Côte d'Ivoire ease to victory, Zambia slip up

Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba were on target as Côte d'Ivoire opened their FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign in Group C with a 2-0 win at home over Tanzania. Chelsea striker Kalou put the Ivorians ahead in the 18th minute and his former team-mate made the points safe 11 minutes from time after the visitors had Aggrey Morris sent off in the 70th minute. In the other game in the group, Houssine Kharja's 76th-minute equaliser earned Morocco a 1-1 draw away to Gambia. Abdou Jammeh put Gambia ahead in the 16th minute. 2012 CAF African Nations Cup winners Zambia, who beat Côte d'Ivoire on penalties to win the tournament in February, lost their opening Group D match 2-0 in Sudan. Goals from Mohammed Altahir (51) and Saif aldeen Mohammed (77) earned Sudan victory. In Group B, Tunisia survived a scare before securing a 3-1 win over Equatorial Guinea. The minnows led 1-0 at the break thanks to Rouhen Epitie, but the hosts levelled in the 51st minute through Issam Jemaa. Half-time substitute Hamdi Harbaoui made it 2-1 five minutes later and another replacement, Chadi Hammami, sealed the win two minutes from time. Sierra Leone beat the Cape Verde Islands 2-1, first-half goals from Mohamed Medo and Salifu Samura putting them in control before Ze Luis pulled one back at the death.