Ivory Coast pip Senegal, Zambia win

Ivory Coast came from behind twice to defeat Senegal 4-2 on Saturday in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier that lived up to its match-of-the-day billing. Spectacular goals from Dame Ndoye and Papiss Cisse gave Senegal the lead in each half only for Salomon Kalou and Gervinho to snatch equalisers before Didier Drogba and Max Gradel scored in the final 10 minutes of a high-tempo thriller. The teams meet again in Dakar during October and the aggregate winners of the second round fixture advance to the 16-nation tournament in South Africa next January and February. Ndoye put the visitors ahead with a volley that flew past goalkeeper Boubacar Barry and Kalou punished slack marking to poke the ball into the far corner from close range just before half-time. A looping Cisse header from outside the box put the Senegalese back in the lead, but it lasted only five minutes before Gervinho burst through the middle and hammered the ball into the net off the underside of the crossbar. Jacques Faty pushed Gervinho inside the area with 10 minutes left and veteran skipper Drogba converted the penalty before Gradel gave the Ivorians a two-goal cushion. Ivory Coast entered the last four Cup of Nations tournaments as favourites, but the closest they came to glory was finishing runners-up twice, and many consider 2013 represents the last chance for Drogba and other 30-plus stars. A Cameroon side missing stay-away star Samuel Eto’o are in danger of missing a second successive Cup of Nations after losing 2-0 away to the Cape Verde Islands. Eto’o spurned a call-up after completing an eight-month ban from the national association for instigating the boycott of a friendly and his predatory instincts were missed as Ricardo and Djaniny scored for the Blue Sharks. Zambia, who defeated Ivory Coast on penalties after a goalless 2012 final, failed to turn a glut of possession into goals and had to settle for a 1-0 home victory over Uganda. Captain and striker Christopher Katongo punished sloppy defending midway through the first half to tap in a deep Davies Nkausu throw before a capacity 40,000 crowd in Ndola. Katongo was a constant threat to Uganda, netting again in the opening half only to have his effort disallowed and being foiled by the woodwork after the break.