CAPE TOWN: Wasteful Ghana were held to a 0-0 home draw by Sudan in Africa Cup of Nations qualification on Thursday to leave them in a perilous position midway through the campaign, but several sides edged closer to the finals in Morocco late next year.
Algeria beat Togo 5-1 to keep up their 100 per cent record in the qualifiers and Burkina Faso thumped Burundi 4-1, but Ghana's failure to score means they are winless in their opening three fixtures.
Defender Alexander Djiku struck the crossbar with a first half header while stand-in captain Mohammed Kudus was twice denied by fine saves from Sudan goalkeeper Mohamed Mustafa. Ghana missed midfielder Thomas Partey, who was not fit to play.
Sudan are coached by Ghanaian Kwesi Appiah, who until earlier this week was also a Ghana Football Association (GFA) executive council member before the Confederation of African Football demanded he relinquish one of his roles.
It has been reported in local media he has temporarily stood down from his GFA position until the end of the qualifiers in November to avoid a conflict of interests.
Algeria romped to victory over Togo but they had to come from behind after Thibault Klidje put the visitors ahead with his first international goal.
Said Benrahma scored a brace, the second a penalty, to put Algeria ahead, before Houssem Aouar, Amine Gouiri and Mohamed Amoura added gloss to the win.
Democratic Republic of Congo also have one foot in the finals after they defeated Tanzania 1-0 in Kinshasa for a full haul of nine points.
Tanzania striker Clement Mzize put the ball into his own net early in the second half to give the hosts victory.
Burundi took the lead through Bienvenue Kanakimana against Burkina Faso in neutral Abidjan, but two goals from Dango Ouattara and further strikes via Sacha Banse, his first for the national team, and Issoufou Dayo made it a comfortable victory.
Tumisang Orebonye's second minute goal gave Botswana an unlikely 1-0 victory away at Cape Verde as they picked up a first win of the campaign following two consecutive defeats.
Egypt lead the pool with six points from two games, followed by second-place Cape Verde, Botswana and Mauritania all on three. The latter have a game in hand.
Khama Billiat scored his first international goal in almost five years as Zimbabwe edged Namibia 1-0 in neutral Johannesburg. Billiat netted a penalty in the first half having recently come out of a three-year international retirement.
Zimbabwe move to the top of the pool with five points from three games, followed by Kenya and Cameroon on four points each from two fixtures. Namibia's hopes of a second successive finals appearance are fading fast as they are still on zero.
The teams play two fixtures in this international window before the qualification campaign ends in November and the field for the 24-team tournament in Morocco late next year is decided. - REUTERS