Algeria advance as Mali stumble

Group HRwanda 0-1 AlgeriaMali 2-2 BeninAlgeria booked their place in the play-offs of the Africa zone of the 2014 World Cup qualifier after close rivals Mali faltered at home in Bamako following a 2-all draw against visitors Benin.Algeria cemented their spot atop of group H with a 1-0 win over Rwanda on Sunday. Saphir Taider scored the only goal of the game for Algeria seven minutes after the break. The Wasps were unable to get the equaliser and as a result registred their third loss of the campaign. A few hours later, Mali crashed out of the qualifying series after they drew 2-2 at home with Benin. The North Africans won Group H on 12 points, while second-placed Mali are four points adrift with a game still to be played.Incidentally, the final game will be between Algeria and Mali in Algeria and even if the West Africans win, they will still fall short of reaching the next stage of the qualifying series.The Eagles of Mali, who finished third at both the 2012 and 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, therefore needed to beat Benin to keep their qualification hopes alive on Sunday.Elsewhere, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ivory Coast and Tunisia became the first countries to reach the play-offs in the Africa zone of the 2014 World Cup qualifiers.However, a Fifa statement issued after the final weekend qualifier said they are probing allegations that Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea and Togo fielded ineligible players this year in qualifiers.The standard punishment dished out by the world football governing body during the African qualifying competition is that a country found guilty forfeits any points gained and opponents are awarded a 3-0 victory.Should Ethiopia lose three points they would no longer be sure of winning Group A, if Togo lose three Cameroon would replace Libya as Group I leaders, and if Equatorial Guinea lose three Tunisia would not be certain of topping Group B.Group H table Team PD W D L PtsAlgeria 5 4 0 1 12Mali 5 2 2 1 8Benin 5 1 2 2 5Rwanda 5 0 2 3 2

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Algeria advance as Mali stumble