NIGERIA survived a late Rwanda onslaught to force a 0-0 draw at Stade de Kigali on Wednesday in a 2013 Africa Cup of Nations first round qualifier.

The Super Eagles were playing their first competitive match under new coach Stephen Keshi and will be favoured to reach the final elimination round after the mid-June return match.

Keshi had warned his mix of local and overseas-based stars to expect a fierce battle at the 22000-seat ground in the Rwandan capital, and so it proved with the home team improved under new Serb coach Milutin Sredojevic.

Peter Odemwingie scored five goals in his past two English Premier League outings for West Bromwich Albion, but could no transfer his scoring touch to central Africa and was replaced by Ikechukwu Uche on the hour mark.

A superb solo goal from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting with time running out gave Cameroon a 1-0 victory in Guinea-Bissau with a team depleted by the absence of banned captain Samuel Eto'o and several injured stars.

Ugandan hopes of reaching the finals for the first time since 1978 received a jolt when they lost 3-1 away to Congo-Brazzaville and had Tony Mawejje sent off late in the match at Pointe-Noire.

There was no joy at home for Indian Ocean island teams with Madagascar crashing 4-0 to the Cape Verde Islands and the Seychelles slumping by the same score against Congo.

Ryan da Graca and Eduardo Gomes scored in the first half and Toni Varela twice in the closing stages as the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde devoured their opponents in Antananarivo.

Dioko Kaluyituka was the hat-trick star in Victoria for the Congolese, winners of the Cup of Nations in 1968 and 1974 but not among the top 30 African teams in the latest Fifa rankings.

Mabi Mputu was also on target for the visitors, who are banking on French coach Claude le Roy to lift them out of the doldrums after missing the last three Cup of Nations tournaments.

Kenya edged Togo 2-1 in Nairobi with James Situma putting the home team ahead, Razak Boukari levelling before half-time and Allan Wanga snatching the winner on 66 minutes for the Harambee Stars.

There was also a late winner in Bujumbura as Burundi defeated new-look Zimbabwe 2-1 with the decisive goal scored by South Africa-based defender Valery Nahayo against rivals lacking several regulars involved in a match-fixing probe.

Tanzania had to fight back for a 1-1 draw against Mozambique in Dar es Salaam with Cleusio Bauque scoring a superb solo goal for the Mambas and Mwinyi Kazimoto equalising.

A second-half brace from Leger Djime earned Chad a 3-2 victory over Malawi in N'Djamena. Ethiopia were held 0-0 by Benin in Addis Ababa. -Sapa-AFP