Five African champions, Egypt included, look for revenge during the fourth round of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers across the continent, Inas Mazhar reports Giants Egypt, Ghana, South Africa, Algeria and Morocco were among the upsets in the third round of the 2010 African World Cup qualifications over the weekend. While title holders Egypt conceded a goal three minutes into stoppage time to lose 1-0 against resurgent Malawi in Blantyre, Ghana were beaten 2-0 by Gabon in Libreville and Morocco fell 3-1 to Rwanda in Kigali. South Africa suffered their second loss of the campaign after Sierra Leone pipped them by a lone goal just as Gambia replicated a similar fate on the Desert Foxes of Algeria. After three games, Malawi top Group 12 on goal difference ahead of DR Congo and Egypt with Djibouti, lowest ranked of the 47 second round competitors, at the bottom of the table. The Pharaohs' loss was the biggest shock for African football and Egyptian fans. In Blantyre, a last minute effort by Chiukepo Moswoya handed the Flames their second victory to keep Group 12 wide open. Moswoya was the Malawi hero as he snatched the 93rd-minute goal that beat six-time African champions Egypt and continued a revival under new coach Kinnah Phiri. It was the first African loss for the Egyptians since losing to Algeria in the Africa Cup of Nations in 2004 in Tunisia. But the Egyptians are looking ahead when they take on Malawi in Cairo International Stadium on Sunday. Following the Egypt-Malawi game, head coach Hassan Shehata told reporters he had no excuses for the defeat. However, he said he had warned his players that it wouldn't be an easy match. "Meanwhile, we will focus on the mistakes that led to the defeat and will try to make it better when we play at home," Shehata added. "The loss to Malawi forces us to win all our remaining three matches in order to lead the group and qualify for the next stage. If we had won the previous game, it would have made our road an easy and comfortable one. So, this is our target now and nothing else," Shehata said and confirmed that he will not summon any more players, at least for now, other than those present on the team. Ahmed Shaker, an EFA board member and head of the Egypt delegation in Malawi, blamed injuries as the biggest reason for the loss. "A team can suffer an injury, maybe two, or even three, but six injuries to key players, this is too much. We hope by the next match, some of them will have recovered to lead Egypt to victory," Shaker said. In the other Group 12 match, the Leopards of DR Congo worsened the dilemma of Djibouti by thrashing them 6-0. The win was the second for the Leopards who are now coached by Frenchman Patrice Neveu as they moved to six points, to join Malawi and Egypt, while it keeps Djibouti out of contention for a next round berth. Djibouti has conceded 18 goals in three games, of which the last 10 were at their favourite El Hadj Hassan Gouled Stadium in Djibouti. Midfielder Dieumerci Mbokani opened the score 25 minutes into the match before Galatasaray striker Shabani Nonda doubled the lead six minutes afterwards. Belgium-based Zola Matumona scored the first of his bracket on 40 minutes to give his side a three-goal lead into the second half. Mbokani grabbed his second of the day three minutes from recess before Matumona completed his brace a minute later. TP Mazembe striker Tresor Mabi Mputu concluded the goal party with a brilliant strike in the 79th minute to keep the homers languishing at the bottom of the group standings pointless. In other qualifying matches around the continent, Angola, Cameroon and Mali also surrendered 100 per cent records in the third round of matches, leaving Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Rwanda and Swaziland the only countries with maximum points. Uganda overpowered shock 2006 World Cup qualifiers Angola 3-1 in Kampala, Mali fell 3-2 to Sudan in Omdurman and Cameroon were held 0-0 by Tanzania in Dar Es- Salaam. Moumouni Dagano scored a hat-trick as Burkina Faso triumphed 3-2 against Seychelles in Victoria while Nigeria and Swaziland will be in action Sunday when a further seven fixtures are scheduled. Botswana held Ivory Coast 1-1 in Gaborone and there was a rare victory for Chad, who came from behind to edge Congo 2-1 in N'djamena. Guinea finally clicked to defeat Namibia 2-1 in Windhoek with playmaker Pascal Feindouno scoring the winner on the stroke of half-time . Kenya secured a second consecutive 2-0 home win with Zimbabwe the latest victims in Nairobi while French coach Michel Dussuyer celebrated his Benin debut via a 2-0 triumph over Niger in Niamey. Ethiopia captured their first points by beating Mauritania 1-0 in Nouakchott.
