Algeria, Nigeria qualify for Rio Olympics

AFP, JOHANNESBURG: Algeria and Nigeria secured places Wednesday at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games football tournament, leaving South Africa and Senegal to fight for the third and final qualifying place this weekend. An opportunist early Oussama Darfalou goal set up Algeria for a convincing 2-0 victory over South Africa and a first appearance at the Games since the 1980 Moscow Olympics.
Oghenekaro Etebo calmly converted a second-half penalty kick to give Nigeria, the 1996 gold medallists and 2008 silver medallists, a 1-0 win over Senegal in the
first half of a Dakar double-header. Senegal, who beat South Africa in the opening match of the eight-nation African qualifying competition, must do so again Saturday in the third-place play-off to achieve back-to-back Olympics appearances.
South Africa qualified for the 2000 Games. Senegal started as slight favourites against Nigeria because of more impressive group form and greater familiarity with the 30 degree-plus (85 fahrenheit) heat But the Teranga Cubs spurned a great chance to break the deadlock in first-half stoppage-time when a timidly struck Ibrahima Sory Keita penalty was blocked by Emmanuel Daniel.
The Dream Team VI goalkeeper, who conceded two goals twice in the three-matchday mini-league phase, made several other excellent saves to thwart the more penetrative Senegalese. Senegal paid for their wastefulness when Ousseynou Thioune handled and Etebo stroked the ball into the left corner on 77 minutes while goalkeeper and captain Pape Seydou Ndiaye dived in the opposite direction.