JOHANNESBURG (AFP) – Leading African football nations Ghana and Cameroon made shock early exits from the 2012 London Olympics qualifying competition Saturday.

Ghana came from behind to hold Sudan 1-1 in sweltering Khartoum but could not undo the damage of a 1-0 first-leg loss at home two weeks ago despite bolstering the team with Europe-based professionals.

Cameroon were left to rue a missed first-leg penalty as they lost a Dar es Salaam thriller 2-1 after extra time and the subsequent penalty shooutout 4-3 to fall at the last-32 stage.

South Africa forced a 0-0 draw with Libya in Bamako — the match was moved to the Mali capital because of the conflict between pro- and anti-Moamer Kadhafi forces — and advanced on the strength of a 4-2 home victory.

Egypt, who have represented Africa a record 12 times at Olympic football tournaments since 1924, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Senegal and Tunisia also advanced to the third round scheduled for June.

Stung after conceding a stoppage-time match-winner in Accra, Ghana drafted in Spain-based Ransford Osei and Jonathan Mensah, Daniel Addo from Ukraine and Tunisia-based Saddick Adams.

But Sudan coach Mohammed Mudiheen said he was unpertubed by the move from opposite number David Duncan and a ninth-minute goal from Ramadan al-Agab settled home nerves.

Ghana levelled in the second half but the second goal that would have given them overall victory on the away-goal rule proved elusive in 35-degree celsius heat at Khartoum Stadium.

Cameroon came to Tanzania with a 2-1 advantage and stretched it through Frank Etiounde on 10 minutes only for senior international Kigi Makassy to equalise just 60 seconds later in qualifiers restricted to under-23 players.

Thomas Ulimwengu put the East Africans ahead midway through the second half while bringing the teams level on aggregate and the rest of regulation time plus 30 additional minutes failed to deliver a tie-breaker.

Only Innocent Wambura failed among the five Tanzanian penalty takers in the shootout while Patrick Abouna and Mouangue Otele could not convert their spot kicks for Cameroon and Dar es Salaam celebrated an unexpected triumph.

A Bakang Moeng brace had Egypt on the rack in Botswana before Mohsen Marwan scored the goal that edged the North Africans through despite a 2-1 reverse in Gaborone.

Whyrsse Idriss scored to earn Tunisia a 1-0 win in Malawi, two goals from Botayi Bamato steered DR Congo to a 3-1 home win over Burkina Faso and a 1-1 draw in Angola squeezed Senegal through on the away-goal rule.

A further six fixtures are slated for Sunday, the game between Liberia and Ivory Coast has been put back to April 20 because of the Ivorian unrest and Benin and Zambia have already qualified.

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