Cameroon qualified for the African Nations Cup finals as they kept up their 100 percent record in the qualifiers with a 2-1 home triumph over Rwanda in Garoua on Sunday.

Cameroon , four-times winners of the continent's top footballing prize, overcame scorching temperatures in only their second international in the northern town as well as the absence of key striker Samuel Eto'o.

With Eto'o playing for Barcelona in Sunday's Primera Liga decider, his replacement Mohamadou Idrissou opened the scoring in the 34th minute of the Group Five game.

Geremi added the second with a trademark free kick bulleted in from some 30 metres out three minutes into the second half.

Cameroon had to endure an nervous last few minutes after Jimmy Gatete pulled one back for the bottom-placed Rwandans in the 78th minute.

The result left the other match in the group - a 0-0 draw between Liberia and Equatorial Guinea, relatively meaningless.

The match, in which both teams rattled the woodwork but were unable to find a way through, and which was partly played in a downpour that wrecked what chance of a spectacle there may have been - means that Equatorial Guinea do, however, have an outside chance of going through as one of the best-placed group runners-up.

Also, Nigeria qualified for the finals of the African Nations Cup with a 3-1 win over Niger - but they were made to work for it by their neighbors.

The Super Eagles, who maintain their lead with 12 points, should beat Lesotho at home and qualify as Group 3 winners.

But even finishing second will not prevent them filling one of three slots reserved for the best runners-up.

Niger held Nigeria's famous attack - which included England-based strikers Kanu, Obafemi Martins and Yakubu Aiyegbeni - at bay until just before half time, when Kanu headed in Onyekachi Okonkwo's cross.

But Niger came out fighting after the break, and midway through the second half got their reward when Kamilou Daouda headed in.

Parity was restored for barely more than a minute, however, before Nigeria went back in front through a penalty.

Osaze's corner kick caused all sorts of confusion in the Niger defense, and the referee spotted a handball during the resulting melee.

Taiye Taiwo stepped up and converted.

But Niger still kept pressing, and Nigeria were not allowed to relax until Yakubu Aiyegbeni beat the Nigerien defense to slot past a helpless Rabo in the Niger goal.