Borssia Dortmund’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang brings Gabon some African 2018 World Cup joy

Aubameyang converted his penalty shootout kick as Gabon became the first team to reach the third round of African 2018 World Cup qualifying. Gabon beat Mozambique 4-3 on penalties following extra time in Libreville.

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, shown here playing with Dortmund, converted his penalty shootout kick Saturday as Gabon became the first team to reach the third round of African 2018 World Cup qualifying. Show more

Johannesburg // Bundesliga star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang converted his penalty shootout kick Saturday as Gabon became the first team to reach the third round of African 2018 World Cup qualifying.

Gabon beat Mozambique 4-3 on penalties following extra time in Libreville after Gabon won 1-0 to level the second-round tie at 1-1 on aggregate.

Aubameyang, who has scored 22 goals from 20 appearances for Borussia Dortmund in all competitions this season, missed the 1-0 away loss to Mozambique three days ago due to injury.

He did not score during the 120-minute second leg, but set up the only goal for Malick Evouna after four minutes at Stade L’amitie Sino Gabonaise.

A crowd that included President Ali Bongo Ondimba saw Aubameyang dart down the left side and cross for Evouna to calmly fire the ball past goalkeeper Soarito and several defenders.

Soarito produced several fine saves before Mozambique came close to equalising seconds from the end of regular time when Gildo struck the base of the post..

After 30 tense, unexciting minutes of extra time, Gabon goalkeeper Didier Ovono saved two shootout kicks before Aubameyang hammered his high into the left corner.

A further five second legs are scheduled for Sunday and 14 for Tuesday.

Updated African 2018 World Cup second round qualifying results Saturday

Second leg

At Libreville

Gabon 1 (Evouna 4) Mozambique 0 aet

Gabon win 4-3 on penalties after 1-1 aggregate tie

First legs

At Addis Ababa

Ethiopia 3 (Gibeto 41, Fekadu 82, Bekele 90+1) Congo Brazzaville 4 (Bifouma 43, Nguessi 63, Ndinga 75, Binguila 81)

At Dar es Salaam

Tanzania 2 (Maguri 43, Samatta 55) Algeria 2 (Slimani 72, 75)

At N’Djamena

Chad 1 (N’Douassel 73) Egypt 0

At Francistown, Botswana

Botswana 2 (Gadibolae 14, Mogorosi 23) Mali 1 (Sow 56)

Played Friday

At Antananarivo

Madagascar 2 (Andriatsima 27, Rakotoharimalala 59) Senegal 2 (Diouf 71, Mane 81)

At Mitsamiouli, Comoros

Comoros 0 Ghana 0

At Nairobi

Kenya 1 (Olunga 9) Cape Verde 0

At Sfax, Tunisia

Libya 1 (Saleh 48-pen) Rwanda 0

Note: post-Moamer Kadhafi-era violence prevented fixture being staged in Libya

At Benguela, Angola

Angola 1 (Gelson 2) South Africa 3 (Rantie 14, Gabuza 20, Jali 82-pen)

At Niamey

Niger 0 Cameroon 3 (M’bia 36, Aboubakar 39, Salli 40)

At Monrovia

Liberia 0 Ivory Coast 1 (Cyriac 44)

At Nouakchott

Mauritania 1 (N’Diaye 22) Tunisia 2 (Khazri 62, Chikhaoui 68)

At Lobamba, Swaziland

Swaziland 0 Nigeria 0

Played Thursday

At Bujumbura

Burundi 2 (Amissi 38, 83) Democratic Republic of Congo 3 (Bolasie 5, Mubele 86, 88)

At Windhoek

Namibia 0 Guinea 1 (N. Keita 27)

At Cotonou

Benin 2 (Sessegnon 45-pen, Bello 84) Burkina Faso 1 (Nakoulma 51)

At Lome

Togo 0 Uganda 1 (Ochaya 40)

At Agadir, Morocco

Morocco 2 (El Arabi 30, Bammou 66) Equatorial Guinea 0

Played Wednesday

At Maputo

Mozambique 1 (H. Pelembe 55) Gabon 0

At Merowe, Sudan

Sudan 0 Zambia 1 (Kalengo 28)

Second legs: Nov 15, 17

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