CHAN 2016: Angola secure first leg victory in South Africa

Angola's Manuel Afonso

Angola took a big step towards the 2016 African Nations Championship finals in Rwanda with a 2-0 win away to South Africa in the first leg of their Southern Zone tie.

CHAN is played between national teams made up exclusively of locally based players who are active in their national championships.

Goals from Mateus Da Costa and Manuel Afonso (pictured) secured the win for the visitors leaving the home crowd at the Rand Stadium stunned by the result.

It was a crucial win for Angola. The prize for the overall winners is a place in the finals in Rwanda in 2016.

Also in the Southern Zone, Zambia were emphatic 3-0 winners over Mozambique in their home leg in Ndola.

It took 77 minutes before the deadlock was broken, with Winston Kalengo putting Zambia ahead.

Teenage striker Conlyde Luchanga came off the bench to make it 2-0 to the hosts, with Spencer Sautu adding a third late in the game to give the Zambians a big advantage ahead of the second leg.

In the one's other tie, played on Sunday, Zimbabwe found a rich vein of form in front of goal to sweep aside Lesotho 3-1.

Rodrick Mutuma scored twice - one from the penalty spot - and Danny Phiri got the other for the Warriors, while Tsepo Suturumawe struck Lesotho's lone reply.

Elsewhere, Frank Kalanda and Farouk Miya scored for 10-man Uganda as the Cranes beat Sudan 2-0 in the first leg of their Central-East Zone qualifier.

URA FC striker Kalanda benefitted from a ball parried back by the Sudan goalkeeper Yassein Yousif Maki after 15 minutes, before Miya made it 2-0 after 20 minutes later with a well taken left foot shot.

Ugandan defender Hassan Wasswa Dazo was sent off for a foul on a Sudan striker, but Uganda's goalkeeper James Alitho maintained his side's advantage, saving a 55th minute penalty from Mudather Eltaib.

Also in the Central-East Zone, Burundi defeated Ethiopia 2-0 courtesy of two goals from Laurent Mavugo.

In Zone West A, Guinea moved closer to a first finals appearance by overcoming Senegal 2-0 in a game switched from Conakry to Malian capital Bamako because of the Ebola epidemic.

Aboubacar Mouctar Sylla scored just five minutes after the kick-off and Aboubacar Iyanga Sylla increased the lead midway through the opening half.

On Sunday, Mali came from behind to beat Mauritania 2-1 in the zone's other tie.

Taghy Denne's gave Mauritania the lead after only eight minutes, scoring with a penalty.

Aly Abeid levelled for the hosts, who snatched a dramatic winner with a goal on the stroke of full-time.

Nigeria looked solid in their Zone West B home leg against Burkina Faso, winning 2-0.

Bature Yaro slammed the ball into the net midway through the opening half and Gbolahan Salami sent goalkeeper Mohammed Bailou the wrong way from a late second-half penalty kick.

Togo lost 2-0 away to Niger in the first leg of their Zone West B qualifying tie.

Idrissa Halidou broke the deadlock for Niger, and Koffi Dan Kakowa also struck for the hosts.

Togo coach Tom Saintfiet had said before the game that his side cannot qualify for the 2016 African Nations Championship because the rules of competition create mismatches.

Also in Zone West B, Ghana beat Ivory Coast 2-1, thanks to two goals from striker Joel Fameyah.

In the Central Zone, Cameroon were held 0-0 by Congo, but Gabon gave themselves a great chance of progressing by beating Chad 2-0 away from home.

Elsewhere, the Northern Zone is played in a mini-league format, featuring title-holders Libya, Morocco and Tunisia - the sides face each other home and away and the top two finishers in the table go through.

Those spots have been claimed already, with one match remaining, after Libya lost 1-0 to Tunisia on Monday and 4-0 to Morocco three days later.

Morocco and Tunisia will play what is now a dead rubber on Sunday.

The Democratic Republic of Congo, winners of the maiden African Nations Championship in 2009, booked a finals place after Central African Republic withdrew.

The 15 teams to reach the finals, joining hosts Rwanda, will be known by 25 October.