Historic CHAN success for Guinea

Guinea secured a place at the African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament for the first time after three failed attempts thanks to a dramatic weekend success over Senegal.

Hosts Senegal came from behind in the second leg to triumph 3-1, but were eliminated on away goals after losing the first leg 2-0 last weekend.

Ranked 11 in Africa by FIFA, Guinea went into the tie as the highest placed African team not to have qualified for a competition restricted to home-based footballers.

Angola, Gabon and Mali also booked places at the biennial tournament, which Rwanda hosts from January 16 to February 7 next year.

South Africa grabbed a late 2-1 victory in Angola only to lose 3-2 overall while Chad won 1-0 in Gabon but were eliminated 2-1 overall.

Mali advanced by drawing 1-1 draw in Mauritania after taking a 2-1 first-leg lead in region-based qualifying.

Goals from Aboubacar Mouctar Sylla and Aboubacar Iyanga Sylla gave Guinea a 2-0 first-leg advantage over Senegal a week ago in a game switched to Mali because of the Ebola epidemic.

That advantage stretched to three goals just three minutes into the return match on an artificial surface at Stade Demba Diop in Dakar when Aboubacar Bangoura scored.

Sylvain Badji triggered a Senegalese recovery with a 13th-minute goal and a late second-half brace from Ibrahima Sory Keita set up a tense climax.

However, Senegal could not snatch the fourth goal that would have taken them through, leaving Guinea to celebrate a historic victory.

A makeshift South African side regained some pride after a two-goal first-leg defeat by snatching a stoppage-time victory at Estadio 11 de Novembro in Luanda.

After Fabricio Mafuta conceded an own goal, the hosts levelled before half-time when Gelson -- real name Jacinto Muondo Dala -- punished slack marking to fire past goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands.

Lyle Lakay scored the second-leg winner six minutes into additional time off a fiercely-struck free-kick that went in off the woodwork.

South African clubs refused to release national stars as CHAN matches are not staged on FIFA international dates, forcing coach Thabo Senong to pick out-of-favour first and second division footballers.

Gabon losing to Chad at Stade de l'Amitie in Libreville was a shock after they built a comfortable first-leg advantage in N'Djamena.

Nassor Ndiguem scored on 70 minutes for the Chadians, but the visitors failed to strike again and force the tie into a penalty shootout.

Mali made the perfect start at Stade Olympique in Nouakchott with Moussa Bakayoko scoring five minutes into the opening half to cancel the 'away' goal Mauritania brought back from Bamako.

Mama Niass equalised on the stroke of half-time and a goalless second half gave the visitors overall success.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco and Tunisia have also qualified and Rwanda are automatic entrants as hosts, leaving eight places up for grabs.

Six of those will be filled late Sunday and two other second legs have been delayed until next week because of presidential elections in Ivory Coast and a presidency-related referendum in Congo Brazzaville.