Titles were won in Côte d’Ivoire, Sudan and Zimbabwe by teams familiar with the top of the table, while the league race in Kenya is down to the final week with all to play for.
Tunisia’s Esperance and Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca had the better of their last four pairings to set up a North African derby for the final of Africa’s biggest club competition.
Esperance are through to the CAF Champions League final after a 2-0 home victory against Al-Hilal completed a 3-0 aggregate success for the Tunisian side.
Four teams desperate to lift the continent’s biggest club trophy have opportunities to reach the final this weekend as the second leg of the CAF Champions League semi-finals play out with a narrow margin in each.
Nigeria and South Africa will join Egypt and Cameroon on the outside of the continental championship as they both stumbled at home, while the likes of Niger and Libya confirmed unlikely spots in the finals.
2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations
A dramatic day of 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifying action ended with elimination for Nigeria and South Africa, while Angola, Ghana and Tunisia were among those who ensured themselves a place at the tournament.
