Gabon's win was great news for Zimbabwe

Gabon beat Sierra Leone 2-0 to end the Leone Stars' dream of qualifying for Tunisia 2004 - and send Zimbabwe's Warriors through for the first time in their history.

Sierra Leone needed a win from this match to qualify as the best-placed of the group runners-up, with Morocco already all but mathematical certainties to top Group 7.

But instead they capitulated to a team playing only for pride, and sent the Warriors, who finished second in Group 6 with 13 points, through instead

Gabon got their first goal after an error in the nervous Leone Stars defence allowed Bruno Zita Mbanangoye to score on 33 minutes.

And a second-half goal from Nde Mintsa pit the result beyond doubt.

The stunned Leone Stars were visibly distraught as they left the pitch at having missed out on the golden chance to make it through to Tunisia.

But across the continent in Zimbabwe, the final whistle was greeted with wild cheering.