Nigeria Triumph. Algeria Held. Super Eagles big win against Zimbabwe - "2-1"

Nigeria opened their 2018 World Cup group-phase
qualifying campaign with a 2-1 victory in Zambia
on Sunday thanks to goals from English Premier
League duo Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho
The 20-year-old strikers scored in the opening
half before a capacity 40 000 crowd at Levy
Mwanawasa Stadium in central city Ndola that
included President Edgar Lungu.
Zambia dominated the second half and veteran
striker Collins Mbesuma set up a tense finish by
halving the deficit 19 minutes from time.
But an equaliser eluded the Chipolopolo (Copper
Bullets), who are seeking a first World Cup
appearance while the Super Eagles have already
been to the finals five times.
The teams are in Group B which also contains
three 2014 World Cup qualifiers in Algeria,
Cameroon and Nigeria.
2018 World Cup Qualifiers: Zambia v Nigeria from Levy Mwanawasa Stadium, Ndola
Iwobi of Arsenal pounced on a weak headed
clearance to slam the ball past goalkeeper
Kennedy Mweene from close range on 32 minutes.
Neat one-touch passing set Iheanacho of
Manchester City free 10 minutes later and he
rounded Mweene before calmly pushing the ball
into the net.
A blunder from Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo
allowed Mbesuma to score by firing past
impressive goalkeeper Carl Ikeme from inside the
box.
Algeria were surprisingly held 1-1 by Cameroon in
Blida, a city 50 kilometres (32 miles) south-west
of Algiers where the Desert Foxes have become
accustomed to winning by wide margins.
El Arbi Hillel Soudani gave the hosts a perfect
start by tapping the ball into the net on seven
minutes after a corner.
But good teamwork allowed Benjamin Moukandjo
to level midway through the opening half and the
result leaves Algeria and Cameroon two points
adrift of Nigeria.
Just a few hours after the Nigerians became the
first away winners in the African group phase,
Egypt matched the achievement by defeating
Congo 2-1 in Brazzaville.
Ferebory Dore beat 43-year-old goalkeeper Essam
El Hadary with a far-post header to give the home
side a first-half lead.
Mohamed Salah from Italian Serie A outfit Roma
headed the equaliser just before halftime, then set
up the winner for Abdallah Saied close to the hour
mark.
Egypt, whose last of two World Cup appearances
was 26 years ago, top Group E with three points,
Ghana and Uganda have one each and Congo
none.
Tunisia share the Group A lead with the
Democratic Republic of Congo on three points
after second-half goals produced a 2-0 win over
Guinea in Monastir.
Valencia defender Aymen Abdennour broke the
deadlock on 58 minutes by nodding in a corner
and Anis Ben Hatira came off the bench to score
his first international goal.
Libya reacted to a 4-0 thrashing from DR Congo
in Kinshasa by firing Spanish coach Javier
Clemente a month before his contract was due to
expire.