HomeSportAfrica’s giants battle for World Cup berth

Africa’s giants battle for World Cup berth

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THE World Cup qualifying playoff draw for African nations has been conducted, with the 10 teams still standing.

We know that either Mohamed Salah or Sadio Mane will not be present in Qatar after Egypt and Senegal were pitted against one another in the Douala draw.

Heavyweights Ivory Coast and South Africa were already out of the running, while major African stars, such as Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Sebastien Haller and Naby Keita, already know that they’ll miss out on next year’s global showpiece after failing in the group stage.

ESPN predicts which five sides will represent Africa at the World Cup later this year.

Algeria vs Cameroon

The former African champions are coming off the back of a miserable Africa Cup of Nations in which they were bombed out in the group stage, but they still look well-placed to reach Qatar.

Algeria didn’t have things their own way during qualifying, dropping points in both fixtures against Burkina Faso, but they were hardly going to be tested by Niger or Djibouti.

They started the campaign with an 8-0 demolition of poor little Djibouti, and would go on to score a further 14 goals in their three other fixtures against the two smaller teams in the group.

Problems have since set in, notably their inability to finish teams off at the AFCON, and Algeria can no longer be considered Africa’s ‘team to beat’.

That’s been done; their undefeated streak was ended by lowly Equatorial Guinea at 35 matches although a team that didn’t lose for three years can’t just lose their qualities overnight.

Across their first two AFCON matches, Algeria registered more possession, more shots per game and more chances created than any other side, and boast quality in abundance.

Senegal vs Egypt

The Salah vs Mane showdown dominated headlines in the immediate aftermath of the draw, and, indeed, tension in the Anfield dressing room aside their pair of meetings in March should be mouth-watering affairs.

From a broader African perspective, it’s a shame indeed that two of the continent’s three outstanding players will have to compete for one place at the World Cup, with one of them guaranteed to be absent from the grandest stage of all.

Currently Africa’s top ranked team in the FIFA World Rankings, Senegal, are just outside the world’s top 20 right now, and 2022 can still be a magnificent year for them despite their slow start at the AFCON.

Indeed, the Teranga Lions will be hoping that this year is the culmination of a long period of progress and a fine cycle under Aliou Cisse.

They missed the 2013 Nations Cup, were dumped out in the group stage in 2015, were eliminated on penalties in the quarterfinals in 2017, and were then defeated finalists two years later.

In between, they also reached the 2018 World Cup, and only missed out on the knockout stages due to an inferior disciplinary record.

They will have learned from those experiences, and are now targeting the African title and their first ever consecutive World Cup qualification.

Morroco vs Democratic Republic of the Congo

Morocco will be wary of the DRC — and an away day in Lubumbashi – after being pitted against the Leopards, but they should have enough to reach the World Cup.

The Atlas Lions are coming off the back of an outstanding group stage in the qualifying campaign in which they won all six matches and registered a +19 goal difference.

Morocco eased into the playoffs, and are currently the only team in the global World Cup qualifying campaign to still have a 100-percent record at this stage of the proceedings. This was even despite finding themselves wrapped up in a military coup ahead of their second group game – in Conakry – back in September.

What’s more impressive is that this campaign has come against a backdrop of some tension and turmoil within the squad, with star man Hakim Ziyech axed by Vahid Halilhodzic after a series of disagreements between the pair.

Tunisia vs Mali

Prediction: Mali; This double-header represents a massive opportunity for Mali and Tunisia, both of whom will be delighted with the draw.

Tunisia have reached five World Cups, but look the most vulnerable of the top seeds, even if they did neutralise and eliminate Nigeria from the Nations Cup on Sunday.

They are certainly beatable opponents for Mali, who are the only African side left standing in the qualifying campaign never to have reached the World Cup before.

Nigeria vs Ghana

Rounding off the quintet is Nigeria, even though both of these West African giants must dust themselves off after bruising exits at the AFCON.

The Super Eagles romped through the AFCON group stage, taking maximum points, but folded when up against a Tunisian wall in the last 16, and are set to face an inquisition upon their return to West Africa.

Nigeria still have a few things in their favour, and must use the Nations Cup group stage as a reference point under new coach Jose Peseiro, who’s set to replace interim boss Augustine Eguavoen after the tournament. Though, a high-ranking source told ESPN that Eguavoen could well keep the job… but that was before they lost in the Last 16.

Victor Osihhen will return to the side having missed the tournament, and has the quality to be the finest African striker of his generation, while he spearheads a supporting cast that includes the likes of Alex Iwobi, Kelechi Iheanacho, Taiwo Awoniyi, Samuel Kalu, Samuel Chukwueze and Moses Simon. -ESPN

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