Nigeria, Senegal fail to qualify

Four African teams reached the World Cup finals for the first time on a dramatic last day of qualifiers around the continent as heavyweights Cameroon, Nigeria and Senegal were all knocked out.

Instead Angola, Ghana, the Ivory Coast and Togo will all debut at the tournament next June after securing their berths with victories that gave them top place and the solitary qualifying place from their groups.

They are joined by Tunisia, who return for a third successive World Cup finals appearance and their fourth in all after a 2-2 draw against Morocco at home on Saturday ensured they finished top of African qualifying Group Five.

The Ivory Coast had a dramatic last minute penalty miss by Cameroon to thank for their progress, coming back from a seemingly desperate situation just one month ago.

Angola scored in the last 10 minutes to win top place in their group in a nervous performance away in Rwanda while Togo had to come from behind twice before beating Congo 3-2 away in Brazzaville.

Ghana romped home as expected to top place in Group Two with a 4-0 away win over the Cape Verde Islands in Praia.

Two goals from Aruna Dindane and an opener from Kanga Akale gave the Ivorians an expected 3-1 away win over Sudan but they were gifted a World Cup place when Cameroon failed to beat Egypt at home in Yaoundé.

Cameroon were on course for a place in Germany after Rudolph Douala scored midway through the first half but with 10 minutes after Egypt handed the Ivorians a lifeline when Mohamed Shawki equalised.

That looked to cruelly taken away again four minutes into stoppage time when Cameroon were awarded a penalty but Pierre Wome, with virtually the last kick of the game, hit the upright with an effort that denied Cameroon a sixth World Cup finals appearance.

The Ivorians ended one point ahead of Cameroon in Group Three

IMPORTANT GOAL

Angolan captain Fabrice Akwa scored the most important goal in his country's footballing history with an 80th minute header that gave them a 1-0 victory in Kigali and saw Angola edge out Nigeria from top place in Group Four.

Both sides ended on 21 points after Nigeria hammered Zimbabwe 5-1 in Abuja but Angola qualified by virtue of a better head to head record.

Angola battled to set up chances on a bone-dry pitch and were lucky to see Rwanda's best effort from Honore Kabongo rattle their woodwork in the early stages of the second half.

Mohamed Abdelkader Coubadja scored twice and Emmanuel Adebayor notched his 10th goal of the qualifying campaign as Togo finished two points clear of Senegal in Group One.

Togo were twice behind in a heady game in Brazzaville but eventually achieved more than the single point they had needed for a place in Germany.

The tiny west African country had previously been regarded as one of the continent's footballing lightweights but an unbeaten run of nine qualifying matches ensured them top place in the group ahead of a Senegalese side who were quarter-finalists at the last World Cup finals in Japan in 2002.

Bertrand Bouity put Congo side into a 25th minute lead but Togo were level at the break when Adebayor equalised in the 38th minute.

The goal ensured that the Monaco striker ended as the leading goal scorer in the African qualifiers for the 2006 finals.

Congo restored their lead just after half-time through Romanian-based striker Armel Mamouna but it lasted just 10 minutes before Sochaux striker Coubadja found the net twice to ensure Togo's qualification.

Ghana's long wait for a World Cup finals place ended in emphatic style with a one-sided win in the island archipelago to finish comfortable winners of African qualifying Group Two.

COMFORTABLE WIN

The Black Stars wasted little time in setting off to a comfortable win with Sulley Muntari scoring as early as the fourth minute and adding a second goal 10 minutes before half -time for Ghana.

Russian-based winger Laryea Kingston made it 3-0 with a 15 minutes left and Godwin Attram applied the finishing touch two minutes from time.

Tunisia achieved the single point they needed to hold off the challenge of Morocco, who did not qualify despute ending the qualifying campaign unbeaten.

A fortuitous floated cross from midfielder Adel Chedli crept into the net to secure the point for Tunisia, who twice fought from a goal down.

Marouane Chamakh handed Morocco an early lead with a easy tap-in after just three minutes but Charlton Athletic defender Talal El Karkouri needlessly gave away a penalty in the 18th minute from which the Brazilian-born fullback Clayton equalised for Tunisia.

El Karkouri made amends by getting the final touch ahead of Chamakh to a loose ball in the penalty area after initially missing a headed opportunity in the 43rd minute to put Morocco 2-1 up at half-time.

But Chedli made sure of the point Tunisia needed, even if it came with a major dollop of good fortune.