Egypt topped their group at the start of African qualifiers for the 2006 World Cup following an accomplished away victory over Sudan. Nashwa Abdel-Tawab reviews a splendid start Egypt started their World Cup qualifying campaign with a resounding 3-0 away win against Sudan in Khartoum to top their group. Abdel-Halim Ali got the Pharaohs' Group C campaign off to a flying start as he headed home Hosni Abd Rabbou's cross from the right after eight minutes. In the second half, goals from Mohamed Abu Treika and Mohamed Abdel-Wahab wrapped up the points and a first competitive victory for Egypt's new Italian coach Marco Tardelli. Egypt's performance varied from hesitant in the first half to strong in the second. Several opportunities to add to the Egyptian tally were missed. The match was not aired on Egyptian TV after the Sudanese Football Association sold the exclusive broadcasting rights to the Saudi cable TV network ART for $100,000. In the same group, Cameroon and Ivory Coast won their ties on home turf. Buoyed by the return of their six qualifying points from FIFA, Cameroon beat Benin 2-1 in Yaounde thanks to first-half goals from Samuel Eto'o Fils and captain Rigobert Song. Yet the Squirrels, who appeared in their first Nations Cup in Tunisia earlier this year, took the lead when Seidah Konabe fired a long-distance strike into the left- hand corner of the goal after 11 minutes. After captain Song missed a header, Eto'o made no mistake three minutes before half-time as he crashed home Herve Tum's flick-on following a Cameroon corner. It took the home side just three minutes to turn a loss into a lead as Song atoned for his earlier miss as he headed home Geremi's fine cross in first-half stoppage time. Cameroon aims at a fifth World Cup appearance. The Ivory Coast are keen to reach their first ever World Cup, and a strong Elephants side took the first step as it defeated Libya 2-0 in Abidjan. Belgium-based striker Aruna Dindane coolly finished Tchiressoua Guel's fine pass in the first half and Didier Drogba doubled the lead with a 62nd minute penalty. Liberia produced the shock of the weekend's World Cup qualifiers as the Lone Star beat Mali 1-0 in Monrovia. Alvin Kieh grabbed the vital goal with just two minutes to go to sink the African Cup of Nations semi- finalists. The result places Liberia second in Group A, level on points with both Zambia and Senegal but behind the Lions of Teranga on goal difference. The Senegalese beat Congo 2-0, while Zambia won 1-0 at home to Togo. In Group B, Uganda celebrated a famous victory as they beat the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0 in Kampala. Argentina-based Ibrahim Sekajja scored the winner after 76 minutes to send the Cranes level on three points with South Africa and Burkina Faso. Bafana Bafana lead the group on goal difference after beating Cape Verde 2-1, while the Burkinabe defeated Ghana's Black Stars 1-0 in Ouagadougou. Nigeria lead Group D after a brace from Obafemi Martins was enough to sink Rwanda 2-1. Gabon, Zimbabwe, Algeria and Angola are all tied on one point apiece. Gabon held Zimbabwe's Warriors to a 1-1 draw in Libreville, while an impressive-looking Palancas Negras side travelled to Annaba where they held Algeria to a goalless draw. Reigning African champions Tunisia enjoyed the heaviest victory of the weekend as they thumped Botswana 4-1 at home in Group E. Malawi and Morocco drew 1-1 in Blantyre, and the game between Kenya and Guinea was suspended after FIFA indefinitely banned the Kenyans from football following alleged governmental interference into the running of the country's football federation.
