LUANDA: Angola came from a goal down to beat Niger 3-1 in their World Cup qualifier on Sunday but bowed out of the campaign in spite of finishing second in their group.

Angola, who were 1-0 down at half time, fell short of the points needed to finish among the eight best group runners-up who progress to the final phase of African qualifying along with the 12 group winners.

It is a major setback for Angola, who host the next African Nations Cup finals and were surprise finalists at the 2006 World Cup in Germany. Malam Moussa put Niger into a 20th minute lead in their final Africa zone Group Three game but an own goal from goalkeeper Daouda Kassali shortly after halftime began Angola’s fight back.

Gilberto and Ze Kalanga added goals in the 68th and the 73rd minute after Niger had been reduced to 10 men with the sending off of Lassina Abdoulkarim.

Angola’s win ended the outside hopes of group rivals Uganda, who had won 2-1 at home to Benin earlier on Sunday but it handed Mozambique a place in the final phase.

Sunday’s results: Group 2: Guinea 3 Kenya 2; Group 3: Angola 3 Niger 1; Uganda 2 Benin 1; Group 9: Burundi 1 Burkina Faso 3; Group 12: Egypt 4 Djibouti 0.