Ivory Coast qualify courtesy of Drogba double
Reuters - Sunday 05 June 2011, 18:01
COTONOU - A Didier Drogba double helped
the Ivory Coast become the second side to progress from the
African Nations Cup preliminaries to next year's finals after a
6-2 win in Benin on Sunday.
Midfielder Gervinho, fresh from helping Lille win the Ligue
1 title, also scored two goals.
The Ivorians qualified with two rounds left to play, keeping
up their 100 percent record in Group H and moving into an
unassailable position after Burundi beat Rwanda 3-1 on Sunday.
The Ivorians swept into a 3-0 half-time lead before Benin
threatened a comeback with a quick double from Stephane
Sessegnon.
Drogba converted a penalty to make it 4-2 and there were two
more goals in the final minutes.
Benin and Burundi are second in the group with four points
each and both out of the running, along with bottom-placed
Rwanda.
Botswana have already qualified along with co-hosts
Equatorial Guinea and Gabon for the tournament next January and
February.