Morocco are well-placed to compete in South Africa next January after a 1-0 away win over Tunisia via a late Abdessamad Mbarki goal.

Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso built leads at home in other matches while a FIFA ban forced Cameroon to cancel a fixture against Gabon.

Seeking a first appearance at the finals, Morocco snatched victory in the final minute when Mbarki finished off a swift counterattack.

Goalkeeper Farouk Ben Mustapha was the lone survivor from the Tunisian team that trounced Angola 3-0 to win the 2011 final in Sudan.

While most second legs are scheduled for the end of July, the Maghreb rivals meet again next weekend in coastal city Tangier.

Mali came from behind to overcome Guinea 3-1 in Bamako through goals from Moussa Kone, Cheick Doumbia and Drissa Traore.

Guinea, who squeezed past Sierra Leone on away goals in the preliminary round, went ahead on eight minutes through Sambegou Bangoura.

Yannick Gomis scored nine minutes after half-time to give favoured Senegal a 1-0 victory over minnows Mauritania in Dakar.

The Mauritanians beat Liberia home and away to reach the first round and are trying to reach the finals of a CAF competition for the first time.

A solitary goal also settled the match between Burkina Faso and Niger in Ouagadougou with substitute Issouf Kabore scoring for the home side.

FIFA banned Cameroon this week over state meddling in the running of football, leading to the cancellation of the fixture with Gabon in Yaounde.

Hosts South Africa are automatic participants in the 2014 tournament and will be joined by 15 nations after region-based qualifiers.(AFP)