African group qualifiers finish as last three teams book World Cup berths

CAPE TOWN :Ivory Coast, Senegal and South Africa on Tuesday completed the list of group winners in African qualification and the lineup of nine automatic qualifiers for next year’s World Cup.

Ivory Coast beat Kenya 3-0 at home in Abidjan to finish one point ahead of Gabon in Group F, while Sadio Mane's double put Senegal on course for a 4-0 win over Mauritania in Dakar and a two-point lead over runners-up Democratic Republic of Congo in Group B.

South Africa topped Group C, shrugging aside a three-point penalty but needing a helping hand from Nigeria to book their first World Cup appearance since hosting the 2010 finals.

Morocco and Tunisia qualified last month while Egypt and Algeria made sure of their progress with one round left to complete last week.

Ghana and Cape Verde booked their places with home wins on Sunday and Monday respectively.

The completion of the group phase of the qualifiers also settled the four best runners-up - Cameroon, DR Congo, Gabon and Nigeria - who will playoff next month to decide a single winner to go on to the inter-continental playoffs in March where the last two World Cup berths will be decided.

IVORY COAST SCORE EARLY

Captain Frank Kessie had the Ivorians ahead after seven minutes but they squandered a hatful of chances before teenager Yan Diomande added a second in the 54th minute.

Amad Diallo buried an 84th minute free-kick into the corner for the third goal amid a torrential downpour.

Gabon were a point behind going into Tuesday’s last fixtures and without suspended Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for the home game against Burundi, which they won 2-0 with two late efforts.

Senegal took until first-half stoppage time before talisman Mane curled in a long-range free-kick to give them the lead and he