Congo picked up a 2-0 win over Chad at home in Brazzaville thanks to goals from Edson Dico Minga in the 13th minute and Franchel Ibara in the 67th minute. Congo are now level with Mali at the top of Group 10 with six points, and Chad are level with Sudan at the bottom with three points. That will change soon, though, as Sudan and Mali will face each other later today.
Congo DR, meanwhile, strolled to an easy 5-1 home victory over Djibouti. Shabani Nonda scored a hat trick with Tsholola Tshinyama Tiko and Dieumerci Mbokani each adding a goal. Moussa Hirir scored the consolation goal for Djibouti in second-half injury time.
The win moves Congo DR three points lear of Malawi and Egypt, who are level on six points but will have a chance to close the gap when the meet later today. Djibouti are at the bottom with four losses from four matches.
Ethiopia had their way with Mauritania to the tune of a 6-1 victory at home in Addis Abeba. Teferra Fikru, Andualem Nigussie and Mohamed Mesud each scored twice for the hosts, with Taghiyoullah Denna scoring the consolation goal for the visitors in first-half injury time.
The win leaves Ethiopia with six points, within shouting distance of Group 8 joint-leaders Morocco and Rwanda, who are level on nine points. Mauritania are eliminated from any chance of advancement, having yet to earn a point with just two matches remaining.
Mozambique picked up their first Group 7 win with a 3-0 home thumping of Madagascar. Mozambique skipper Tico-Tico opened the scoring in the 23rd minute and the visitors remained competitive until Carlitos and Domingues scored second-half goals within two minutes of each other to eliminate any doubt.
The three points vault Mozambigue up to third place in Group 7 with four points, one ahead of Madagascar, who are now at the bottom. Botswana and Côte d'Ivoire share the lead with five points, and they will face each other later today.
Zimbabwe and Kenya played out a rather uneventful 0-0 draw in Harare. The shared points leave Kenya on top of Group 2 with seven points and Zimbabwe close behind with five. Guinea and Namibia, who will face each other later today, follow with four and three points respectively.
In Group 3 Niger's woes continued with a 2-0 defeat in their visit to Benin. Jocelyn Ahoueya put the hosts ahead on the stroke of half-time, and the lead was doubled in the 55th minute thanks to an own goal by Karim Oumarou.
Benin now sit alone atop the group with nine points, while Niger remain at the bottom without any points. The other match from this group, between Angola and Uganda, features two teams level on six points and has been postponed until Monday afternoon.
