JOHANNESBURG — Ivory Coast, Egypt and surprise package Ethiopia have become the first three teams to qualify for the final round of playoffs in World Cup qualifying in Africa. Ivory Coast won 4-2 in Tanzania Sunday to wrap up Group C with one round of games to go. Egypt under former United States coach Bob Bradley took the playoff place in Group G with a 1-0 win in Mozambique. Ethiopia is a playoff away from a first World Cup appearance after Bernard Parker's own goal in Addis Ababa saw the Ethiopians past South Africa 2-1, ending the 2010 World Cup host's chances of making it to Brazil next year. Parker sent a header into the top right corner of his own net in the 70th minute to give Ethiopia a come-from-behind win. On Saturday, Africa Cup of Nations runner-up Burkina Faso won away for the second time in seven days to keep alive hopes of a first World Cup appearance. A 38th-minute goal from Aristide Bance gave the ‘Stallions' a 1-0 triumph in Pointe Noire over Congo Brazzaville, who have seen a six-point Group E lead at the start of June shrink to just a single point. And third-place Gabon is also in the reckoning for top spot and a ticket to the play-offs after a Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang hat trick helped crush Niger 4-1 in Franceville and move the ‘Panthers' within three points of the leaders. Congo has 10 points, Burkina Faso nine and Gabon seven while Niger, which featured at the last two Cup of Nations tournaments following decades in the doldrums, has just three and is doomed to finish last. The Congolese visit Niger during the weekend of September 6-8, while Burkina Faso hosts Gabon, a team coached by Portugal-born former ‘Stallions' boss Paulo Duarte. Shock 2012 African champion Zambia suffered a huge blow in Group D when held 1-1 by out-of-contention Sudan in mining town Ndola. Although the ‘Chipolopolo' (Copper Bullets) moved two points clear at the top of the table, they will be overtaken Sunday if Ghana triumph away to star-less minnows Lesotho. Ghana has home advantage over Zambia in the final round of mini-league fixtures. Uganda also celebrated two wins in as many weeks under new Serb coach Milutin Sredojevic as it fought back to snatch a 2-1 victory over 2006 World Cup qualifiers Angola, and the Group J leadership. Only pride was at stake in the Group A clash between Botswana and the Central African Republic in Lobatse and the home side finished stronger to win 3-2 via goals from Jerome Ramatlhakwane, Mogakolodi Ngele and Ofentse Nato. Cape Verde Islands did Group B pacesetters Tunisia a favor by defeating Sierra Leone 1-0 in Praia through a Nhuck goal. — Agencies
