Guinea-Bissau came from behind to defeat Zambia 2-1 at the National Stadium in Bissau on Sunday and go three points clear at the top of Group K in the race for a spot at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations.
Justin Shonga silenced the capacity 20,000 home crowd with a delightful free-kick inside 12 minutes but Stoppila Sunzu scored an own-goal soon early in the second half before Toni Silva nodded in the winner just past the hour mark.
Guinea-Bissau top the table with seven points from four matches and Namibia and Mozambique, who play in Windhoek Tuesday, and Zambia have four each.
Zambia started the match on the front foot and should have taken the lead in the 8th minute but Shonga fired straight at goalkeeper Jonas Mendes when it seemed easier to score.
The same player however made amends four minutes later and it was a goal the legendary Kalusha Bwalya would be proud of. After the marauding Enock Mwepu was brought down near the the edge of the box, Shonga stepped up to bend the ball into the top corner, leaving Mendez with no chance.
It was the Orlando Pirates striker’s second goal from a direct free-kick in three matches and his third consecutive goal in the 2019 Afcon qualifying campaign.
Guinea-Bissau thought they had equalised after 34 minutes, but Frederic Mendy was adjudged to have fouled goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene as he nodded a cross into the net.
The home side did draw level on 53 minutes when a Piqueti ‘Brito’ Silva cross was deflected by Sunzu past Mweene at the near post.
South Africa-based Silva struck eight minutes later, powerfully heading a free-kick from captain Jose ‘Zezinho’ Lopes into the corner of the net.
Shonga had a late chance to level, but blazed wide from inside the box to leave Zambia in danger of missing successive Cup of Nations tournaments.
It was the first competitive loss for Belgium-born Zambia coach Sven Vandenbroeck after a draw in Namibia last month and the home win over Guinea-Bissau.