Libya among qualifiers, Nigeria eliminated

Angola, Ghana, Guinea, Libya and Zambia qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Saturday while Nigeria were eliminated after conceding a last-minute equaliser. Early goals from Asamoah Gyan and John Mensah earned four-time champions Ghana a 2-0 victory in near 40 degrees celsius temperatures in Sudan and top place in their group with 16 points from six matches.
Ibrahima Traore levelled in the final minute as Guinea salvaged a 2-2 draw against Nigeria after a dramatic second half in Abuja saw Ismael Bangura put the visitors ahead before goals from Obinna Nsofor and Ikechukwu Uche swung the game in favour of the home team.
Although Zambia and Libya failed to score in Copperbelt town Chingola, the 0-0 draw took the home team through as group winners while the North Africans are sure to fill one of two places reserved for the best runners-up. Only results against first and third-place finishers in the four-nation groups count in the battle for the runners-up slots and Libya amassed eight points by taking four each off Zambia and Mozambique.
Nigeria took a maximum six points from Madagascar after 2-0 victories at home and away, but these were not considered because the Indian Ocean islanders finished bottom of the pool with a solitary point. Angola won 2-0 in Guinea Bissau via goals from 'Manucho' and 'Mateus' to finish a point ahead of long-time group leaders Uganda, who could only draw 0-0 at home against Kenya and so a 33-year wait to get back to the Cup of Nations continues.
Sudan took an early pole position for the other best runners-up slot with seven points and a plus-one goal difference, but several countries could overtake the Desert Hawks after the 21-match weekend schedule. Ethiopia completed a miserable campaign for win-less Madagascar with a 4-2 win in Addis Ababa, Mozambique finally found their scoring boots to outclass Comoros Islands 3-0 in Maputo and Congo Brazzaville defeated Swaziland 1-0 in Lobamba in other early Saturday games. Nigeria had to win 1-0 or by a two-goal margin if Guinea scored to maintain a sequence of Cup of Nations appearances stretching back to 2000 after boycotting the 1996 finals and being barred two years later.