Ivory Coast and DR Congo recorded opening group wins in 2018 World Cup qualifiers across Africa on Saturday, as South Africa conceded a late equaliser in Burkina Faso.

Ivory Coast beat Mali 3-1 to go top of Group C after Gabon and Morocco had earlier drawn 0-0.

DR Congo thrashed Libya in Group A, winning 4-0 in Kinshasa with Dieumerci Mbokani scoring twice.

Burkina Faso hit a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with South Africa in Group D.

The reigning African champions, Ivory Coast, took on Mali in Group C in Bouake with a largely new generation of players in the post Toure-brothers era.

The hosts were put under pressure after just 18 minutes when Sambou Yatabare scored to give Mali a 1-0 lead.

It took eight minutes for Ivory Coast to level the match, with Aston Villa forward Jonathan Kodjia scoring an equaliser.

Five minutes later, the Ivorians went 2-1 up after Mali's Salif Coulibaly struck into his own net.

Ivory Coast took a commanding 3-1 lead in the 34th minute when Gervinho (pictured), one of the few existing members of Ivory Coast's so-called "golden generation" volleyed in to put his side top of Group C, above Gabon and Morocco who drew 0-0 in Franceville earlier.

Gabon, hosts of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations, were left frustrated by Morocco at home.

They looked to their Borussia Dortmund talisman, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, to conjure up a winner and he came closest to scoring in the 68th minute, only to see his header cleared off the line by Moroccan goalkeeper, Munir.

In Group A, the Democratic Republic of Congo looked in firm control as they convincingly beat Libya 4-0.

Dieumerci Mbokani got the first of his two goals in the sixth minute with Jonathan Bolingi adding a second on the stroke of half-time.

Mbokani grabbed his second after 56 minutes to make it 3-0 to DR Congo, with substitute Ndombe Mubele adding a fourth late on for the hosts.

Tunisia host Guinea in the other Group A game on Sunday.

In other 2018 World Cup qualifying matches on Saturday, Burkina Faso missed two penalties but did manage to grab an injury-time equaliser as they drew 1-1 with South Africa in their Group D match in Ouagadougou.

Jonathan Pitroipa had the chance to put Burkina Faso 1-0 up in the 10th minute from the penalty spot, but South African goal-keeper Itumeleng Khune saved the spot-kick to keep his team in the match.

It remained 0-0 until the 80th minute when South Africa took the lead through Dean Furman against the run of play.

Burkina Faso got a second penalty of the game with Alain Traore stepping up to take it, but he missed from the spot.

South Africa and their coach Shakes Mashaba were denied a victory when Banou Diawara scored in the 91st minute for Burkina Faso to make it 1-1.

Lazio striker Keita Balde scored one and assisted the other as Senegal claimed a 2-0 win over Cape Verde in their opening Group D 2018 Fifa World Cup qualifier at the Stade Leopold Sedar Senghor in Dakar on Saturday.

Arguably Africa's most inform team at the moment, the Teranga Lions made light work of the Blue Sharks as they continued where they left off - having registered six wins in six fixtures in their successful 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.

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