Match Day 5 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers continued on Thursday, 20 March with intriguing encounters taking place in the early evening matches.
Four matches took place in the late afternoon encounters, producing some interesting results as the race to the FIFA World Cup intensifies.
Group A: Sierra Leone move to second with narrow win over Guinea-Bissau
A clinical 3-1 victory over Guinea-Bissau saw Sierra Leone impressively move up to second place in a Group A currently led by Egypt.
Mustapha Bundu fired the hosts into the lead in the 19th minute to take his side into the break with a one goal lead. With the game very much in their control, Sierra Leone found the second thanks a well-taken strike by Musa Kamara just after the hour mark.
Kamara’s celebrations were cut-short in the 68th minute after Tamble Monteiro pulled one back for the visitors.
The goal spurred the visitors as they added numbers forward, a tactic that backfired as they opened up in the dying minutes for Sierra Leone to find the third through Ibrahim Turay.
Group C: Benin surrender two goal lead against Zimbabwe
The Warriors showed character after conceding twice to come back from behind and secure a draw.
Benin skipper, Steve Mounie found the opener in the opening minutes after a goalkeeping error, before Dodo Dokou made it two just before the break.
With victory well in sight, the visitors took their foot off the pedal and were duly punished as England-based defender, Marshal Munetsi pulled one back for his side with just a minute to go before the break.
Coming back from the break, Zimbabwean hitman who made his return to international football, Knowledge Musona finished off a great build-up with a one-time strike that left the keeper with no chance for the leveller that saw the two sides share the spoils.
The draw sees Benin go top of Group C while Zimbabwe remain bottom of the group.
Group D: Cape Verde secure late victory over Mauritius
Yannick Semedo’s 84th minute strike was enough to secure three vital points on the road for Cape Verde over Mauritius.
After being held for the most part of the encounter, the visitors capitalised on a lapse of concentration in the dying minutes for Yannick to secure the victory that sees them top Group D ahead of Cameroon who dropped points against Eswatini on Wednesday.
GROUP H: Namibia secure vital away win over Malawi
Prins Tjiueza’s composed strike from a Peter Shalulile lay off in the 40th minute was all that was needed for Namibia to secure their third victory of Group H in a match played against Malawi.
The crucial victory that sees them move to second in a match that was evenly contested by the two sides.
Malawi’s stumble sees them in a difficult fifth place position with their chances of qualification further slipping away.
