Sub Iheanacho lifts Nigeria to victory

JOHANNESBURG: Manchester City midfielder Kelechi Iheanacho came off the bench to score his first senior goal for Nigeria in an unimpressive 1-0 friendly win over Mali on Friday.
Iheanacho, who claimed 14 goals in all competitions for City last season, replaced fellow teenager Alex Iwobi of Arsenal and grabbed the 77th-minute winner.
Michael Babatunde, who plays for Raja Casablanca in Morocco and was a late addition to the Super Eagles squad, set up the only goal in northern French city Rouen.
Three-time African champions Nigeria will be in action again on Tuesday when they meet European minnows Luxembourg in Luxembourg City.
Veteran French coach Claude Le Roy made a winning start with Togo as they edged Zambia 1-0 in Lome thanks to a first-half goal from Standard Liege striker Mathieu Dossevi.
Le Roy previously coached Cameroon, Senegal, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana and Congo Brazzaville.
In eight appearances at the Cup of Nations, he guided Cameroon to the 1988 title and failed to reach the knockout stage only once.
Hakim Ziyech from Dutch club Twente displayed his set-piece prowess in each half as Morocco triumphed 2-0 against Congo Brazzaville in Tangier.
The midfielder slammed a long-range free-kick past slow-reacting Christoffer Mafoumbi and beat the Bulgaria-based goalkeeper again from the penalty spot. — AFP