Zimpapers Logo

JOHANNESBURG. — Tottenham Hotspur striker Emmanuel Adebayor put recent troubles behind him on Sunday to score a dramatic winner for Togo as match-day 1 of 2017 African Cup of Nations qualifying concluded.

The gangling 31-year-old struck three minutes from time to earn Togo a come-from-behind 2-1 Group A victory over fellow west Africans Liberia in Lome.

William Jebor had put the Lone Stars ahead late in the opening half and Sadat Ouro-Akoriko equalised midway through the second half.

Adebayor initially refused to team up with the Sparrow Hawks, prompting his axing from the squad by Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet.

But after watching Togo lose a friendly in Ghana six days ago, the 2008 African Footballer of the Year had a change of heart and once again proved a match-winner for his country.

The greatest Togolese footballer of the modern era told social media last month about a family feud over money that left him severely depressed.

Togo share first place with Tunisia, whose 8-1 drubbing of Djibouti in Rades on Friday was the biggest victory of the 25 qualifiers.

Vincent Aboubakar from Portuguese outfit Porto was another late match-winner, scoring in the final minute as Cameroon defeated Group M outsiders Mauritania 1-0 in Yaounde.

The Indomitable Lions dominated throughout, but some strange refereeing decisions and brave defending by the visitors kept the game scoreless.

Four-time African champions Cameroon lead by two points from South Africa and Gambia, who drew 0-0 on Saturday in Durban.

Ghana scored seven goals against hapless Mauritius on a poor Accra playing surface with Jordan Ayew and Asamoah Gyan bagging braces in a 7-1 Group H romp that was not unexpected.

Tunisia scoring eight goals, Ghana and Cape Verde seven each and Angola and Algeria four each came as no surprise because the opening fixtures included top seeds hosting bottom seeds in each mini-league. — AFP.