Cameroon rolls

Nonda returns to lead Congo into last eight

Salomon Olembe Ben Radford/Allsport

BAMAKO, Mali (AP) -- Congo (Zaire) secured a place in the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations by beating Ivory Coast 3-1 on Tuesday while titleholder Cameroon, which had already qualified, thrashed Togo 3-0.

After Tuesday's final Group C games, Cameroon won the group with a maximum nine points from three matches while Congo took second with four points. Togo ended up third with two points and was eliminated from the competition with bottom-ranked Ivory Coast, which collected just one point.

Playing in Kayes in western Mali, Congo's aggressive attack reaped dividends in the 26th minute when Lomana Lualua sent his free kick deep into the Ivorian area.

Pathy Essengo connected with a header that goalkeeper Losseni Konate did well to push out, but Kituetele Yuvuladio put the ball straight back in with a diving head-shot.

Ivory Coast's Elephants sprang to life after the Congolese goal but were let down by poor finishing in the area.

Congo skipper Shabani Nonda made it 2-0 in the 67th minute, advancing to the edge of the area before calmly chipping the ball over Konate, who had come forward to block the striker.

Nonda, who plays for Monaco, left Mali suddenly last week to seek treatment for a stomach ailment from his French-based physician. He returned on Sunday.

Okitankoyi Kimoto netted a penalty-shot for Congo's third goal.

Kandia Traore scored for Ivory Coast four minutes from the end, netting the team's first goal of the competition.

In Sikasso, east of Bamako, Cameroon collected a third straight win thanks to a header from Manchester City's Lucien Mettomo in the 52nd minute and a controversial 80th-minute goal from Samuel Eto'o.

Eto'o appeared offside and several Togolese players contested the goal, which was nevertheless awarded.

Marseille forward Salomon Olembe added the insurance goal, scoring on a pass from Eto'o a minute before the final whistle.

Togo has never advanced past the first round of the African Cup in five attempts.

Cameroon had already secured the top spot in Group C thanks to narrow victories over Congo and Ivory Coast. Tuesday's win showed that the title favorite was back in top goalscoring form.

It plays the Group D runner-up in the quarterfinals while Congo plays the Group D winner. Senegal is already through to the quarters from Group D, but the second team is not yet known.

Congo-Ivory Coast Summary

KAYES, Mali (Reuters) -- DR Congo 3 Ivory Coast 1 - result

African Nations Cup group C match

Scorers:

DR Congo - Yves Yuvuladio 27, Shabani Nonda 67, Papy Kimoto 81pen

Ivory Coast - Kandia Traore 89

Teams:

DR Congo: 1-Paulin Tokala, 3-Mundaba Kisombe, 13-Dikilu Bageta, 20-Felix Muamba, 4-Yves Yuvuladio, 11-Papy Kimoto, 6-Jason Mayele (17-Pierre Mazangala, 66),10-Kanku Mulekelanyi (16-Kifu Apataki, 86); 7-Pathy Esele Nsengo (21-Alexis Tukumu, 63), 9-Lomana Tresor Lua Lua, 18-Shabani Nonda.

Ivory Coast: 1-Losseni Konate, 2-Habib Toure, 3-Mamadou Coulibaly, 6-Blaise Koffi Kouassi, 8-Ibrahima Kone, 4-Lassina Diabate (10-Ibrahima Bakayoko, 37), 5- Ghislain Akassou (11-Seydou Kante, 25), 13-Siby Badra Aliou, 17-Gilles Yapi Yapo, 12-Abdelkader Keita, 15-Bonaventure Kalou (9-Kandia Traore, 72).

Referee: Felix Tangawarima (Zimbabwe)

Halftime: 1-0; Attendance: 5,000

Cameroon-Togo Summary

SIKASSO, Mali (Reuters) -- Cameroon 3 Togo 0 - result

African Nations Cup, group C

Scorers: Lucien 52, Samuel Eto'o 79, Salomon Olembe 89

Attendance: 6,000

Teams:

Cameroon: 1-Boukar Alioum; 4-Rigobert Song, 5-Raymond Kalla, 2-Bill Tchato; 8-Geremi Njitap Fotso, 17-Marc Vivien Foe, 21-Daniel Ngom Kome, 18-Eric Djemba Djemba (7-Cyrille Ndo 46), 13-Lucien Mettomo (20-Salomon Olembe 63), 10-Patrick Mboma (11-Pius Ndiefi 82), 9-Samuel Eto'o

Togo: 16-Kossi Agassa; 12-Eric Akoto, 4-Dosseh Yaouvi Abalo, 14-Koffi Olympio, 21-Zanzan Atte-Odeyi (20-Djima Oyawole 62), 2-Maman Gafarou, 6-Emmanuel Sheyi Adebayor (10-Adekambi Olufade 74), 3-Yao Senaya, 19-Salifou Moustapha, 11-Michel Dogbe, 17-Abdelkader Coubadja (7-Thomas Dossevi 78)

 

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