Liberia "Refugees" Lose In Accra

Two goals from striker Souleymane Youla helped Guinea to a 2-1 win over Liberia in their Group Two match played in Accra, Ghana on Saturday.

The result came at the end of an extraordinary week for the Liberian side, whose original team was unable to fly from Monrovia to Ghana because of a lack of money to pay for air fares.

The match had been switched from the Liberian capital because of the on-going civil war in the west African country.

Liberian officials enlisted players from a team of Liberian refugees from a camp outside Accra, including former international Bokolo Chea and others who had been former first division footballers before fleeing their country.

The players from the Budumburan camp were augmented by the late arrival of Prince Daye and Frank Seator, who play in Tunisia, and South African-based Thomas Kojo and James Lomell.

There had been an unsuccessful last-ditch attempt to charter a plane to collect the original team from Monrovia by soliciting the help of former World Footballer of the Year George Weah, now based in the United Arab Emirates.

During the 1998 World Cup qualifying campaign, when Liberia was also beset by internal strife, Weah had bankrolled the Liberian team.

However he has not been involved with his country's side since ending his international career after last year's African Nations Cup finals in Mali.

Zambia had to come from behind to draw 1-1 at home against Sudan in Lusaka on Saturday, but still lead the standings in Group Three.

Substitute Songwe Chalwe scored his first international goal some 18 minutes from time after Sudan had taken a first-half lead.

Nigeria Qualify

Nigeria clawed their way back from two goals down to qualify for the African Nations Cup finals on Saturday, holding off a spirited challenge by Angola in Benin City.

Needing a single point from their Group One match to qualify, Nigeria gambled with a makeshift side and were very nearly caught out before eventually drawing the match 2-2.

Angolan defender Figueiredo gave the visitors a shock lead after just nine minutes and captain Akwa extended it with a headed goal just after half-time.

But Nigeria, without the likes of Austin Okocha and Nwankwo Kanu, struck back with two goals in five minutes from debutants Uche Kalu and the Belgian-based Peter Odemwigie, who netted the equaliser with a 62nd-minute penalty.

West Bromwich Albion defender Ifeanyi Udeze, captaining Nigeria for the first time, was sent off as tempers exploded in the closing stages of the game.

Nigeria now join Algeria, Senegal, Cameroon and hosts Tunisia in the 16-team line-up for next year's tournament.

Algeria beat Namibia 1-0 in African Nations Cup qualifier

Algeria nipped a 1-0 victory over Namibia in an African Nations Cup, Group 12 qualifier played in Blida, Algeria on Friday.

Scorer: Nasreddine Kraouche 5

Halftime: 1-0; Attendance: 30,000

Standings (tabulated under games played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, against and points):

 1. Algeria  3 3 0 0 6 1 9
 2. Chad     3 1 0 2 4 6 3
 3. Namibia  4 1 0 3 2 5 3

Note: Algeria have already qualified.