Saturday

Mozambique 5 - 1 SeychellesSouth Africa 3 - 0 MauritiusGuinea-Bissau 1 - 1 MaliSenegal 3 - 1 GambiaTanzania 0 - 3 Uganda

CAPE TOWN – Mozambique scored five goals and Senegal, South Africa and Uganda three each this weekend as 2016 African Nations Championship (ChAN) qualifying kicked off.

Luis Jose Miquissone was the destroyer-in-chief for the Mozambican Mambas (Snakes) against the Seychelles in Indian Ocean port Beira with an 18-minute hat-trick.

However, the teenage goal-poacher may soon be ineligible for the competition as he is set to join newly promoted South African Premiership club Jomo Cosmos.

Only home-based stars can compete in the Chan, which was created to give local talent international exposure because many African national teams are dominated by foreign-based stars.

Reinildo Isnard Mandava and Diogo Antonio Alberto were also on target for the hosts in the first leg of a preliminary tie as Helder ‘Mano Mano’ Muianga made a debut every coach dreams of.

Former national team defender Muianga succeeded sacked Joao Chissano last Sunday after Mozambique suffered a shock home defeat by Rwanda in a 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) qualifier.

Uganda completed a double over Tanzania in the last Chan qualifiers and they look set to repeat that feat after an impressive 3-0 away win in Zanzibar. Erisa Ssekisambu scored in each half before Farouk Miya converted a late penalty.

South Africa shrugged off shambolic preparations to defeat Mauritius 3-0 in chilly Soweto with all the goals coming before halftime.

Thamsanqa Gabuza broke the deadlock and prolific second-division scorer Siphelele Ntshangase bagged a brace against rivals reduced to 10 men when David Lengclume was red-carded on 81 minutes.

Winning coach Ephraim ‘Shakes’ Mashaba had only 11 players – including two goalkeepers – on the eve of the game after several clubs withdrew players despite it being the domestic off-season.