CAPE TOWN (Reuters) - Islam Slimani scored four goals as African champions Algeria hammered minnows Djibouti 8-0 in their World Cup qualifier in Blida on Thursday to make a winning start to their bid to reach next year’s finals in Qatar.

Burkina Faso and Benin both won away while Morocco, who were one of the five African countries at the last finals in Russia, posted a 2-0 home triumph over Sudan on Thursday.