Asamoah joy, Uche brothers lift Nigeria

Derek Asamoah celebrated his recall by Ghana with the stoppage-time winner in a 2-1 friendly triumph over Gabon in a Parisian suburb Tuesday. The striker from South Korean club Pohang Steelers scored on 92 minutes in Saint Leu-la-Foret to end a deadlock that had existed since half-time between two of the 16 teams to have qualified for the 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations. Emmanuel Agyemang-Badu from Italian club Udinese converted a tenth-minute penalty for the Black Stars from Ghana and Eric Moloungui equalised just before the break for the Panthers. A Gabonese side coached by German Gernot Rohr lost 2-0 at home to five-time world champions Brazil last Thursday, while Sierra Leone pulled out of a weekend friendly fixture against Ghana. Uche brothers lift Nigeria Nigeria atoned for being held goalless by Botswana last Saturday on the debut of coach Stephen Keshi when the Uche brothers scored a goal each for a flattering 2-0 win over Zambia in northern city Kaduna. Switzerland-based Kalu Uche steered the ball into the net from close range on nine minutes after a break and cut-back from Ahmed Musa, who constantly troubled the Copper Bullets with right-flank raids. Zambia had plenty of second-half possession in their first outing under re-hired French coach Herve Renard only to squander several scoring chances and Ikechukwu Uche delivered the killer blow a minute into stoppage time. Nigeria were shock casualties of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations elimination process, leading to former national team centre-back and captain Keshi replacing Samson Siasia, while Zambia made it to the 2012 tournament by winning their group. South Africa fall South Africa rested a number of first choices, including captain and Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Steven Pieenar, and suffered a 2-1 defeat in neighbouring Zimbabwe after leading at half-time. Debutant Turkey-based striker Bradley Grobler, the latest experiment by Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane to try and solve a scoring crisis, displayed clinical finishing to score on 28 minutes in Harare. However, Zimbabwe striker Knowledge Musona did even better in the second half by scoring twice to punish opponents he knew well having spent several seasons at Kaizer Chiefs in Johannesburg before joining German club Hoffenheim this year. Guinea, smarting from a four-goal mauling by Senegal last weekend, snatched a 1-1 draw with fellow Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Burkina Faso in France through an Ibrahima Conte goal after Yahia Kebe opened the scoring in the first half. Libya and Belarus drew 1-1 in a fiery Dubai clash that saw the red card flashed three times and Niger came from behind to draw 1-1 against Botswana in Niamey.