African zone

Drogba goal lifts Cote d'Ivoire

BLANTYRE: Cote d'Ivoire secured a place at next year's World Cup finals in South Africa after Didier Drogba struck within two minutes of coming on to salvage a 1-1 draw with Malawi on Saturday.

Cote d'Ivoire, needing only a draw with the bottom-placed team in African qualifying Group E, had to come from behind after the hosts took a surprise 64th-minute lead through Jacob Ngwira.