7 Dec 2011

Gabon football team reach London Olympics

4:09 pm on 7 December 2011

The Gabon national football team will compete at the Olympic Games football tournament for the first time next year in London after a dramatic 1-0 win over Senegal in a Confederation of African Football under-23 championship semi-final.

The winner came in the final minute of extra time in Moroccan city Tangiers, Andre Biyogho Poko of Bordeaux heading home a corner.

Morocco host Egypt on Thursday in the other semi-final in Marrakech with another place at the London Olympics up for grabs while the losers face Senegal on Sunday for third place and a third ticket to the Games.

Whichever country loses the play-off gets yet another chance to qualify for the quadrennial multi-sport showcase in a play-off next April against an Asian nation.