on why the national team failed to qualify for the continental football showcase early next year.

Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the Cup of Nations after losing 2-0 to Angola in the qualifying stage. The team won 3-1 in the first leg in Harare but lost on aggregate because of the away goals rule.

NewsDay, citing unnamed sources at ZIFA, said the association was negotiating with a German coach to take over from Gumbo.

The Confederation of African Football has named Ivorian pair Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, Cameroon's Alex Song, Senegal striker Demba Ba and Ghana's Andre Ayew as the final contenders for the prize having pruned a 10-man list.

Only the latter, who plays in Ligue 1 with Marseille, did not play in England last term.

Drogba helped Chelsea to UEFA Champions League glory before moving to China with Shanghai Shenhua, while Song traded Arsenal for Barcelona this northern summer.

Toure and Ba remain in England, with league champion Manchester City and Newcastle United respectively.

Toure was last year's winner of the award, with Ayew in third place, and Drogba collected the gong in both 2006 and 2009.

A winner will be named in Ghana on 20 December.

The 27-year-old was unavailable to manager Alan Pardew after the Senegal Football Federation, with the support of FIFA, invoked the governing body's five-day rule after his failure to report for international duty in midweek because of a back injury.

Newcastle released a statement which claimed it was 'dismayed and angry' at the situation and voiced the opinion that it may be being punished for refusing to allow Cisse to represent his country at the Olympic Games earlier this year.

The player also expressed his disappointment and revealed the decision could have wider implications.

Cisse said: "I am deeply disappointed by the actions of my Federation which have punished me and my club.

"I love playing for my country and would only withdraw from a squad - for either a friendly or competitive game - for a genuine reason.

"I am fully supportive of the position my club has adopted in this matter and am sorry that the Federation seem to doubt my honesty and integrity.

"I will now consider if I wish to continue to captain my country."

Cisse was withdraw from the Senegal squad for the friendly against Niger after limping out of last weekend's 1-0 Premier League defeat by West Ham United with a back problem.

Newcastle claims it sent details of the injury to the federation's medical department, but heard nothing back until it emerged that it was seeking to stop him playing against Swansea, and is now seeking legal advice on the matter.

The statement read: "Newcastle United is dismayed and angry at the position adopted by the Senegalese Federation, and supported by FIFA, which means that Papiss Cisse is unable to play any part in today's Premier League fixture against Swansea City.

"Immediately following the Premier League fixture against West Ham United on Sunday, the club went through the normal communication channels to advise the Senegalese Federation that both Papiss and Demba Ba would not be available for the international friendly match between Niger and Senegal scheduled for Wednesday, 14 November 2012 due to injury.

"No reply was received and as such further communications were sent to the federation on Monday 12th November.

"The club was not prepared to allow Papiss to travel to Niger as this would have been detrimental to his clinical condition. In accordance with FIFA regulations, the club was more than happy for the player to be examined in England by a doctor of the Federation's choice in order to validate the player's medical condition.

"The federation did not take this option and instead contacted FIFA to ask them to apply the regulation that effectively prevents Papiss from playing this weekend.

"It is the opinion of the club that it is wrong and wholly unjust for a national association to behave in this manner and for FIFA to endorse their stance and automatically apply the sanction without taking into account the specific facts of the case.

"The club is disappointed, although not in any way surprised, that FIFA has disregarded its submissions and valid points in relation to this matter and instead have supported a national association which ignored repeated attempts by the club to engage with them and, furthermore, insisted on a course of action which would have had a detrimental impact on the player's physical condition.

"The club understands that in addition to Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba, a number of other players were withdrawn from the Senegal squad.

"To the best of our knowledge, Papiss Cisse and Newcastle United are the only parties that the national association has sought sanctions against.

"It is the club's genuinely-held view that the Senegalese Federation have an agenda against Papiss and/or Newcastle United, possibly as a reaction to the club's decision earlier this year not to allow Papiss to participate in the London Olympics 2012.

"The club intends to take this matter up with the Football Association and any other relevant body within the game to try to stop national associations/federations and FIFA from preventing an employee (a player) from fulfilling their contractual obligations to their employer (a club).

"The club acknowledges the importance of international football and the great honour players undoubtedly get from representing their country.

"That said, national associations and FIFA should have a duty of care to clubs with regards to their players and it cannot be allowed to continue that national associations can, as in this case, seek to act in a way which is not in the best interests of a player and compromises their well-being and, furthermore, is then able to apply to FIFA who impose a sanction which damages that individual and his employer without a fair and equitable process being applied.

"The club will be speaking to its legal advisors to see if it has recourse against the Senegalese Federation and/or FIFA."

Goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene needed stitches in his head after the bus windows were shattered by 'huge rocks' as the team left Johannesburg's Soccer City for its hotel, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) said on Thursday.

Midfielder Felix Katongo was also injured in the incident that followed Zambia's friendly win.

"Very sad that the Zambian bus was stoned and Kennedy Mweene sustained a head injury," the FAZ said.

"Has had stitches and is OK, but the incident was shameful."

The South African Football Association told The Associated Press that two boys, aged 12 and 13, had been apprehended outside the stadium after the incident.

"SAFA condemns the incident in the strongest possible terms," association spokesman Dominic Chimhavi said, adding the youths were in police custody.

Mweene, who plays club football in South Africa, received treatment from team medical staff on the bus.

Katongo was thought to have only minor injuries.

Zambia had earlier beaten South Africa 1-0 at the 94,700-capacity Soccer City, the former FIFA World Cup venue which will host the opening game and the final at next year's Cup of Nations.

The stoning completed a troubled night for the Cup of Nations host after its disjointed team was outplayed by Zambia on a pitch that was in a poor state after a rock concert.

The 27-year-old did not meet up with his international team-mates ahead of the friendly clash with Niger after hurting his back during last weekends 1-0 Premier League defeat by West Ham United.

Manager Alan Pardew revealed the club informed Senegal and sent off details of the player's medical condition, but has since been told they were not received.

As a result, the African side is understood to be threatening to invoke FIFA's five-day rule, which would mean Cisse could not play for the Magpies this weekend.

Pardew said: "We have a bit of an issue going on at the moment with the federation.

"We feel we have covered all the bases to give them the information, but they seem not to have received it, so we are in discussions with Senegal and the FA about his availability for Saturday."

Juan-Guillermo Cuadrado's goal on the stroke of half-time gave Colombia the lead before Neymar scored a superb equaliser shortly after the hour mark.

The Santos striker then sent a spot-kick sailing into orbit with 11 minutes left in the match.

In Miami, Nigeria was a 3-1 winner over Venezuela. Ideye Brown broke the deadlock three minutes into the second half and moments later Nosa Igiebor lashed in a second from long-range.

Frank Feltscher got one back for Venezuela with 20 minutes left but Onazi Ogenyi wrapped up the win for Nigeria deep into injury time.

Carlos Saucedo scored an injury-time equaliser for Bolivia as it salvaged a 1-1 draw with Costa Rica, which led through Joel Campbell's 72nd minute strike.

Organisers will apply the same security measures than during the 2010 World Cup, which the country hosted as well, LOC CEO Mvuso Mbebe told a parliamentary committee.

"We are using the same concept we did during the World Cup where the referees will be quarantined... in a particular hotel which no one has access to," he said.

"When they leave, they leave match day minus one, to go to the city... they cannot have contact with members of the public, because you don't know what can be exchanged in that plane," Mbebe added.

Security force members will escort the referees from their hotels to the stadiums. The quarantine will be lifted at the end of the tournament, he said, adding that the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had approved the measures.

The continental showcase takes place from January 19 to February 10 2013.

Following budget cuts, the LOC board members have also waived their salaries.

"In the view of the cut even the allowance of board members won't be provided for... it's nil, zilch, because there's no money," said LOC chairman Mwelo Nonkonyana.

Amid sluggish economic growth, authorities lowered their contribution to 205 million rand ($23 million, 18 million euro) to cover costs of around $38 million, with the rest made up of sponsorships, contracts and CAF's contribution.

Zaha, included in England's squad for a friendly in Sweden this week even though he is only 20 and plays in the Championship for Crystal Palace, is a man in demand.

He is tipped to play at least some part against Sweden in Stockholm but can also choose Cote d'Ivoire as an alternative having been born in Abidjan.

England striker Daniel Sturridge is an admirer of the winger, whose four goals so far this season have helped Palace to the top of the Championship.

However, Sturridge fears former Chelsea team-mate Drogba, the Cote d'Ivoire captain, could yet have an influence on Zaha.

Sturridge, speaking on Monday in Manchester where the England team is training before flying to Sweden, said of Zaha: "I have watched him a few times and he's a very talented player and he was very sharp in training today.

"I know Didier is going to try and get him to play for the Ivory Coast. I saw Didier this week and I'm sure he will do that because every country wants the best players who are eligible to play for them.

"But obviously for us we want him to play for England. The manager has picked him to be involved in the squad and I'm sure he'll take it as an opportunity.

"He's told me he's been here in England since he was four years old; so he's been here for the majority of his life.

"Whichever decision he makes has to be right for him as a person but I think everybody here would love him to play for England."

Zaha, who has caps for both England Under-19s and England Under-21s, is not the only new name in Hodgson's latest squad.

The manager has also included 31-year-old Everton midfielder Leon Osman, and the new call-ups may well get an opportunity to play after the likes of Wayne Rooney, Aaron Lennon, Kyle Walker, Theo Walcott, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Jermain Defoe were all ruled out because of injury.

The Ghana Football Association says Gyan's mother, Cecilia Love Amoako, died on Tuesday in a hospital in the country's capital, Accra.

UAE newspaper The National says Gyan will play for Al Ain against Al Shabab in its Pro-League game in Dubai before returning home to be with relatives.

Al Ain team manager Mohammed Obaid Hammad told The National that striker Gyan had been granted leave to return to Ghana as soon as he wanted but chose to stay for the Al Shabab game.

A win would take Al Ain top of the standings if leader Al Nasr drops points.

"Gyan's contributions have been immense not only in terms of scoring goals but the motivation and camaraderie he brings to the team," Al Ain coach Cosmin Olaroiu told The National.

"Our condolences are with him and his family at this difficult time. He has decided to play this game, and there will be no doubt all his team-mates will rally around to support him in this match."

Officials from the GFA visited Gyan's family home on Wednesday to offer their condolences and pay tribute to Amoako, whose other son, Baffour Gyan, also played for Ghana's national team as a striker.

The party was led by GFA president Kwesi Nyantakyi and included Ghana assistant coach Maxwell Konadu.

Asamoah Gyan was recently given the Ghana captaincy after returning from a short break from international football. He missed the penalty kicks that led to the elimination of Ghana from the 2010 World Cup and 2012 African Cup of Nations.

Nigeria coach Stephen Keshi claimed at the weekend that Odemwingie no longer wants to play for his country.

Odemwingie is adamant that is not the case which means he could be ruled out of West Brom action for a month during January's African Cup of Nations.

However, the 31-year-old concedes he is 'unhappy' about certain aspects of the Nigerian set-up.

Odemwingie told the Wolverhampton Express and Star: "If the coach decides to call me, I am still available to play for my country.

"When I decide that I want to stop playing, I will come out and say so myself.

"I did not say I won't play for the national team.

"I am 31 now, it will be hard to play every game, but I had an open and honest discussion with the coach and I will be available when they call me."

But Odemwingie added: "I spoke with Keshi and I told him about my unhappiness with certain things in the national team.

"This included the fact that, as a player who has served his country with full commitment for over 10 years, I got into trouble for asking to be excused from a friendly game when I had an injury."

West Brom already looks set to lose midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu in January after Congo DR qualified for the Cup of Nations finals.

Cote d'Ivoire midfielder Toure claimed the gong last year and will be among the favourites once more after playing a starring role as Manchester City became English champion for the first time in 44 years.

He was also instrumental as Cote d'Ivoire reached the final of the African Cup of Nations before losing on penalties to Zambia.

Toure's compatriots Gervinho and Didier Drogba was also shortlisted.

And while Gervinho has had a quiet year at club level with Arsenal, Drogba scored the winning penalty as his former club Chelsea won the UEFA Champions League for the first time against Bayern Munich.

Drogba subsequently joined Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua.

Zambia's remarkable title triumph in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea saw captain Christopher Katongo nominated.

He was voted player of the tournament after an inspirational set of displays as his country landed its first continental crown.

Barcelona midfielder Alexander Song, Marseille winger Andre Ayew, Newcastle United striker Demba Ba, Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel, St Etienne striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Montpellier's Ligue 1 title-winning forward Younes Belhanda also made the list.

The winner will be announced at a ceremony on 20 December in the Ghanaian capital Accra.

Uganda-born striker Dan Sserunkuma, who has been in superb form for the Nairobi club, scored a hat-trick to move Gor a point ahead of defending champion Tusker going into the final weekend of matches.

The result ensured Gor Mahia stays in pole position to win its first championship since 1995 and it will host Thika United in its last match this weekend. It has collected 58 points from 29 matches.

Title rival AFC Leopards had thrashed former champion Mathare United 4-2 to take temporary charge of the premiership, which has changed hands many times between the three top clubs from Nairobi.

However, Tusker has not given up hope of winning its second successive premiership crown. It beat Western Stima 2-0 to ensure the title race would go down to the final weekend.

It moved into second spot behind Gor Mahia on 57 points, and any slip up may see it retain the title.

The last time the two countries met was back in 2007, with Austria prevailing 3-2.

Cote d'Ivoire is using the game as part of its warm-up for the 19 January-10 February 10 Cup of Nations in South Africa where it will be trying to claim its first title since 1992.

South Africa stepped in after the football showcase was shifted from conflict-torn Libya and had to find the funds to pick up the hosting tab amid a slowing economy and rising debt levels.

"We are ensuring that we cut out any form of extravagance," Deputy Finance Minister Nhlanhla Nene told reporters on Thursday, saying the tournament had not been budgeted for in the current financial year.

"What we have approved for funding for Afcon, we have cut it absolutely to the bone ... I don't think we can regard it as a vanity project."

South Africa was due to stage the continent's championship only in 2017 but the country's lauded 2010 World Cup, which saw a building boom on stadiums, roads and airports, would help with hosting duties, he said.

The costs for the tournament, which runs from January 19 to February 10, were outlined in the medium-term budget policy statement tabled on Thursday.

Funds were diverted from reprioritised spending and will go to areas such as to host cities, security and health.

The tournament will be played in five host cities and towns - Johannesburg, Durban, Port Elizabeth, Nelspruit and the mining town Rustenburg.

South Africa is also to take over the 2014 African Nations Championship for local-based footballers.

The top-ranked national team on the continent are in Group D with Algeria (2) and Tunisia (7) and even outsiders Togo (24) have proved troublesome for the 'Elephants' in the past.

Other top seeds South Africa, Ghana and Zambia have no reason to complain and can blame only themselves should they fail to claim a top-two finish and advance to the quarter-finals.

South Africa tackles Cape Verde Islands, Angola and Morocco, title holder Zambia faces Ethiopia, Nigeria and Burkina Faso, and Ghana confronts Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Niger.

In Group A, South Africa got almost the perfect draw - it would have preferred Niger to Morocco - as it seeks to emulate the 1996 Bafana Bafana (The Boys) squad and win the competition at home.

Although coach Gordon Igesund has only six months to build a team, it is capable of topping the table, leaving Angola and Morocco to fight for second spot while Cape Verde try to build on a shock qualifying win over Cameroon.

In Group B, having finished third, second and fourth in the last three tournaments, Ghana is desperate to go all the way and end 31 years without a trophy it has lifted four times.

Ghana knows Mali well, having won and lost to them at the 2012 finals, the Congolese are probably the most dangerous 'weaklings' while not too much is expected of a Niger side that normally struggles away from Niamey.

The Group C pool could develop into two contests - one for first place between Zambia and Nigeria and another between Burkina Faso and Ethiopia to avoid finishing bottom.

Nigeria has won twice and drawn once in four previous games against Zambia, it has also beaten Burkina Faso and Ethiopia before, and knows that topping the table could mean dodging Cote d'Ivoire in the quarter-finals.

In Group D, Cote d'Ivoire doesn't have a good Cup of Nations record against its three rivals, winning only twice in eight matches, and much could depend on how well the mental scars of 2012 heal.

They did not concede a goal in six matches nor lose but the trophy eluded Didier Drogba and the 'golden generation' again. Expect a fierce three-way struggle with Algeria and Tunisia for two places.

A deflected shot past goalkeeper Moses Ocheje after 28 minutes at the empty June 30 stadium settled the second-leg of the semi-final after a 3-3 draw in Nigeria two weeks ago.

Record six-time African champions Ahly advanced 4-3 overall and faces bitter rival Esperance of Tunisia over two legs during November, with the Egyptian side having home advantage first.

Geddo, who became the five-goal star of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations after entering the tournament as an unknown, had scored only once in the CAF Champions League this season before the semi-finals.

But a first-leg brace followed by the second-leg winner lifts him to four goals, two less than leading Ahly scorer Mohamed Aboutrika, who is serving a two-month club suspension for refusing to play in a recent domestic fixture.

Geddo could have finished the return match with four goals as the woodwork denied him twice in the opening half and once after the break while Sunshine substitute Harrison Egbune rattled the crossbar in the latter stages.

Ahly controlled most of a match that rarely rose above the ordinary and was played behind closed doors with Egyptian authorities refusing to allow spectators amid post-Arab spring security fears.

Competing in the Champions League for the first time this season, Sunshine seemed overawed apart from a brief second-half spell when Tamen Medrano, Dele Olorundare and Egbune threatened goalkeeper Sherif Ekrami.

Retired Judge Ahmed Ebrahim, head of the probe team which conducted hearings on the scandal, said on Tuesday it recommended to the Zimbabwe Football Association that 13 players and officials be banned for life and 80 others face bans of six months to 10 years. Eight players were exonerated. The names of the affected players and officials are yet to be announced.

They were accused of accepting money from a betting syndicate to throw matches in Asia from 2007 to 2009.

Zimbabwe lost 2-0 to Jordan, 3-0 to Thailand and 6-0 to Syria in Malaysia in tours arranged by former ZIFA chief executive Henrietta Rushwaya, named as the mastermind in the match-rigging scams.

She appeared in court in February on corruption and fraud charges in a case still pending.

Some players testified in the initial ZIFA probe in 2010 how money changed hands in dressing rooms at matches linked to betting agents of Wilson Raj Perumal, a Singaporean who is in jail in Europe for match-fixing.

It is alleged the Zimbabwean team received over US$1 million ($968,797) from Perumal to throw a game.

Ebrahim said most of the players who were 'young, innocent and uneducated' were dragged into the scandal, 'used and manipulated' by Perumal and unnamed ZIFA officials.

"Some officials and players will undoubtedly have their football futures ruined by these greedy, despicable, ruthless and unfeeling miscreants," Ebrahim said. "It is doubtful if these people will ever even have the slightest thought of recompensing these young football players."

Ebrahim said he believed Perumal was introduced to the Zimbabwe national team by 'some existing ZIFA hierarchy' he did not name several years ago, and posed as a ZIFA agent so he could 'manipulate match-fixing in whichever manner he so wished'.

It was alleged in ZIFA's 2010 report that Rushwaya used feared secret agents connected to the country's long-time ruler President Robert Mugabe to manipulate players and coaches on the Asian tours.

"There is little doubt that some of the players were being manipulated into something the majority were not fully aware of, and as a result, will have to suffer the long-term consequences, albeit through ignorance on their part," Ebrahim said.

During the course of the year-long probe 44 players were cleared of any wrong-doing but on Tuesday Ebrahim said at the completion of the investigation it has emerged that some of the players whose suspensions were lifted will be banned again.

He said his investigation unearthed 'the tip of the iceberg' as there was evidence that a lot more went on than was revealed in testimony.

Official records of the Asian tours and fees paid to the players and officials had disappeared from the ZIFA offices, which made it difficult to ascertain what really transpired, Ebrahim said. Money earned from the trips was never deposited into the national body's coffers.

"The exact intricate details of how the Zimbabwe teams became involved with a match-fixing and betting syndicate organised by a man known to those close to him as Raj, involved in the birth of this destructive and illegal activity, may never be known," he said.

"Yobo is most likely to miss Saturday's game after he suffered a knee injury while in action for his club, Fenerbahce," said Ben Alaiya, press officer for the Nigeria national team.

"He has a less than 30 per cent chance of playing against Liberia now."

Yobo played in last month's 2-2 first-leg draw between the sides in Liberia but was replaced by Efe Ambrose in the second half.

Injury has already prevented the experienced central defender from playing in a Nations Cup qualifying play-off against Rwanda and 2014 World Cup qualifiers against Malawi and Namibia earlier this year.

After convincing striker Samuel Eto'o to end his boycott of the national team, Akono recalled another two players who were on his team when Cameroon won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics 12 years ago.

The 33-year-old defender Pierre Wome and midfielder Modeste Mbami, who last played for his country in 2009, were both included in a 26-man squad for the decisive second-leg game against Cape Verde.

Their international careers had appeared to be over, as had that of 32-year-old Mohamadou Idrissou, who is back in the team for the first time since the 2010 World Cup.

Experience and current form were the key factors in the recalls, Akono told reporters in Yaounde on Monday, with Cameroon facing an embarrassing elimination against minnow Cape Verde.

"Also, there's a need to get the true spirit of cohesion within the team and put them back on their feet," the Olympic-title winning coach said.

Akono replaced Frenchman Denis Lavagne after Cameroon lost 2-0 in Cape Verde last month in the first leg of the final qualifying round for the African Cup.

Eto'o was absent for that game, having decided on a self-imposed exile from national team duties in protest at what he called "amateurish" organisation. He had only just returned from an eight-month ban for his part in a players' strike after arguments over unpaid bonuses and playing fees.

Eto'o announced his availability again last week after the intervention of Cameroon President Paul Biya ensured the former captain met with Akono and other government and team officials.

He was national team captain when he left in protest, but Akono delayed the decision on who would be his leader until closer to the game against Cape Verde.

Since his appointment last month, Akono has travelled regularly to Europe to try to convince players such as Tottenham's Benoit Assou-Ekotto and France-based midfielder Jean Makoun to return to international duty. Makoun was also selected on Monday.

A four-time African champion, Cameroon failed to qualify for the last African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and is precariously close to missing out in South Africa. The home leg against Cape Verde is on October 14.

Eto'o, Africa's most heavily decorated player, was banned for 15 months (subsequently reduced to eight months) for leading Cameroon's boycott of a friendly match against Algeria last year.

After serving his ban the former Barcelona striker who is now based with Russian top-flight side Anzhi Makhachkala was recalled to the national squad on August 25, but refused to return, labelling the national side "amateurish and poorly organised".

But after a word in his ear from Cameroon President Paul Biya, the 31-year-old is now prepared to call off his self-imposed exile and come back into the international fray.

"Samuel Eto'o is returning with the Indomitable Lions," the four-time African Player of the Year declared on his website.

"After a request from the highest authority in the Republic I agreed to reconsider my position and to put myself at the disposal of the Lions."

On Tuesday Eto'o held talks with Cameroon Prime Minister Philemon Yang, with Cameroon's new coach Jean Paul Akono also attending.

His return is timely with Cameroon requiring a pick-me-up in its attempt to qualify for the 2013 Nations Cup in South Africa which starts next January after losing 2-0 to the modest Cape Verde in the first leg of the final round of qualifying.

Cameroon, twice winner of the continental crown, is desperately hoping to make the finals after missing out on the 2012 edition.

Eto'o is set to reclaim the captain's armband for the return leg against Cape Verde on October 14 in Yaounde.

South Sudan was accepted as the 209th FIFA member in May and played its first recognised international match several weeks later, drawing 2-2 with visiting Uganda to be currently ranked No. 197th.

FIFA says its development committee has granted US$500,000 ($482,168) from Goal Project funds to build offices and a playing surface in Juba.

South Sudan will receive an additional US$500,000 from a fund targeting poorer members to help with 'laying solid foundations for the new organisation'.

South Sudan became officially independent from Sudan in July 2011.

Recruited in 2010 to lead the Atlas Lions to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, the former PSV Eindhoven and Marseille boss has been under pressure since a shock 2-0 defeat to Mozambique in a qualifier for the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

Ivory Coast came from 1-0 and 2-1 down to beat Senegal 4-2 in the first leg of their tie. Ghana beat Malawi 2-0.

Cameroon lost 2-0 to Cape Verde and is in danger of missing out on its second straight Africa Cup of Nations ahead of decisive second-leg matches in October.

Just seven months after lifting the trophy in Gabon, Zambia entered qualifying for next year's tournament in South Africa with a 1-0 home win over Uganda through a first-half goal by captain Christopher Katongo.

After eliminating seven-time winner Egypt in the last round, Central African Republic is one game away from a long-awaited place at the Cup of Nations after a 1-0 victory in its home leg against Burkina Faso.

Elsewhere, Nigeria was held to 2-2 in Liberia, Mali beat Botswana 3-0, strikers Daniel Cousin and Emmanuel Adebayor scored as Gabon and Togo drew 1-1, Sierra Leone and Tunisia drew 2-2 and Sudan beat Ethiopia 5-3 as the last round of qualifiers began with 10 first-leg matches.

The remaining five ties kick off on Sunday as 30 teams battle over two legs for a place at the 16-team Africa Cup of Nations alongside host South Africa.

Without captain and leading striker Samuel Eto'o, who has refused to return to international duty after a lengthy ban, Cameroon lost against a team that was once ranked well below the four-time African champion. Now, only four places separate the slumping 61st-ranked Cameroon and Cape Verde in the FIFA rankings and the Indomitable Lions have a two-goal deficit to overturn back at home if they are to avoid joining Egypt as another high-profile absentee at the continental championship.

Ivory Coast, the top-ranked African team and losing finalist in Gabon, relied on goals by star names Salomon Kalou, Gervinho, Didier Drogba and Max Gradel to battle past Senegal in Abidjan, which had led through Dame N'Doye and then Papiss Cisse.

In Accra, Christian Atsu scored in the eighth minute and Anthony Annan added a second with a powerful drive in the 51st to put Ghana in control of its tie against Malawi, which had James Shangala sent off late on.

Vianney Mabide claimed Central African Republic's sole goal in the first-half against the Burkinabes to take the one-time minnow of African football to the brink of the showpiece in South Africa. Central African Republic also won its first World Cup qualifying game this year and is now ranked higher than Morocco, South Africa and Togo.

Omega Roberts' brace gave Liberia hopes of an upset against Nigeria. Nosa Igiebor of Real Betis had put Nigeria level after Roberts' opener and a penalty from Ike Uche gave the visitor a come-from-behind lead before a second from Roberts left the tie evenly poised ahead of the return leg next month.

Association head Amer Hussein told reporters that delaying games until October 17 is to allow the 18 league teams to be paid from television broadcasting rights.

He did not cite the protest by die-hard fans of Egypt's most popular team Al-Ahly as a reason.

Fans are angry over the resumption of games despite the failure so far to bring to justice perpetrators of a February stadium riot that killed 74 people, mostly Al-Ahly supporters.

The federation shut down the league after the violence, but recently reversed the decision. Officials say games will be played without fans in attendance.

"We are not going to pull back from starting the Premier League on schedule," state-run newspaper Al-Ahram quoted Sports Minister al-Ameri Farouq as saying.

The competition, suspended since February after deadly rioting, is scheduled to start on 17 September.

"Everyone benefits from the return of the football activities.

There are more than five million people (in Egypt) earning their living from football."

Around 2,000 hardcore 'ultra' supporters of Al-Ahly, one of Egypt's top clubs, on Wednesday broke into the EFA offices in Cairo using petrol bombs, local media reported.

Trophies won by the Egyptian national team were stolen, Al-Ahram claimed.

The attackers were protesting the resumption of domestic football before those responsible for the deaths of 74 Al-Ahly fans in a stadium riot were punished, according to the report.

Seventy-three people, including sports officials and policemen, are being on trial on charges of premeditated murder or negligence over the deadly rioting that occurred in the coastal city of Port Said in February.

Opposition activists have repeatedly accused the military, who ruled Egypt for 16 months after the ouster of Hosny Mubarak more than a year ago, of orchestrating the violence, allegedly to prolong its stay in power.

The 65-year-old Michel, who has previously coached the national teams of Cameroon, Tunisia, Morocco, Cote d'Ivoire and Equatorial Guinea, beat three other candidates, including countryman and former France coach Raymond Domenech and Belgian Adel Amrouche for the post.

His immediate task is to revive the flagging fortunes of the Kenya national team, which has been knocked out of the race for the 2013 Cup of Nations, and is sitting precariously in the qualifying rounds of the 2014 World Cup finals in Brazil.

Michel is well aware of the tough challenges of turning around the team, which has only collected a single point from its two opening matches.

"I know people will be looking at me to bring results. The task will be very difficult because we did not start very well in the competition," said Michel.

"But we will try our best to have good results. We have between now and March 2013 to play our next match, so we have enough time to work and put things in place."

Michel will be joined by two French assistants and a local Kenyan on the technical bench.

A statement from the Cairo-based African football governing body said stones, missiles, bottles and firecrackers were thrown during the invasions, forcing the referee to abandon the game on 69 minutes with Esperance 2-0 ahead.

Esperance and Sunshine Stars of Nigeria have six points each in a revised Group A table after the four Etoile results were dropped and both qualify for the semi-finals with ASO Chlef of Algeria pointless and out of the running.

The disqualification of Etoile will be welcomed by African football observers, who have accused CAF of being soft in the past on clubs with records of crowd trouble.

Heartland, which won the cup competition last year, came back from a fifth-minute goal by Ezekiel Bassey to draw level through Jolly Osas in the 30th minute of an entertaining cup final.

Striker Brendan Ogbu fired the winner in stoppage-time when he headed past Lobi goalkeeper John Lawrence.

Heartland took control of the game after its equaliser, but in the second half Lobi, which is also in the hunt for the country's league championship, created more chances but failed to convert any of them.

The last team to successfully defended the Nigeria cup competition was Dolphin in 2007.

Lee Keun-Ho scored soon after half-time to sink Zambia 2-1 in a Seoul friendly after he had put Korea Republic ahead and Switzerland-based Emmanuel Mayuka levelled just before the half-hour mark.

CAF Champions League commitments and injuries meant Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) lacked five of the team which defeated Cote d'Ivoire on penalties in Libreville in February to win a maiden African title.

It was the fourth friendly for Zambia since that unexpected triumph and a second loss after a 1-0 reverse in Malawi. It defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 last week and drew 0-0 in Angola.

Coached by Herve Renard, Zambia plays Uganda at home in September and away in October with a place at the 2013 Cup of Nations in South Africa on the line.

Substitute Richmond Boakye-Yiadom from Italian club Juventus snatched a late goal to salvage a 1-1 draw for Ghana in Xi'an after Lin Gao had put China ahead from the penalty spot early in the second half.

Boakye-Yiadom had come on for fellow striker Emmanuel Clottey, who has been a revelation for unfancied Berekum Chelsea in the CAF Champions League, scoring 12 goals in nine matches.

China had a chance to regain the lead when awarded a second penalty five minutes from time but substitute goalkeeper Ernest Sowah saved the kick in his first appearance for the Black Stars.

Ghana, a shock semi-finals loser to Zambia at the Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, has home advantage first over Malawi in another 2013 African qualifier.

Former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan, who ended a self-imposed international exile triggered by public and media criticism after he had a penalty saved against Zambia, was an unused substitute.

Russia was held 1-1 in Moscow by Cote d'Ivoire, Alan Dzagoev's opener cancelled out late by Max Gradel.

"It was a very uneasy match as Ivory Coast team have a set of very strong players in their line-up," new Russia coach Fabio Capello told AFP afterwards.

"I'm really pleased with the Russian team's performance. I knew the team is strong but today I've got more proof of that.

"I had a precious opportunity to test young players against strong rivals. Some of them made a debut performance today and I'm glad that now they have a chance for further development."

Serbia was held to a goalless draw by Republic of Ireland in Belgrade.

Konstantin Vassiljev's injury-time goal gave Estonia a 1-0 home win over disappointing EURO 2012 co-host Poland.

Greece eased to an impressive 3-2 win over Norway in Oslo.

Nelson Oliveira and Cristiano Ronaldo got the goals as Portugal beat 10-man Panama 2-0 at the Estádio do Algarve.

Oliveira beat two men before lashing the ball into the top corner on the half-hour mark and, after Gabriel Gomez was sent off early in the second half for a clash with Joao Moutinho, Ronaldo turned to fire home moments later.

Gyan has been included in coach Kwesi Appiah's 18-man squad despite calling an immediate halt to his international career last February after suffering criticism for missing a penalty in his country's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final exit.

Gyan had been the target of harsh criticism but appears to have put that behind him after completing a permanent move to the United Arab Emirates in July.

ZFA spokesman Erick Mwanza said that Sinkala saw a neurologist at a Johannesburg hospital after having 'nerve problems with his eyes and around his face'. He declined to elaborate, but said Sinkala had not suffered a stroke. A hospital spokeswoman could not be immediately reached for comment.

The 21-year-old midfielder plays for Congo DR's TP Mazembe, based in Lubumbashi. Mwanza said Sinkala had been discharged and was on his way there on Wednesday.

Sinkala made his international debut in 2011 and went on to help Zambia win the African Cup of Nations earlier this year.

Chile international Alexis Sanchez also scored a brace, before Dani Alves, Gerard Deulofeu and Sergi Gomez added second-half goals for the visitor.

Barcelona coach Tito Vilanova rested Spain's EURO 2012 winners Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Pedro Rodriguez and Gerard Pique, while captain Carles Puyol and striker David Villa are still to return from injury.

Barca's next pre-season outing is against Paris Saint-Germain in Paris, before playing Manchester United in Sweden on 8 August.

Al Masry appealed to CAS after being hit by a series of punishments by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) after the tragedy on 1 February which occurred after Al Masry fans invaded the pitch after a surprise 3-1 win over Cairo club Al Ahly in Port Said.

CAS announced in a statement that it had partially upheld Al Masry's appeal against the EFA, which chose not to participate in the CAS procedure.

The decisions taken by CAS are that Al Masry will be able to play in EFA events in 2012/-2013 - having initially been banned by the EFA - and has had its demotion to the second Egyptian league for the 2013-2014 campaign annulled as well.

However, CAS also announced that Al Masry remains banned from holding games in the Port Said stadium for four calendar years.

The statement added: "While spectators are banned from Al Masry home games for the next complete season, they are able to attend away matches, with the exception of the next four games against Al Ahly which shall be played without fans on neutral playground which shall be at a distance of 200 km from Cairo or Port Said."

Azmi Megahed, a spokesman of the Egyptian Football Association, said the association has signed a contract with a private security company to secure the stadiums during the league.

The decision to bring extra security came after reports that the Interior Ministry said the league cannot restart as planned because of concerns about the lack of security at games.

The league was cancelled after the clashes in Port Said following a match between host Al-Masry and its rival, al-Ahly.

Seventy-three people are facing trial on charges of premeditated murder or negligence in the rioting.

Opposition activists have repeatedly accused the military council, which ruled Egypt for 16 months following the ouster of Hosni Mubarak in February last year, of orchestrating the violence, allegedly to prolong its time in power.

The Black Stars will use the match to warm up for the first leg of their 2013 African Cup of Nations qualifying tie against Malawi, which is due to be played on the weekend of 7-9 September.

The £17 million arrival from Borussia Dortmund was restricted to a couple of minutes as a substitute in Durban on Wednesday.

Although it was a disappointment for the supporters who had hoped to see Kagawa in action for the first time, Ferguson claimed because the 23-year-old had arrived for training slightly later than his team-mates, he needed additional work in South Africa this week.

However, with a full-house expected at the Green Point Stadium, Ferguson is ready to unleash the Japan midfielder.

Kagawa has already impressed Ferguson during his short time at Manchester United.

"He's been outstanding," said Ferguson.

"His training performances have been very good. He was three or four days behind everyone else, but he'll play tomorrow."

Kagawa is already being compared to Park Ji-sung, the crowd favourite from Korea Republic who has now joined Queens Park Rangers.

A member of the Dortmund side that has won back-to-back German titles, Kagawa is a more accomplished ball player than Park. However, Ferguson revealed they share the same work ethic.

"There are similarities to Ji-sung Park. They're both disciplined, they work hard," said the Scot.

"Also, they are good professionals and excellent to work with.

"There will be no problems with him settling into the club.

"What we identified about Kagawa is exactly what I'm seeing now. The difference now is that our players are realising his qualities.

"He's got quick feet, is two-footed and had a good goal ratio with Dortmund. He's doing very well."

Sudanese sides Al Ahly Shandy, Al Hilal and Al Merreikh are in Group A of the CAF Confederation Cup with 2011 semi-finalist InterClube of Angola, which defeated Al Amal Atbara from the east African nation in a qualifier.

The draw means the Angolan police team is going to become very familiar with the route from Luanda to Khartoum as it visits the vast, oil-rich country in early August, mid-September and mid-October.

Malian duo Stade Malien and Djoliba, AC Leopards of Congo Brazzaville and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco comprise Group B in the second-tier CAF club championship, which carries a $US660,000 ($A646,200) first prize.

Having two clubs from one country in a Confederation Cup mini-league is not uncommon, with Sable Batie and Coton Sport of Cameroon in the same group of the first edition eight years ago.

There have been seven other cases of two sides from the same nation being drawn together, including Nigerian outfits Dolphin and Kwara United and Tunisian giants Esperance and Etoile Sahel.

The Sudanese trio will welcome the draw as it dramatically reduces travel, which can be very time consuming in Africa, with some teams finding it quicker to fly via Europe to away fixtures.

Omdurman-based Hilal and Merreikh are perennial CAF campaigners - either in the CAF Champions League or Confederation Cup - while Ahly is competing for the first time.

Merreikh was runner-up to CS Sfaxien in the 2007 Confederation Cup, while Hilal was eliminated by the same Tunisian club in a 2010 semi-finals penalty shootout.

Ahly reached the last eight by eliminating Ferroviario Maputo of Mozambique, Simba of Tanzania after a marathon shootout and Coton Sport of Cameroon, and is coached by Tunisian Mohamed Kouki.

Stade Malien was surprise winner of the 2009 Confederation Cup, pipping Algerian visitor Entente Setif of Algeria on penalties in Bamako after both teams triumphed 2-0 at home.

Djoliba failed to get past the group phase in a previous appearance while giantkillers Leopards, which eliminated title holder MAS Fes of Morocco in a fiery clash at the weekend, and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco are pool debutants.

Mini-league fixtures run from August 3 to October 21 with the group winner and runner-up advancing to the semi-finals of a competition won three times each by clubs from Morocco and Tunisia and once each by sides from Ghana and Mali.

The 71-year-old Frenchman - who guided France to the EURO 2000 title and then Tunisia to the 2004 Cup of Nations trophy - signed a one-year contract with the club, with the option of another year.

Lemerre, who stepped down from the France post after a humiliating defence of its FIFA World title in 2002 when it went out in the first round, will take charge of his first match in the 28 July friendly with Ligue 1 outfit Nice, according to club president Mohamed Boulhabib.

CS Constantine, who finished 13th out of 20 in the league last season, has won the title just once, back in 1997.

Gyan, who recently agreed a permanent deal to stay at United Arab Emirates club Al Ain, sent a letter to the Ghana Football Association to confirm his return.

Gyan said he had an opportunity to 'reflect' during his break and was now 'fully committed and focused' on helping Ghana qualify for next year's Cup of Nations in South Africa and the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Gyan missed a penalty in Ghana's semi-final defeat to Zambia at the Cup of Nations in February, the second time in successive major tournaments he's missed a crucial spot-kick.

He also made the error at the quarter-final against Uruguay at the 2010 World Cup.

Squeezing into the stadium, pressing up to the wire-mesh fence or balanced precariously atop huge billboard signs overlooking the pitch, the crowd went wild for the side playing its first official game.

"I like it because we have a national team and we have a country," said Margaret Igali, a singer in the national choir who hooted, hugged her fellow singers and made vigorous lasso moves with her hands every time her side advanced.

"The match is very good. It is the first match, and maybe the next one we will win," said South Sudan player Simon James, as he jogged off a pitch where fans clamoured to get through gaps between riot police to embrace players.

"It's a promising first step," said South Sudan coach Zoran Dordevic.

The Serbian said it was very difficult to prepare his players to take on Uganda, a strong east African side that has played many international games together, while his players were still trickling in from teams in Sudan and east Africa just weeks ago.

South Sudan seceded from Sudan on July 9, 2011, after five decades of civil war that killed an estimated two million people and scattered the rest into the bush or abroad.

"These days South Sudan celebrated its first anniversary, and still there's a lot of painful stories here, a lot of sadness, a lot of people are missing mothers, fathers brothers and sisters. For this reason, this game was like the final of the revolution," Dordevic said.

"The game - it was very difficult for us as our players are still young and they don't have experience but we just thank God as we drew, and I think the next game will be bigger, and we have our freedom," said striker James Joseph Morgan.

Like the football team, the war-ravaged nation is starting from scratch.

"Our people have got a lot of problems but they will improve," said Elias Gideon, who hopes the new nation will play in the 2018 World Cup and one day beat the United States.

"Football is a very important game that unites people - they come and socialise. You see South Sudan and Uganda coming together - it's a very good game," he said.

"The mood is very vibrant. The people are very happy as they've gained their freedom, and this is one of the new things to come," said Roy Lokungu as crowds screamed, jumped and hugged one another after the first goal, while a line of people following an excited flag-bearer sprinted past.

"I'm very proud because we are a country and it's the first time that we have a national team.

"That's a very patriotic thing - that a newborn country has a strong team like that," said Igali, who like many others said the team was a symbol of freedom and results were of secondary importance.

"A baby child will not grow within one day. I would support them even if they lost," she said with pride.

"It's a new team, and we're not disappointed as Uganda has been playing tough matches for years," Lokungu said.

"Genetically, these boys are godly gifted," Dordevic said of the South Sudanese.

He said they only need motivation and support, and especially a football academy for "hundreds and hundreds of talented children."

"I'm sure that very soon, we can show the world that we can play against any top world class team," he said.

George Opiyo, a striker for Uganda side, agreed.

"They have something in this country. I can see they are also competitive. If you play football for your country you have to play with your heart and they are doing that," he said.

"Maybe you give them some years to come, they will be the best team in east Africa", he said.

The nickname Bafana Bafana - The Boys in isiZulu - was also born on that wet night at Kings Park in Durban 20 years ago when Doctor Khumalo converted a late penalty against the Roger Milla-inspired 1990 FIFA World Cup quarter-finalist.

But two decades after returning from apartheid-induced isolation, South Africa has little cause for celebration as it is ranked only 14 in Africa by FIFA with Sierra Leone among those above it.

Sierra Leone football officials were locked out of their offices last month because of unpaid bills and forced to contact Europe-based national squad members from a Freetown internet cafe.

At the same time, South African Football Association (SAFA) officials were parking luxury German-made sedans outside palatial headquarters beside the 95,000-seat Soccer City national stadium.

While the lifestyles of those who run South African football are the envy of those from many African nations, Bafana Bafana is a source of embarrassment with a recent friendly win over Gabon halting an eight-match winless run.

Multi-award-winning journalist Matshelane Mamabolo of the Johannesburg Star attributes the failure of South Africa to become a dominant force in Africa to the disappearance of schools football.

"There used to be nationwide schools football every Wednesday and that is where the stars of the future were born. Now those who should be playing are hanging around street corners drinking alcohol and smoking," he told AFP.

"Winning the Cup of Nations four years after readmission was too soon - we thought we were world beaters. The team of 1996 was exceptional, full of great players. Most of those wearing national colours today are a disgrace."

New Bafana Bafana coach Gordon Igesund told reporters this week that "Bafana Bafana need to get back up there and be among the leading football nations in the world."

Durban-born Igesund, a 56-year-old pragmatist who has guided four clubs to the South African title, took over last month after Pitso Mosimane was fired after a 1-1 home draw with lowly Ethiopia in a 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Igesund has been given a two-year contract reportedly worth $62,500 - half what Mosimane earned - and told to get host South Africa to the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals at least and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil a year later.

It is a tall order with the top teams bar Egypt and Ivory Coast or Senegal set to play at the Cup of Nations while Bafana Bafana have made a disastrous start to the World Cup campaign with draws against Ethiopia and Botswana.

The popular, silver-haired coach faces the same problem as many before him - a lack of young talent coming through because national development has been largely ignored.

Tottenham midfielder Steven Pienaar is the only South African commanding a regular first-team place among the top European leagues and his performances for Bafana rarely match those at club level.

If winning the 1996 Cup of Nations and qualifying for the World Cup in 1998 and 2002 were Bafana highlights, failure to make the 2012 African finals in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea was the lowest of many low points.

Mosimane did not understand the qualification rules and told his team to play for a draw at home to Sierra Leone when it needed maximum points to prevent Niger snatching top place.

South African players danced and sang their way around the Mbombela Stadium pitch in Nelspruit after a 0-0 stalemate only to discover later that Bafana Bafana would miss a second consecutive Cup of Nations.

The lack of emerging talent has become so serious that Mosimane brought back 34-year-old South African Footballer of the Year and Moroka Swallows striker Siyabonga Nomvethe in a vain attempt to solve a scoring crisis.

There have also been pleas for another 34-year-old striker, Benni McCarthy of Orlando Pirates, to be recalled despite former national coach Ted Dumitru claiming the record Bafana Bafana scorer was 10 kilograms overweight.

A lack of top-class players and locals whose commitment is often questioned - it adds up to a mammoth task for Igesund, whose reign begins with a September 7 friendly away to record five-time world champion Brazil.

The London giant was set to play a match in Abuja on August 5, but has now decided against fulfilling the fixture as "a result of complexities linked to the planned game."

Arsenal marketing director Angus Kinnear said in a statement: "Bringing a top-level club to an international market is always complicated and logistically challenging.

"With the proposed match in Nigeria planned for early August, we could not get comfortable on everything needed to satisfy our requirements, so we have reluctantly taken the decision to postpone the team's visit."

Kinnear continued: "We have a huge and loyal following in Africa, and we are sorry that the team will not be visiting this (northern) summer.

"However, we have a long-term commitment to Nigeria and we are already making plans for a visit next (northern) summer.

"In addition, we also have some exciting forthcoming activities planned with our commercial partners in Nigeria - Emirates, Airtel and Malta Guinness, which will kick off in the next few weeks."

Arsenal is set to tour Asia later this month, with a fixture against English Premier League winner Manchester City set for Beijing's Bird's Nest Stadium on July 27.

The West African giants will meet over two legs in September and October to be among 15 qualifiers and host South Africa at the tournament early next year. Top-ranked African team Cote d'Ivoire lost to Zambia in this year's final.

Libya will try and reach its second successive African Cup of Nations finals against Algeria, while minnow Central African Republic will face Burkina Faso for a place in its first major tournament having surprisingly eliminated seven-time champion Egypt in the last round.

In other fixtures drawn in Johannesburg - which will host the 2013 final - it was defending champion Zambia versus Uganda, 2010 World Cup quarter-finalist Ghana versus Malawi and four-time African Cup winner Cameroon against Cape Verde. Two-time champion Nigeria was drawn to play Liberia.

Cameroon and Nigeria both failed to make this year's African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, as did struggling Egypt and South Africa.

Africa's next continental championship was brought forward so it doesn't clash with the 2014 World Cup, meaning the tournament will be played in successive years. The African Cup of Nations is played every two years, with this version awarded to South Africa after original host Libya couldn't stage it because of political problems.

Mali, a semi-finalist this year, will hope to progress against Botswana, Morocco must get past Mozambique and Tunisia will tackle Sierra Leone.

The other ties were Zimbabwe versus Angola, Guinea versus Niger, Sudan versus Ethiopia, Congo versus Equatorial Guinea and Gabon versus Togo.

The final draw for the 16-team tournament was scheduled for late October in South Africa.

It is the first time since the standings were created in August 1993 that Brazil has not been in the top 10 - after dropping six places to 11th.

World and European champion Spain increased its lead after winning EURO 2012 with Germany second, swapping spots with Uruguay.

England moved to fourth from sixth while Portugal, fifth, and Italy, sixth, were the big movers.

Argentina is steady in seventh, Netherlands slipped four spots to eight while Croatia and Denmark round out the top 10.

Japan heads the AFC contingent at number 20, three places ahead of the Socceroos.

Click here for the latest FIFA world rankings.

The Indomitable Lions, who have won the tournament four times, held a slender 1-0 lead from the opening leg of the second-round qualifier.

And Moukandjo's strike 10 minutes from time spared their blushes against Guinea-Bissau to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

Nigeria beat Rwanda 2-0 in the second leg of their qualifier to advance by the same scoreline on aggregate.

Ikechukwu Uche fired home the opener after nine minutes with Ahmed Musa adding another 11 minutes into the second half.

Liberia also progressed by the narrowest of margins, grinding out a 0-0 draw to beat Namibia 1-0 on aggregate.

There were goals galore in Uganda though, where the home side ran out a 4-0 winner to wrap up a come-from-behind 5-3 aggregate win over Congo.

Andy Mwesigwa, Godfrey Walusimbi (penalty), Geoff Massa and Emmanuel Okwi all hit the target for Uganda.

Malawi overturned a 3-2 first-leg deficit to see off Chad 4-3 on aggregate.

Joseph Kamwendo missed a penalty for the home side, but John Banda gave it a 32nd-minute lead before Kamwendo made up for his earlier miss to secure a 2-0 win.

Sao Tome and Principe was unable to pull off a shock victory as it fell 5-3 on aggregate to Sierra Leone.

The island nation had claimed a surprise 2-1 lead in February's opening leg, but a first-half hat-trick from Alhassan Kamara helped set up a 4-2 victory for Sierra Leone.

Cape Verde beat Madagascar 3-1 to win the second-round qualifier 7-1 on aggregate.

Saladin, who also scored in the 1-1 draw against South Africa last week, netted in the 38th minute and again two minutes before the end.

It was a deserved win for Ethiopia which dominated throughout but wasted several opportunities to make sure of the match before striker Saladin did late on.

Elsewhere, Tanzania came from a goal down to beat Gambia 2-1 at Dar Es Salaam.

Taifa Stars striker Mbwana Samatta believed the host needed victory after it had begun its Group C campaign with defeat to Cote d'Ivoire last week but it fell behind to Momodou Ceesay's seventh-minute strike.

It battled back gamely in the second half and Shomari Kapombe levelled proceedings on the hour mark before Erasto Nyoni's 84th-minute penalty settled matters.

Labama Kamana also struck late on from the spot to rescue a 1-1 Group H draw for Rwanda against Benin at Kigali.

Razak Omotoyossi's 74th-minute strike looked to have sealed all three points for the visitor but Kamana gave Rwanda a share of the spoils with his penalty two minutes from the end.

Lesotho and Sudan played out a goalless draw in Maseru in Group D while Mozambique and Zimbabwe also failed to score in their Group G clash at Maputo.

Mohamed Salah's last-gasp strike gave Egypt a 3-2 victory against Guinea in a pulsating Group G encounter at Conakry.

Abdoul Camara put the host ahead from the spot but two goals in nine second-half minutes - the second with a penalty - from Mohamed Aboutrika turned the game on its head.

Alhassane Bangoura thought he had given Gambia a share of the spoils but Salah popped up in the fifth minute of added time to ensure Egypt made it two wins from two in its attempts to qualify for the 2014 World Cup.

Libya also left it late, with Hamad Ahniash's stoppage-time strike giving The Mediterranean Knights a 2-1 win over Cameroon.

The game looked to be heading towards a draw after Ahmed Zouay's eighth-minute strike was cancelled out by Eric Choupo Moting eight minutes later but Ahniash popped up with the winner for Libya in the third minute of injury-time.

That helped Libya to the top of Group I, with Congo DR a point behind after beating Togo 2-0 at Kinshasa.

Mabi Mputu opened the scoring in the 23rd minute before Dieumerci Mbokani made sure of the win nine minutes from full-time after stroking home from the penalty spot.

Modibo Maiga scored the winner as Mali came from behind to beat Algeria 2-1 in Ouagadougou.

Islam Slimani gave Algeria, which finished fourth in the African Cup of Nations, a seventh-minute lead but Mahamadou Ndiaye equalised equalised on the half hour before Maiga sealed a Group H victory for Mali.

Angola picked up its second draw in as many games after a goalless Group J stalemate with Liberia in Monrovia.

"We confirm that Obodo was kidnapped yesterday in Effurum - near Warri. We are making all diligent efforts to ensure that he is rescued unhurt," Delta State police spokesman Charles Muka told AFP on Sunday.

"We are very hopeful that we will rescue him alive. We are working in combination with all other security agencies, including local vigilante groups and communities. We are combing everywhere."

He said security agencies were working to ensure Obodo's release without the payment of a ransom demanded by his abductors.

Obodo's family had earlier also confirmed his abduction.

The family said Obodo was driving alone in his car after a visit to a relative when he was taken by unknown gunmen.

"His whereabouts are unknown but his car was left behind by the kidnappers. We are yet to receive any call demanding a ransom," said a family member, who wished to remain anonymous.

The oil city of Warri is in Nigeria's restive Niger Delta region, where kidnapping is commonplace.

Media reports on Sunday said that he was seized in front of a church in Effurum and driven away to an unknown destination.

Obodo, 28, is a Nigeria international midfielder who spent last season on loan at southern Italian club Lecce from fellow Serie A side Udinese.

Lecce was relegated to Serie B after finishing third from bottom of Italy's top flight.

Obodo is the first Nigerian footballer to be abducted.

Before now, relations of Nigerian footballers have been seized, and released later.

The brother of Everton defender Joseph Yobo was kidnapped in 2008 and freed days later, while last year the father of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was also abducted in the central city of Jos before being freed after a police raid.

A brief statement from Lecce on Obodo's abduction said: "We hope the situation can be resolved as soon as possible in the best possible way."

They say Obodo, who last season played for Lecce in Italy's Serie A, was driving alone in his car after a visit to a relative when he was taken by unknown gunmen.

"His whereabouts are unknown but his car was left behind by the kidnappers. We are yet to receive any call demanding a ransom," said a family member on Saturday.

Oil city Warri is in the restive Niger Delta, where kidnapping is commonplace.

Obodo was for several years a Nigeria international.

Last season, he played on loan at Lecce from Serie A side Udinese. Lecce was relegated to Serie B after finishing third from bottom of Italy's top-flight.

The 28-year-old midfielder is not the first Nigerian footballer to be abducted.

The brother of Everton defender Joseph Yobo was kidnapped in 2008 and freed days later, while last year the father of Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel was also abducted before being freed after a police raid.

A brief statement from Lecce on Obodo's abduction read: "We hope the situation can be resolved as soon as possible in the best possible way."

Obodo's brother, Kenneth Obodo, who is also a footballer in Italy and is currently in Nigeria, was quoted by Italian news agency ANSA as saying: "Christian is fine. We are in touch with the kidnappers, who want some money.

"We can't give them more than 100,000 euros ($126,242).

"Unfortunately these things happen in our country."

His brother-in-law, Obidike Okechukwu, was quoted by ANSA as saying that the kidnappers had asked for a ransom of 150,000 euros ($189,363).

The Black Stars began their Group D campaign by thrashing Lesotho 7-0, but failed to make it two victories from two as Christopher Katongo's 18th-minute goal ensured Zambia ran out a 1-0 winner - just as it had done when the teams met in the African Cup of Nations semi-final earlier this year.

Elsewhere, South Africa failed to win for an eighth successive match. It was held to a 1-1 draw by Botswana in Gaborone.

Bafana Bafana sacked Pitso Mosimane earlier this week after managing only a 1-1 draw in its opening Group A game last weekend, with interim coach Steve Komphela expressing his optimism before kick-off that three points against Botswana would get the team back on track.

All was going well when Morgan Gould gave the visitor a 17th-minute lead, but Ofentse Nato equalised six minutes before the break to secure a point for Botswana - its first of the pool campaign after it was beaten 2-0 by Central African Republic last time out.

Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse opened the scoring for Senegal against Uganda, but Godfrey Walusimbi kept his cool to convert a penalty four minutes from time which ensured the Group J match finished 1-1.

There was late drama in Group F, with Ruben Gabriel breaking the deadlock for Nigeria in the 89th minute only for substitute John Banda to nick a 1-1 draw for Malawi two minutes into stoppage-time.

Issam Jemaa notched the winner three minutes into the second half as Tunisia made it two wins from two in Group B with a 2-1 success over Cape Verde Islands in Praia.

Saber Khelifa earlier put the Tunisians ahead in the 13th minute only to see Odair Fortes restore parity 11 minutes later.

In the same pool, Edjogo-Owono Juvenal started and finished the scoring for Equatorial Guinea to earn the host a 2-2 draw against Sierra Leone in Malabo.

All the goals came in the first half, with Samuel Barley and Umaru Bangura on target for the visitor in between Juvenal's brace.

Elsewhere, Henrico Botes grabbed the only goal of the game in Windhoek as Namibia edged past Kenya 1-0 to secure its first three points of the Group F campaign.

Finally, Group C leader Cote d'Ivoire was twice pegged back as Morocco battled for a 2-2 draw in Marrakech.

Salomon Kalou and Kolo Toure put the Ivorians ahead in the early stages of either half, but Houssine Kharja got the Moroccans back on level terms with a 41st-minute penalty and then substitute Hamza Abourazzouk snatched an 89th-minute equaliser.

The Egypt Football Association has asked the Confederation of African Football to postpone the match for 48 hours to avoid its overlap with presidential elections, planned for the same day.

The team's administrative manager Amr Abu el-Ezz says the continental body has not yet replied to the request.

Egyptian authorities have refused to provide security for national team's home matches after 70 people were killed following a league match in Port Said in February.

Of 12 matches Egypt played so far this year, 11 took place abroad.

Bafana Bafana could only manage a point in its opening FIFA World Cup qualifier in Phokeng, prompting the South African Football Association (SAFA) to take swift action.

A SAFA statement read: "Drawing in the last 15 minutes of the game (against Ethiopia) made us realise we had to act now."

Mosimane's assistant Steve Komphela will take charge of the side's next two games - against Botswana in another qualifier this weekend and then the international friendly against Gabon later this month.

Mosimane took over from Carlos Parreira in August 2010 and leaves with a record of five wins, seven draws and three defeats from his 15 games in charge.

Moroka Swallows coach Gordon Igesund is the favourite to succeed him on a permanent basis.

The Frenchman has been doing the job since October and his agreement has been backdated to then.

"Your main task is to qualify for the 2013 African Nations Cup and the World Cup in Brazil in 2014," the country's sports minister, Adoum Garoua, told him.

Lavagne was given the role after Javier Clemente was sacked for failing to take the side to the African Cup of Nations.

Mali was the highest-ranked team in action at 39th in the world, but it was upset by the 124th-ranked Squirrels thanks to Razak Omotoyossi's 18th-minute goal at the Stade de l'Amitie.

Nigeria opened its Group F campaign with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Namibia.

John Utaka's first-half strike was disallowed and it looked as though the Super Eagles would have nothing to show for their dominance of the game, but Ikechukwu Uche popped up with a deserved winner 10 minutes from time.

The 2010 World Cup host South Africa had to come from behind to earn a point against Ethiopia in Group A.

Said Saladin put the underdog ahead on the half-hour mark, but Katlego Mphela saved Bafana Bafana's blushes with a 77th-minute equaliser.

Angola was also denied maximum points by Uganda, which grabbed a dramatic late equaliser in the Group J clash at the Cidadela.

Emmanuel Okwi was Uganda's hero, snatching a point after the host had led for 80 minutes through Djalma Campos' eighth-minute goal.

Ibrahima Traore scored the only goal as Guinea scrapped to victory over Zimbabwe in Harare in Group G.

Group E remains all square across the board after Gabon was held to a goalless draw in Niger, matching the previous day's scoreline between Burkina Faso and Congo.

Togo and Libya drew 1-1 in Group I. Kalen Damessi gave Togo a 14th-minute lead but Ahmed Zouay equalised within a minute.

Chelsea striker Kalou put the Ivorians ahead in the 18th minute and his former team-mate made the points safe 11 minutes from time after the visitor had Aggrey Morris sent off in the 70th minute.

In the other game in the group, Houssine Kharja's 76th-minute equaliser earned Morocco a 1-1 draw away to Gambia.

Abdou Jammeh put Gambia ahead in the 16th minute.

African Cup of Nations winner Zambia, which beat Cote d'Ivoire on penalties to win the tournament in February, lost its opening Group D match 2-0 in Sudan.

Goals from Mohammed Altahir (51) and Saif aldeen Mohammed (77) earned Sudan victory.

In Group B, Tunisia survived a scare before opening a 3-1 win over Equatorial Guinea.

The minnow led 1-0 at the break thanks to Rouhen Epitie, but the host levelled in the 51st minute through Issam Jemaa.

Half-time substitute Hamdi Harbaoui made it 2-1 five minutes later and another replacement, Chadi Hammami, sealed the win two minutes from time.

Sierra Leone beat the Cape Verde Islands 2-1, first-half goals from Mohamed Medo and Salifu Samura putting it in control before Ze Luis pulled one back at the death.

Cameroon edged to a 1-0 win over Group I rival Congo DR thanks to a 58th-minute penalty from Eric Choupo-Moting.

The Group F opener between Kenya and Malawi finished goalless.