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Senegal celebrates the 1-0 draw against Egypt
Photo: Stefan Kleinowitz/AP
Continental champions Senegal in a bizarre penalty shoot-out and Ghana have become the first African participants to qualify for the World Cup in Qatar.
As in the Africa Cup of Nations final, Senegal beat Egypt on penalties in the World Cup play-offs, this time 3-1.
After 120 minutes it was 1-0, the Egyptians had won the first leg 1-0 with storm superstar Mohamed Salah from Liverpool FC.
Thanks to the away goals rule, Ghana was satisfied with a hard-fought 1-1 (1-1) in Nigeria after the 0-0 in the first leg.
In Abuja, Thomas Partey (11th minute) scored with a long-range shot, Nigerian goalkeeper Francis Uzoho let the harmlessly kicked ball pass.
William Troost-Ekong (22', penalty kick) equalised, but in the end Ghana celebrated their fourth appearance at the World Cup.
Riots then broke out in the stadium.
Three misses in Egypt
Boulaye Dia (4th) from FC Villarreal equalized the first leg result for Senegal in Dakar early on.
As the game went on, the conditions first became irregular and then bizarre, with hundreds of laser pointers making the Egyptian penalty area look like a disco.
Only one of the visitors' four penalties ended up in goal in a shoot-out, Mo Salah also missed, the Egyptian players were massively disturbed by the laser pointers of the opposing fans.
Sadio Mané (also Liverpool) scored decisively for the African champions.
Three more duels for the rest of Africa's World Cup appearances were scheduled for later that evening: Algeria v Cameroon (first leg 1-0), Morocco v Democratic Republic of the Congo (first leg 1-1) and Tunisia v Mali (first leg 1-0/each 9.30 p.m.).
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