Djibouti defy odds, Zimbabwe survive scare

JOHANNESBURG: Djibouti triumphed unexpectedly, Zimbabwe survived a scare and Rwanda created a record as the first round of African qualifying for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar concluded on Tuesday.

French coach Julien Mette was hired by Djibouti recently and promised to restore the “dignity” of a national team used to heavy losses. It did not take him long to succeed as a 0-0 draw in eSwatini (formerly Swaziland) earned the “Shoremen of the Red Sea” a 2-1 aggregate victory.

In Harare, Khama Billiat scored two minutes into stoppage to hand Zimbabwe a 3-1 win over minnows Somalia. Zimbabwe had to score at least twice to avoid a shock exit and Knox Mutizwa, direct from a free kick, and Billiat with a hard close-range shot netted for a dramatic victory.