Nigeria, Rwanda score narrow wins

TANGIERS, Morocco: Solitary goals brought Nigeria and Rwanda African Nations Championship victories after tight matches in Morocco on Friday, and a share of the Group C lead.

Sunday Faleye scored after a corner to give Nigeria a 1-0 win over Libya in a foul-littered first match of a double header in northern coastal city Tangiers. Later, Thierry Manzi also scored following a corner as Rwanda edged Equatorial Guinea 1-0 in a match that offered a little more excitement than the first.

Nigeria and Rwanda have four points and plus-one goal differences after two rounds, leaving them needing one point from their final fixtures to secure quarterfinals places. The Nigerians meet already eliminated Equatorial Guinea next Tuesday at the same time as Rwanda face Libya, shock 2014 winners of a competition restricted to home-based footballers. A top-two finish ensures entry to the knockout phase of the biennial tournament, and a victory for Libya would guarantee them one of the places.