Habeeb Akinfegbe
The contenders for places in the 2018 World Cup are beginning to emerge, this much was confirmed after Morocco and co qualified for the group phase qualifiers.
Midfielder Farouk Miya bagged a brace to help Uganda trounce Togo 3-0 on Sunday and advance to the group stage of 2018 World Cup qualifying in Africa.
Captain Geoffrey Massa scored the other goal in Kampala as Uganda qualified 4-0 on aggregate after matching their record home victory margin in a qualifier for the global football showpiece.
Zambia also advanced from the second knockout round with second half goals by Lubambo Musonda and Winston Kalengo delivering a 2-0 win over Sudan in Ndola.
The Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets), among the strongest African national teams never to play at the World Cup, progressed 3-0 overall.
Although the Democratic Republic of Congo were held 2-2 at home by Burundi and Morocco lost 1-0 away to Equatorial Guinea, both former World Cup qualifiers were overall winners.
Guinea, forced to host Namibia in Moroccan city Casablanca because of the deadly Ebola virus, won 2-0 after taking a one-goal advantage into the return match.
Kalengo, scorer of the winner in Sudan four days ago, doubled the second-leg lead with a run past a defender and an unstoppable shot.
Fiston Abdul Razak converted an 89th-minute penalty at Stade de Martyrs in Kinshasa to give Burundi a surprise draw against DR Congo, who advanced 5-4 overall thanks to a midweek away win.
Four-time World Cup qualifiers Morocco were grateful for the two-goal lead they took to Estadio de Bata, which gave them a 2-1 aggregate success after Equatoguinean Rui scored the lone return-match goal on 14 minutes.
Idrissa Sylla put the Guineans ahead two minutes before half-time at Stade Mohamed V and Naby Keita, scorer of the lone goal in Windhoek, claimed his second of the tie late in the second half.
The remaining 14 second legs are set for Tuesday.
Five places have been reserved for Africa at the 2018 World Cup in Russia
The third round will see the 20 winners from this second round divided in to five groups of four teams. The groups will be drawn after the second round is completed. Each group winner will qualify for the2018 FIFA World Cup.
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