The only upset was the defeat of African champions, Zambia by little known Sudan.
Matches counting for the first day of play of the qualifying series for the 2014 World Cup took place in stadiums across the continent over the weekend with heavy weights in African football securing victories. Ghana, Egypt, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal and Cameroon all obtained victories on the first day of play.
However, the qualifiers began with some up set on the apple cart of African football with the reigning champions, Zambia stunned 2-0 by little known Sudan in a group D encounter. Meanwhile the Central African Republic recorded their first win in a World Cup qualifier, 48 years after joining the world football governing body, beating Botswana 2-0 in Bangui. In group B, Africa Cup of Nations co-hosts Equatorial Guinea took a surprise lead in Tunisia before going down 3-1 to a side bidding to reach its fifth World Cup tournament. In group C, , new Cote d’Ivoire coach, Sabri Lamouchi led his new side to a 2-0 win over Tanzania in Abidjan just five days after taking charge. Despite home advantage in group E, Burkina Faso could only draw 0-0 with the Republic of Congo in Ouagadougou.
In group I, five-time World Cup qualifiers Cameroon put the disappointment of missing this year's Africa Cup of Nations to one side as they beat DR Congo at home. Elsewhere, Senegal and Algeria, who have both qualified for previous World Cups, were among teams that got their group campaigns off to a winning start.
Senegal conceded an early goal at home to Liberia but recovered to win 3-1 in a first competitive match in charge for caretaker coach Joseph Koto. Egypt beat Mozambique 2-0 while Ghana obtained the best results of the day, walloping Lilliputians, Lesotho 7-0.
Full Results
Algeria vs Rwanda 4-0
Burkina Faso vs Congo 0-0
Senegal vs Liberia 3-1
Sudan vs Zambia 2-0
Tunisia vs Equatorial Guinea 3-1
Côte d'Ivoire vs Tanzania 2-0
Sierra Leone vs Cape Verde Islands 2-1
Gambia vs Morocco 1-1
Kenya vs Malawi 0-0
Cameroon vs Congo DR 1-0
Central African Republic vs Botswana 2-0
Egypt vs Mozambique 2-0
Ghana vs Lesotho 7-0
