Yaya Toure scored a brace in Ivory Coast’s 4-2 victory over Tanzania in a 2014 World Cup qualifier in Dar es Salam on Sunday, a result which puts the Elephants into the final phase.
The hosts took the lead two minutes into the game with Amri Kiemba scoring, but the visitors equalised 11 minutes later through Lacina Traore.
On 35 minutes, Toure made it 2-1 with a hard strike past Juma Kaseja.
After tight marking of Mbwana Samata, his teammate at TP Mazembe, Thomas Ulimwengu, made no mistake, making it 2-2 on 35 minutes.
As the game seemed destined for a 2-2 draw after the first half, Ivory Coast got a penalty after Giovani was brought down.
Toure made no mistake, sending the Tanzanian goalkeeper the wrong way.
The visitors came back hungry for more goals in the second half, dominating play.
The hosts also pushed forward with good home support, but to no avail.
Substitute Winfred Bony netted a late goal after three minutes of added time had been showed to give Ivory Coast a 4-2 victory.
Similarly, Ethiopia are closer to the 2014 World Cup after seeing off their main Group ‘A’ rivals, South Africa, 2-1 in a fifth round qualifier played on Sunday.
Bafana Bafana striker, Bernard Parker, was a hero and villain in equal measure in the game played from 3pm local time.
Parker sent his side 1-0 up with a 34th minute goal that Ethiopia cancelled out in the 42nd minute through Getaneh Kebede for the game to go to the break even.
Parker gifted Ethiopia with the winner with an own goal in the 70th minute to hand their group rivals the win and passage to the third and final qualifying round by topping Group ‘G’ with an unassailable 13 points from five games.
Beaten South Africa, who badly needed to win to keep the group open heading to the final round, remain second with eight points.
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