[WORLD CUP 2010 QUALIFYING] Tragedy struck on the opening weekend of play in the second round of World Cup 2010 qualifying in Africa when at least eight fans died of suffocation in a rush to enter an overcrowded Samuel K. Doe Stadium in the Liberian capital of Monrovia, where the Lone Star hosted Gambia on Sunday.

According to reports, the trouble was caused by the sale of fraudulent tickets that left many fans who had legitimately bought tickets unable to enter the stadium, whose gates were closed by United Nations peacekeepers, stationed in Liberia since the end of the country's civil war, more than two hours before kickoff when they realized the stadium was already beyond capacity. Fans were crushed and suffocated in melees outside the gates.

The game went ahead, and Liberia and Gambia played to a 1-1 tie. D.C. United's Francis Doe came on as a substitute for Liberia. New England Revolution forward Kenny Mansally was on the Gambia bench.

The big surprise of the first day was Burkina's 2-1 win at Tunisia. Yssouf Kone scored twice in the last nine minutes for the win.

The biggest win was recorded by Malawi's Flames, who crushed Djibouti, 8-1, only 10 days after its coach, former New York area coach Stephen Constantine, quit and was replaced by Kinnah Phiri.

AFRICA
Group 1
May 31
Cameroon 2 (R.Song 8, Eto'o pen. 55) Cape Verde Islands 0.
Tanzania 1 (Mrwanda 70) Mauritius 1 (Marquette 39).

Group 2
May 31
Namibia 2 (Risser 17, Khaiseb 89) Kenya 1 (Watende 40).
June 1
Guinea 0 Zimbabwe 0.

Group 3
May 31
Uganda 1 (Sekgaya 56) Niger 0.
June 1
Angola 3 (Flavio 60, Job 78, Mendonca 84) Benin 0.

Group 4
June 1
Equatorial Guinea 2 Sierra Leone 0.
June 1
Nigeria 2 (I.Uche 10, Nwaneri 45) South Africa 0.

Group 5
June 1
Ghana 3 (Tagoe 15, Agogo 55, Kingston 64) Libya 0.

Group 6
May 31
Senegal 1 (Faye 79) Algeria 0.
June 1
Liberia 1 (Makor 81) Gambia 1 (Jarju 17).

Group 7
May 31
Botswana 0 Madagascar 0.
June 1
Ivory Coast 1 Mozambique 0

Group 8
June 1
Rwanda 3 (Karekezi 15, Said pen. 60, Kamana Bokota 75) Mauritania 0.

Group 9
June 1
Burundi 0 Seychelles 0.
Tunisia 1 (Belaid 38) Burkina Faso 2 (Kone 81, 87).

Group 10
June 1
Mali 4 Congo 2

Group 11
May 31
Togo 1 (Olufae 16) Zambia 0.

Group 12
May 31
Malawi 8 (Kafoteka 2, Kanyenda 21, 46, 49, Chavula 80, Ngambi 88, Mkandawire 90) Djibouti 1 (Hassan 24).
June 1
Egypt 2 (Zaki 68, Abdelmalk 80) DR Congo 1 (Ilunga 44).

ASIA
Group 1
June 1
Australia 1 (Kewell 47) Iraq 0.
Standings: Australia 7 points; Qatar 3; China 2; Iraq 1.

Group 3
May 31
South Korea 2 (Park Ji Sung 39, Park Chu Young pen. 48) Jordan 2 (Mahmoud 73, 80).
Standings: South Korea 5; Jordan, North Korea 4; Turkmenistan 0.