2015 Africa Cup qualifier - first round second leg - fixtures

AFRICA CUP 2015 PRELIMINARIES

Englishman Stephen Constantine takes charge of Rwanda for the first time this weekend and has the chance to make an instant impact by causing an upset in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The central Africans host Libya, a team 27 places higher in the Confederation of African Football rankings, and are level on aggregate having forced a 0:0 first-leg draw. Playing in Kigali offers the Wasps a potentially crucial advantage over the Mediterranean Knights.

But former Nepal, India, Malawi and Sudan coach Constantine is cautious ahead of the second round, second leg qualifier for the 2015 tournament in Morocco. "We face a serious challenge as Libya are a good team," said the 51-year-old coach, who came to Rwanda from a Cypriot club post. 

"I hope Rwandans will come to the stadium in large numbers and support us. Our aim is to win by playing attractive football. "Raising Rwandan football standards is my mission and a victory over African Nations Championship title-holders Libya would be a wonderful start."

Constantine watched the first leg, which was played at the Tunisian national stadium because of security and social unrest in Libya.
The Kigali fixture is among 13 scheduled between Friday and Sunday with places in the final qualifying round ahead of the group stage up for grabs.

Mozambique are almost certain to progress after they thrashed South Sudan 5:0 and Benin are also well placed following their 2:0 win away at Sao Tome.

But many other ties are delicately balanced with Kenya and Uganda two of the fancied teams who face more of a battle than anticipated. Kenya were expected to win comfortably against visiting Comoros Islands, but scored only once through a first-half John Omollo thunderbolt. 

However, Belgium-born coach Adel Amrouche says what really matters is that the Harambee Stars did not concede a goal in Nairobi. "I was happy with the result because we did not allow the Comoros to score an away goal," the former Burundi coach said. "We played well and should have won more decisively. The Comorans impressed when they counter-attacked and we need to work on that threat."

Uganda are 38 places above Madagascar in the rankings, so it came as a surprise when they fell 2:1 on the vast Indian Ocean island. It could have been even worse as Malagasy scorer Faneva Andriatsima from French second-tier club US Creteil-Lusitanos missed a penalty. And the Ugandan Cranes snatched a potentially crucial away goal two minutes into stoppage time with a Hamis Kiiza spot-kick. Madagascar coach Franck Rajaonarisamba said he is hoping massed defence in Kampala can keep Uganda at bay.

"Whenever they attack, we will have at least four defenders and three midfielders behind the ball," he said. "We also want to score and cancel the away-goal advantage Uganda have at the moment. "Uganda are strong, especially in midfield, but we have high hopes of success. After training every morning and evening, my squad is ready."

New Tanzania coach Mart Nooij from the Netherlands says the tie with Zimbabwe could tilt either way after his team established a 1:0 lead in Dar es Salaam. An early John Bocco goal separated the Taifa Stars and the Warriors and this tie could be settled by away goals or a penalty shoot-out.

Congo Brazzaville, who hired widely-travelled French coach Claude le Roy to secure a place at the 2015 finals, must overcome a 1:0 defeat in Namibia to reach the third round.

Malawi coach Young Chimodzi believes a 2:0 lead over Chad will suffice to survive in N'Djamena, a city where temperatures can soar above 40 degrees celsius (104 degrees fahrenheit).

Mauritania arrived in Equatorial Guinea with a 1:0 lead and training was delayed as they sought new accommodation after accusing the hosts of treating them like "prisoners of war".

First leg scores
    
• Namibia vs Congo 1:0
    
• Libya vs Rwanda 0:0 
    
• Sao Tome vs Benin 0:2 
    
• Malawi vs Chad 2:0 
    
• Liberia vs Lesotho 1:0 
    
• Kenya vs Comoros Islands 1:0 
    
• Swaziland vs Sierra Leone 1:1 
    
• Madagascar vs Uganda 2:1 
    
• Mauritania vs Eq Guinea 1:0 
    
• Tanzania vs Zimbabwe 1:0 
    
• Mozambique vs South Sudan 5:0 
    
• CAR vs Guinea Bissau 0:0 
    
• Burundi vs Botswana 0:0