Johannesburg - Nigeria and Tunisia will take the race to qualify for the World Cup finals in South Africa next year down to the last game after both countries won their penultimate Group B matches. Nigeria's Super Eagles needed a last-gasp goal from substitute Victor Obinna to beat a resilient Mozambique side 1-0, while Tunisia secured a 1-0 victory against Kenya.
In the National Stadium in Abuja, the home fans thought that their hopes of still qualifying for South Africa were all but gone when the Inter Milan striker, who is on loan to Spanish La Liga side Malaga, found the winner three minutes into injury time.
Tunisia had a much easier game as Lens player Issam Jomaa opened the scoring in the first minute. Although it was to remain the only goal of the game, it kept the North Africans in the driving seat for first place in the group.
Ahead of the final game in November, Tunisia, who are away to Mozambique in their last game, lead the group with 11 points from Nigeria, who have to travel to Kenya, who have nine.
Already qualified Ghana slumped to their first defeat in Group D as they were beaten 1-0 in Cotonou by Benin, for whom Mohammed Aoudou scored in injury time.
The result keeps the Black Stars on 12 points, while Benin moved second in the group on seven points - two more than third-placed Mali, who have a game in hand though.
On Saturday the Ivory Coast became the third African side to qualify for the finals after the hosts South Africa and Ghana.
The Elephants secured the point they needed in a 1-1 draw in Blantyre against Malawi, while Cameroon took a giant step toward South Africa with a 3-0 victory againts Togo.
The win sees the Indomitable Lions on 10 points in Group A, one more than second-placed Gabon.
The five group winners qualify for the World Cup finals, while the top three from each group qualify for the finals of next year's African Nations Cup in Angola.
