Soccer-DR Congo open Cup of Nations qualifiers with home success

CAPE TOWN, Sept ⁠24 (Reuters) - The Democratic Republic of Congo followed up their World Cup exploits ⁠with a 2-0 home win over Equatorial Guinea on the opening day ‌of the group qualifiers for next year's Africa Cup of Nations.

Captain Chancel Mbemba headed home the opening goal in the fourth minute, and Yoane Wissa added a second 18 minutes from time in Kinshasa ​on Thursday, although the scoreline might have been more ⁠emphatic after they twice struck the ⁠woodwork and also had two efforts ruled offside.

It was the first game for the ⁠Congolese ‌after advancing through the first phase of the World Cup for the first time and running England close in their last-32 tie in Atlanta in ⁠July.

However, there was no opportunity for home supporters to ​celebrate their achievement as ‌the size of the crowd at the Stadedes Martyrs was restricted to 20,000 ⁠after sanctions for ​fan violence that followed defeat by Senegal in World Cup qualification one year ago.

Mauritania and Namibia were also winners in Thursday's early games, while Libya netted a last-gasp penalty to ⁠salvage a 2-2 draw at home to Botswana behind ​closed doors in Tripoli, where the stadium was also banned because of previous supporter violence.

Botswana striker Tumisang Orebonye scored a double in the first half to put his side ⁠on course for a rare away win before Maruwan Alhibeeshi thrashed home from the edge of the area to pull one back in the 87th minute.

Botswana substitute Mothusi Cooper gave away a stoppage-time penalty with a clumsy challenge, allowing Ezoo El Mariamy ​to rescue a draw.

Mauritania won 3-1 over the Central African ⁠Republic in Casablanca, Morocco, which included a superb chipped effort over the goalkeeper from ​Dawda Camara, while Betuel Muzeu scored the only goal ‌as Namibia edged Congo.

Later on Thursday, World ​Cup competitors Ghana and Ivory Coast play a derby in Bouake, while Cameroon host Comoros.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Christian Radnedge)

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开普敦，9 月 24 日（路透社）——刚果民主共和国在世界杯上的出色表现之后，在明年非洲国家杯小组赛预选赛首日主场以 2-0 战胜赤道几内亚。

周四在金沙萨，队长尚塞尔·姆本巴在第四分钟头球破门，约阿内·维萨在比赛还剩 18 分钟时再下一城，尽管他们两次击中门框，还有两次射门被判越位，但比分本可能更加悬殊。

这是刚果队首次晋级世界杯第一阶段比赛后的第一场比赛，他们在7月份于亚特兰大举行的32强赛中与英格兰队打得难分难解。

然而，由于一年前世界杯预选赛输给塞内加尔后球迷暴力事件受到制裁，烈士体育场的观众人数被限制在 20,000 人，主场球迷没有机会庆祝他们的成就。

毛里塔尼亚和纳米比亚也在周四的早场比赛中获胜，而利比亚在的黎波里主场迎战博茨瓦纳的比赛中，凭借最后时刻的点球，以 2-2 战平对手。由于此前球迷暴力事件，该体育场也被禁止使用，比赛在闭门进行。

博茨瓦纳前锋图米桑·奥雷博涅在上半场梅开二度，帮助球队取得了一场难得的客场胜利，但马鲁万·阿尔希贝希在第 87 分钟从禁区边缘劲射破门，扳回一球。

博茨瓦纳替补球员莫图西·库珀在伤停补时阶段笨拙地犯规送给对手一粒点球，让埃佐·埃尔·马里亚米扳平比分。

在摩洛哥卡萨布兰卡，毛里塔尼亚以 3-1 战胜中非共和国，其中达乌达·卡马拉一记精彩的挑射越过门将破门得分；而纳米比亚凭借贝图埃尔·穆泽乌的唯一进球险胜刚果。

周四晚些时候，世界杯参赛队伍加纳和科特迪瓦将在布瓦凯进行德比大战，而喀麦隆将主场迎战科摩罗。

（马克·格里森在开普敦撰稿；克里斯蒂安·拉德内奇编辑）

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