managed to watch only a handful of games this weekend. Note to self – do not schedule appointments with the girlfriend on CAF/FIFA windows. Aaaaaaaaaaaaargh. Guinea showed that it you can win away from home and in grand style. Nigeria got the result which mattered, also on the road. Mali without Kanoute and Diarra – no problem. A lot of teams impressed me this weekend; a few served me humble pies. Kudos to Chad for getting their first point of the qualifiers – away from home. I watched Mozambique play for the first time ever against Senegal, and I would love to watch them some more. African football is really exciting if you can get the means to watch games, and there are a lot of subplots and interesting stories behind the scenes.
Team of Round 5 has to be Guinea.
Does anyone know who the top scorer is in these qualifiers? I’d like to know.
Group 1
CIV - 9
Gabon - 6
Madagascar - 0
Madagascar [0 - 2] Gabon
The weekend started off horribly for the Panthers of Gabon when striker Henry Antchouet (Larissa – Greece) was handed a 2-year competition ban for cocaine use. Alain Giresse’s men camped in Reunion for 10 days prior to heading to Madagascar. The Panthers played a friendly against the host country and won 0-3. You’re forgiven if you were not aware that this game took place because Reunion Island is not a member of FIFA and is therefore not eligible to enter either the World Cup or the African Nations Cup. The Gabonese arrived in Antananarivo on Friday and beat the islanders on Sunday. Goals were by Georges Akiremy (Inter – Angola) and Elvis Eva Kedy (Celtic Bloemfontein – RSA). It appears that Cote d’Ivoire, which did not play this weekend, has already qualified, UNLESS the Gabonese can beat Les Elephants by a score of 12-0 in Libreville, to account for the goal difference. Stranger things have happened on final match days as evidenced recently in Ghana’s lower divisions.
Group 2
Egypt - 8
Botswana - 7
Burundi - 6
Mauritania - 4
Botswana [2-1] Mauritania
Burundi [X - X] Egypt ppd
Mauritania went to Gaborone full of high hopes after drawing with Egypt two weeks ago. The Zebras of Botswana were hoping to avenge the 4-0 loss to the Mauritanians nine months earlier. Heading into this round, the blue and white of Botswana, ranked 105th in the latest rankings, were in last place in this group needing a win to take them to within 1 point of Egypt, whose match against Burundi was postponed. The head coach of Botswana is Colwyn Rowe, a Briton who had no prior head coaching experience; he was an English FA Instructor and a TD for the Jordanian national team. I guess those are satisfactory qualifications to coach a team that has never qualified for the ANC. The Zebras controlled the game and two goals in the first half ensured them the points. Online reports suggest Modiri Marumo (Botswana Defence Forces XI) scored the first goal but I am quite skeptical as he is the goalkeeper. Star striker Diphetogo Selolwane, captain of Santos (the South African team, not the one in Brazil as the BBC would have you believe) netted the second. A late consolation goal from Yohan Langlet (FC Vaduz – Liechtenstein; the team actually plays in the Swiss 2nd Division) was not enough for the visitors.
Egypt has to face Burundi and then play Botswana. No sweat, as the current champions should collect maximum points. (I said the same before the Egyptians traveled to Mauritania, and they only managed a draw there)
Group 3
Nigeria - 12
Uganda - 8
Niger - 4
Lesotho - 4
Lesotho [x-x] Uganda
Niger [1-3] Nigeria
Just when this group was starting to get interesting, there had to be a postponement. Long story short, the officials for the Lesotho/Uganda game got held up in South Africa on transit visa issues. By the time the trio of Victor Mwadike, Charles Ndagala and Harris Chang’walu arrived in Maseru it was too late for the game to be played in daylight. The floodlights at the stadium had not been tested so the decision was made to postpone the match after the Ugandans refused to accept the change in officiating. I still go by my earlier prediction of this game being a draw.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria, after some lackluster performances recently, traveled to Niger and came back with the ticket to Ghana 2008. This was Nigeria’s biggest margin of victory in the qualifiers, and as I type I am watching the men in orange of Niger’s Mena struggle against the might of Aiyegbeni (Middlesbrough), Kanu (Portsmouth) and newcomer Onyekachi Okwonkwo (Orlando Pirates). The opener was a Kanu masterpiece, out jumping the Nigerien defenders and heading over goalkeeper Saminou Rabo, caught in no-man’s land. Kanu is one of those players whom you don’t want to leave out of the Super Eagles lineup. In the previous match against Uganda, he was provider for the only goal scored in open play and today he was finisher. The Nigerians added a second through a Taye Taiwo (Marseiile) penalty shortly after the home side equalized with a brilliant header. Aiyegbeni added a third for the visitors to ensure that their final game against Lesotho would be academic. The Super Eagles are currently in a transitional stage as exemplified by this Ugandan proverb – even the mightiest of eagles comes down to the tree tops to rest. Three consecutive bronze medals at the ANC and failure to make the WC have been followed by a string of unimpressive results in these qualifiers.
Group 4
Tunisia - 13
Sudan - 12
Seychelles - 3
Mauritius - 1
Tunisia [2-0] Mauritius
Seychelles [0-2] Sudan
As predicted, this group will go down to the wire. The top teams share similar stats – played 5, won 4, scored 10 goals each. What separates the Carthage Eagles from second-placed Sudan is a win last year in which the visiting Sudanese were unlucky to concede a late own goal. Both teams won by the same score this past weekend, setting up a finale in Khartoum in September. I will expound on the Sudanese NT in my next write up, have to do some research on this exciting team.
Desert Hawks v Carthage Eagles: who will triumph?
Group 5
Cameroon - 15
Equatorial Guinea - 7
Liberia - 4
Rwanda - 3
Cameroon [2-1] Rwanda
Liberia [0-0] Equatorial Guinea
Played 5, won 5, scored 13; what more could one ask of Arie Haan’s men? Africa’s number 1 is the second team to have won all their games and seem to have put the disappointment of October 8th 2005 behind them. King Eto’o was missing for the encounter against Rwanda but that did not stop the Lions from roaring against the Wasps, who are ranked 122 in the latest FIFA list. Surprisingly their only drawn games this year are in friendlies against Togo and Central African Republic. I get the feeling the Indomitable Lions are gathering momentum for the Nations Cup where their recent accomplishments reads Champions (2000, 2002), Quarterfinals (2004, 2006). The goals in the Rwandan encounter, played in the north-west town of Garoua, were courtesy of Mohamadou Iddrisou (MSV Duisburg) and Geremi Njitap (Chelsea). The German-based Iddrisou has 4 goals in this campaign – I’ll have to check if he is the top scorer in the qualifiers. The Rwandans fought back and pulled one back through Jimmy Gatete (Armee Patriotique Rwandaise FC). It appears Arie Haan is grooming some new faces into the NT as there are some names I did not recognize in the 21-man list. The ILs have the opportunity to make it 6 for 6 when they host second-place Equatorial Guinea in September.
Group 6
Angola - 13
Eritrea - 8
Kenya - 4
Swaziland - 2
Eritrea [1-0] Kenya
Angola [3-0] Swaziland
Dear Palancas Negras. Thank you for showing us that 2006 was no fluke. In 3 matches in 2007, they have scored ten goals and conceded two. Let’s see how they perform in their fourth appearance at the ANC. Do remember that the 2010 ANC will be held in Angola. We could all go visit and hang around the region for the World Cup. Unconfirmed reports suggested Edson Arantes do Nascimento was at the game, as he was in the country on a charity event. If he did indeed witness the 3-0 score line at the Cidadela Stadium, the great one would probably proclaim Angola a future WC winner. Angola’s goals were scored by captain Paulo Figueiredo (Osters IF), Arsenio Cabungula (better known as Love - AS Aviacao) and Flavio Amado (Al Ahly)
Is Bernard Lama still coaching Kenya or did Ghost Mulee get his job back? It’s been a while since I’ve kept track of the Kenyan football scene. From the little I recall Kenya is poor when playing away from home; their last away victory was in October 2002 against Cape Verde. This game was not going to be easy for the Harambee Stars especially without the services of Dennis Oliech (Nantes) due to injury. The Eritreans did the double on the visiting Kenyans, having won 1-2 in Nairobi last year. Eritrea go into the final round of qualifiers in Swaziland where a victory will give them 11 points, which may just be enough to qualify as one of the three second-place finishers. We shall see.
Group 7
Senegal - 8
Tanzania - 8
Mozambique - 6
Burkina Faso - 4
Mozambique [0-0] Senegal
Burkina Faso [0-1] Tanzania
Mozambique v Senegal was going to be a delight to watch solely to witness how many goals the visiting Teranga Lions would put past their hosts. They arrived in Maputo from Blantyre where they’d beaten the Malawians 2-3 in a friendly last weekend. The Senegalese had won all three previous meetings against the Black Mambas so it was only natural that the trend would continue. After 3 rounds of qualifiers, Mozambique was in last place. Now they are one win short of topping the group and possibly making it to their first ANC in ten years. The great Eusebio was in town, but alluded that it was to see family and friends. The last time Senegal played in Maputo (October 1992 for the WC94 Qualifiers) they left town with 3 points. Watching Mozambique dominate Senegal was a shock and a wake up call that there really are no more minnows in Africa (well, except Sierra Leone but that’s for later). The match highlighted that Senegal sans Henri Camara, El Hadj Diouf and Papa Bouba Diop is a very ordinary team. The hosts were lacking finishers or else the result would have meant Mozambique topping the group. Senegal has the edge in this group as they host lowly Burkina Faso on the last day of qualifiers which should be a breeze as the Burkinabes are winless in 2007.
Tanzania went to Ouagadougou in a do-or-die match on Saturday, came back with a win, and they are this close to their first ANC appearance since 1980. This is the same team that was spanked 4-0 by Senegal a few months ago upon returning from a six week camp of South America. After this encounter Brazilian Marcio Maximo’s men were mobbed on arrival in the capital city and were promised a cash bonus of $64,000 - amount to be shared by coach and team. I won’t even delve into whose pockets will be lined with this bonus.
Group 8
Guinea - 8
Algeria - 8
Gambia - 5
Cape Verde - 5
Algeria [0-2] Guinea
Cape Verde [0-0] Gambia
In the days leading to the Algeria v Guinea encounter, Guinean coach Robert Nouzaret told an Algerian sports journal that his team had NO CHANCE against the Algerians, after watching the Algeria-Argentina game from the week before. Nice way to make your hosts feel like they have the game won. The Guineans camped in Marseille en route to Algiers, where a win would put them in the driver’s seat going into the final round. This was one of the few matches I watched, and what surprised me most was that the Algerians got only one yellow card in this temper-filled game. Moroccan referee Mohamed El Guezzaz (I remember this guy from the South Africa (0-2) Ghana game a few years ago) was officiating one of his final games before retirement and he made the game flow, but to the detriment of the Syli National players.
The home side got a gift before half-time when Guinean GK Naby Diraso (clubless I believe) spilled a free kick into the path of Mehdi Meniri (Bastia) who had to simply slot home. He chose the more difficult option of hitting the post. Moments later the visitors opened the scoring from a textbook move which began when Ismael Bangoura (Le Mans) and Pascal Feindouno (Saint Etienne) played a lovely one-two and the former crossed for Fode Mansare (Toulouse) to slot home and silence the 80,000 spectators. Right on half-time, a long range free kick from the Guinean half bounced over Algerian GK Samir Hadjaoui (ESS) and fell into the path of Souleymane Youla (Lille) but his first touch hit the post. Another instance where it was easier to score than miss. The visitors put the game to rest in the dying minutes with a brilliant strike by captain Feindouno. (why does he wear the #2 jersey when he’s a striker? Who cares about jersey numbers these days). I had predicted a draw, but after watching the Guineans execute their game plan, they deserved the win. An exciting match in which both teams squandered several chances and I hope they both qualify for the Nations Cup. In the next round, Guinea host Cape Verde and Algeria travels to Gambia.
Group 9
Mali – 9
Togo - 9
Benin - 8
Sierra Leone - 1
Benin [4-1] Togo
Mali [6-0] Sierra Leone
I could not wait to write about this group, as I got my predictions horribly wrong here. Let’s just say any one of Togo, Benin and Mali could go through on the final round of qualifiers. To summarize what the contenders need to do:
Togo – beat Mali and they are through. If they draw, they better hope that Benin falters in Freetown
Mali – beat Togo. Recall Kanoute, Diarra and anyone else who had to put club over country this past weekend due to useless FIFA ruling.
Benin – beat Sierra Leone and hope for a Togo/Mali draw.
Sierra Leone – just show up.
The Hawks of Togo have led this group since Round 1 and to go out on the final day would be a real blow to Stephan Keshi’s troops. There is still infighting in the camp with Sheyi Adebayor (Arsenal) and Coubadja Kader (Guingamp) in one corner, and the FTF in the other. Ade and Kader trained with the team all week but did not stay in the same hotel as their team mates. They refused to travel the 160km road trip to Benin on Saturday afternoon because they have not been officially reinstated into the national team after their suspension. That is just one side of the story. Now it’s easy to say “forget about them”, however Adebayor is a key figure in the NT. He was the overall top scorer in the WC Qualifiers in a group featuring the likes of Senegal and Mali. Another school of thought would be to forget the Arsenal man as he’s never far from controversy – remember his days at Monaco? Come on guys, sort yourselves out.
Togo got thumped and I did not expect it. I don’t recall ever watching Benin, although I have been keeping tabs on Stephane Sessegnon whom I expect to make it big at Le Mans in Ligue 1. This must be Benin’s second biggest win since the 4-0 thrashing of Tanzania four years ago. Their only appearance in the ANC was in 2002 when The Squirrels lost all their matches and registered a lone goal. Their most famous export is well respected African referee Coffi Codja who officiated at last summer’s WC.
If Togo got thumped, then there are no words to describe what happened to the Leone Stars in Bamako. Sierra Leone could potentially boast of foreign exports such as Nigel Reo-Coker, Liam Rosenior (whose father is the head coach) and Carlton Cole. None were on the team list when they faced the Malian firing squad. The game could have ended 10-0 in favour of the hosts but for a few heroics by the Leone Stars GK, Christian Coker. It was men v boys as the men in green and yellow were camped in one half of the field. Embarrassing game to watch courtesy of maliweb.com. While Mahamadou Diarra was scoring for Real Madrid to secure the Spanish title, Djibril Sidibe, Seydou Keita (twice), Mamadou Diallo, Lassana Diallo and Bassala Toure were doing it in Bamako. I caught very few glimpses of the Mali GK, that’s how one-sided this match was. Well done Mali. It will be tougher in Lome in September
Group 10
DR Congo - 8
Libya - 7
Namibia - 7
Ethiopia – 6
Namibia [1-1] DR Congo
Libya [3 - 1] Ethiopia
It is now officially the GoD; with one game to play, any of the teams could top the group although my money is on the Leopards of Congo. Namibia is the surprise of this group as they have not featured on my radar. The Brave Warriors are coached by no-nonsense Ben Bamfuchile who has instilled discipline in his charges by removing certain players who have aired their grievances to the local press. Going into the 5th round, the Namibians had won their home games and lost away from home, placing them second behind the Congolese. In the same fixture last year, the Congolese triumphed 3-2, however the Namibians were without Collin Benjamin (Hamburg) and Meraai Swartbooi. DR Congo were embroiled in a pay dispute this past week and were STILL missing the services of Shabani Nonda (Blackburn Rovers), who has not played any part in the qualifiers. What gives! The Congolese are team that could dominate Africa if their entire foreign legion played for their birth country instead of suiting up for France or Belgium. The current Leopards arrived in Windhoek the day before the match where they met with their president Joseph Kabila, returning home from a trip to South Africa. Reports suggest that His Excellency diffused the pay dispute with the players and encouraged them to get the win in Windhoek. The visitors were on their way to collecting the much needed away win when Zola Matumona (FC Brussels) opened the scoring from a threaded pass by Lomana Tresor Lua Lua (Portsmouth). A substitution by coach Bamfuchile yielded results as the home side started exerting their superiority. On 38 minutes, gangly defender Michael Pienaar rose head and shoulders above everyone and headed home the equalizer.
Group 11
South Africa - 11
Congo - 8
Zambia - 6
Chad - 1
Zambia [1-1] Chad
Congo [1 - 1] South Africa
Zambia hosted a Chad team which had lost all its previous encounters by at least 3 goals and was made up of mostly new players. A win would keep them close to group leaders South Africa. The Chipolopolo prepared for this encounter by playing a friendly against Tanzania last weekend which ended in a draw. The Sao of Chad arrived in Lusaka on Wednesday and refused to travel the 200km to the Copperbelt region by road as suggested by their hosts. Eventually a ZAF aircraft was secured for the visitors. (Do I need to add that African teams playing away from home are not afforded the most comfortable reception?) The game itself was brought forward by an hour to avert a repeat of the June 2 stampede that left a dozen people dead. Collins Mbesuma, currently clubless after his year-long loan spell in Portugal with Maritimo, was hoping to end his 2 year goal drought for the NT – his last goal was against Mali on June 18, 2005. A game of two halves saw the Chadians surprisingly open the scoring through Kedigul Hillaire after 12 minutes and Collins Mbesuma equalize for the home side with a tap-in. Patrick Phiri’s men effectively ended their chances of finishing top of the group with this dismal showing against arguably the most useless team in the qualifiers. How Zambia did not win this game is very surprising, as unofficial stats had them with 90% possession! After the game there was a bust up between Collins Mbesuma and Captain Chris Katongo. Patrick Phiri may get fired after this disaster.
It is pretty much confirmed that Bafana Bafana is going to Ghana after the 1-1 draw in Pointe Noire against Congo. The game was thoroughly dominated by Congo, however, against the run of play the visitors took the lead through Sibusiso Zuma (Armenia Bielefeld) right after the interval. The equalizer came through Jean Vivien Batsinba’s long range effort which slipped through the fingers of Rowen Fernandez (Armenia Bielefeld). It was the first goal conceded by the South Africans in these qualifiers.
Zimbabwe out
group 12
Team of Round 5 has to be Guinea.
Does anyone know who the top scorer is in these qualifiers? I’d like to know.
Group 1
CIV - 9
Gabon - 6
Madagascar - 0
Madagascar [0 - 2] Gabon
The weekend started off horribly for the Panthers of Gabon when striker Henry Antchouet (Larissa – Greece) was handed a 2-year competition ban for cocaine use. Alain Giresse’s men camped in Reunion for 10 days prior to heading to Madagascar. The Panthers played a friendly against the host country and won 0-3. You’re forgiven if you were not aware that this game took place because Reunion Island is not a member of FIFA and is therefore not eligible to enter either the World Cup or the African Nations Cup. The Gabonese arrived in Antananarivo on Friday and beat the islanders on Sunday. Goals were by Georges Akiremy (Inter – Angola) and Elvis Eva Kedy (Celtic Bloemfontein – RSA). It appears that Cote d’Ivoire, which did not play this weekend, has already qualified, UNLESS the Gabonese can beat Les Elephants by a score of 12-0 in Libreville, to account for the goal difference. Stranger things have happened on final match days as evidenced recently in Ghana’s lower divisions.
Group 2
Egypt - 8
Botswana - 7
Burundi - 6
Mauritania - 4
Botswana [2-1] Mauritania
Burundi [X - X] Egypt ppd
Mauritania went to Gaborone full of high hopes after drawing with Egypt two weeks ago. The Zebras of Botswana were hoping to avenge the 4-0 loss to the Mauritanians nine months earlier. Heading into this round, the blue and white of Botswana, ranked 105th in the latest rankings, were in last place in this group needing a win to take them to within 1 point of Egypt, whose match against Burundi was postponed. The head coach of Botswana is Colwyn Rowe, a Briton who had no prior head coaching experience; he was an English FA Instructor and a TD for the Jordanian national team. I guess those are satisfactory qualifications to coach a team that has never qualified for the ANC. The Zebras controlled the game and two goals in the first half ensured them the points. Online reports suggest Modiri Marumo (Botswana Defence Forces XI) scored the first goal but I am quite skeptical as he is the goalkeeper. Star striker Diphetogo Selolwane, captain of Santos (the South African team, not the one in Brazil as the BBC would have you believe) netted the second. A late consolation goal from Yohan Langlet (FC Vaduz – Liechtenstein; the team actually plays in the Swiss 2nd Division) was not enough for the visitors.
Egypt has to face Burundi and then play Botswana. No sweat, as the current champions should collect maximum points. (I said the same before the Egyptians traveled to Mauritania, and they only managed a draw there)
Group 3
Nigeria - 12
Uganda - 8
Niger - 4
Lesotho - 4
Lesotho [x-x] Uganda
Niger [1-3] Nigeria
Just when this group was starting to get interesting, there had to be a postponement. Long story short, the officials for the Lesotho/Uganda game got held up in South Africa on transit visa issues. By the time the trio of Victor Mwadike, Charles Ndagala and Harris Chang’walu arrived in Maseru it was too late for the game to be played in daylight. The floodlights at the stadium had not been tested so the decision was made to postpone the match after the Ugandans refused to accept the change in officiating. I still go by my earlier prediction of this game being a draw.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria, after some lackluster performances recently, traveled to Niger and came back with the ticket to Ghana 2008. This was Nigeria’s biggest margin of victory in the qualifiers, and as I type I am watching the men in orange of Niger’s Mena struggle against the might of Aiyegbeni (Middlesbrough), Kanu (Portsmouth) and newcomer Onyekachi Okwonkwo (Orlando Pirates). The opener was a Kanu masterpiece, out jumping the Nigerien defenders and heading over goalkeeper Saminou Rabo, caught in no-man’s land. Kanu is one of those players whom you don’t want to leave out of the Super Eagles lineup. In the previous match against Uganda, he was provider for the only goal scored in open play and today he was finisher. The Nigerians added a second through a Taye Taiwo (Marseiile) penalty shortly after the home side equalized with a brilliant header. Aiyegbeni added a third for the visitors to ensure that their final game against Lesotho would be academic. The Super Eagles are currently in a transitional stage as exemplified by this Ugandan proverb – even the mightiest of eagles comes down to the tree tops to rest. Three consecutive bronze medals at the ANC and failure to make the WC have been followed by a string of unimpressive results in these qualifiers.
Group 4
Tunisia - 13
Sudan - 12
Seychelles - 3
Mauritius - 1
Tunisia [2-0] Mauritius
Seychelles [0-2] Sudan
As predicted, this group will go down to the wire. The top teams share similar stats – played 5, won 4, scored 10 goals each. What separates the Carthage Eagles from second-placed Sudan is a win last year in which the visiting Sudanese were unlucky to concede a late own goal. Both teams won by the same score this past weekend, setting up a finale in Khartoum in September. I will expound on the Sudanese NT in my next write up, have to do some research on this exciting team.
Desert Hawks v Carthage Eagles: who will triumph?
Group 5
Cameroon - 15
Equatorial Guinea - 7
Liberia - 4
Rwanda - 3
Cameroon [2-1] Rwanda
Liberia [0-0] Equatorial Guinea
Played 5, won 5, scored 13; what more could one ask of Arie Haan’s men? Africa’s number 1 is the second team to have won all their games and seem to have put the disappointment of October 8th 2005 behind them. King Eto’o was missing for the encounter against Rwanda but that did not stop the Lions from roaring against the Wasps, who are ranked 122 in the latest FIFA list. Surprisingly their only drawn games this year are in friendlies against Togo and Central African Republic. I get the feeling the Indomitable Lions are gathering momentum for the Nations Cup where their recent accomplishments reads Champions (2000, 2002), Quarterfinals (2004, 2006). The goals in the Rwandan encounter, played in the north-west town of Garoua, were courtesy of Mohamadou Iddrisou (MSV Duisburg) and Geremi Njitap (Chelsea). The German-based Iddrisou has 4 goals in this campaign – I’ll have to check if he is the top scorer in the qualifiers. The Rwandans fought back and pulled one back through Jimmy Gatete (Armee Patriotique Rwandaise FC). It appears Arie Haan is grooming some new faces into the NT as there are some names I did not recognize in the 21-man list. The ILs have the opportunity to make it 6 for 6 when they host second-place Equatorial Guinea in September.
Group 6
Angola - 13
Eritrea - 8
Kenya - 4
Swaziland - 2
Eritrea [1-0] Kenya
Angola [3-0] Swaziland
Dear Palancas Negras. Thank you for showing us that 2006 was no fluke. In 3 matches in 2007, they have scored ten goals and conceded two. Let’s see how they perform in their fourth appearance at the ANC. Do remember that the 2010 ANC will be held in Angola. We could all go visit and hang around the region for the World Cup. Unconfirmed reports suggested Edson Arantes do Nascimento was at the game, as he was in the country on a charity event. If he did indeed witness the 3-0 score line at the Cidadela Stadium, the great one would probably proclaim Angola a future WC winner. Angola’s goals were scored by captain Paulo Figueiredo (Osters IF), Arsenio Cabungula (better known as Love - AS Aviacao) and Flavio Amado (Al Ahly)
Is Bernard Lama still coaching Kenya or did Ghost Mulee get his job back? It’s been a while since I’ve kept track of the Kenyan football scene. From the little I recall Kenya is poor when playing away from home; their last away victory was in October 2002 against Cape Verde. This game was not going to be easy for the Harambee Stars especially without the services of Dennis Oliech (Nantes) due to injury. The Eritreans did the double on the visiting Kenyans, having won 1-2 in Nairobi last year. Eritrea go into the final round of qualifiers in Swaziland where a victory will give them 11 points, which may just be enough to qualify as one of the three second-place finishers. We shall see.
Group 7
Senegal - 8
Tanzania - 8
Mozambique - 6
Burkina Faso - 4
Mozambique [0-0] Senegal
Burkina Faso [0-1] Tanzania
Mozambique v Senegal was going to be a delight to watch solely to witness how many goals the visiting Teranga Lions would put past their hosts. They arrived in Maputo from Blantyre where they’d beaten the Malawians 2-3 in a friendly last weekend. The Senegalese had won all three previous meetings against the Black Mambas so it was only natural that the trend would continue. After 3 rounds of qualifiers, Mozambique was in last place. Now they are one win short of topping the group and possibly making it to their first ANC in ten years. The great Eusebio was in town, but alluded that it was to see family and friends. The last time Senegal played in Maputo (October 1992 for the WC94 Qualifiers) they left town with 3 points. Watching Mozambique dominate Senegal was a shock and a wake up call that there really are no more minnows in Africa (well, except Sierra Leone but that’s for later). The match highlighted that Senegal sans Henri Camara, El Hadj Diouf and Papa Bouba Diop is a very ordinary team. The hosts were lacking finishers or else the result would have meant Mozambique topping the group. Senegal has the edge in this group as they host lowly Burkina Faso on the last day of qualifiers which should be a breeze as the Burkinabes are winless in 2007.
Tanzania went to Ouagadougou in a do-or-die match on Saturday, came back with a win, and they are this close to their first ANC appearance since 1980. This is the same team that was spanked 4-0 by Senegal a few months ago upon returning from a six week camp of South America. After this encounter Brazilian Marcio Maximo’s men were mobbed on arrival in the capital city and were promised a cash bonus of $64,000 - amount to be shared by coach and team. I won’t even delve into whose pockets will be lined with this bonus.
Group 8
Guinea - 8
Algeria - 8
Gambia - 5
Cape Verde - 5
Algeria [0-2] Guinea
Cape Verde [0-0] Gambia
In the days leading to the Algeria v Guinea encounter, Guinean coach Robert Nouzaret told an Algerian sports journal that his team had NO CHANCE against the Algerians, after watching the Algeria-Argentina game from the week before. Nice way to make your hosts feel like they have the game won. The Guineans camped in Marseille en route to Algiers, where a win would put them in the driver’s seat going into the final round. This was one of the few matches I watched, and what surprised me most was that the Algerians got only one yellow card in this temper-filled game. Moroccan referee Mohamed El Guezzaz (I remember this guy from the South Africa (0-2) Ghana game a few years ago) was officiating one of his final games before retirement and he made the game flow, but to the detriment of the Syli National players.
The home side got a gift before half-time when Guinean GK Naby Diraso (clubless I believe) spilled a free kick into the path of Mehdi Meniri (Bastia) who had to simply slot home. He chose the more difficult option of hitting the post. Moments later the visitors opened the scoring from a textbook move which began when Ismael Bangoura (Le Mans) and Pascal Feindouno (Saint Etienne) played a lovely one-two and the former crossed for Fode Mansare (Toulouse) to slot home and silence the 80,000 spectators. Right on half-time, a long range free kick from the Guinean half bounced over Algerian GK Samir Hadjaoui (ESS) and fell into the path of Souleymane Youla (Lille) but his first touch hit the post. Another instance where it was easier to score than miss. The visitors put the game to rest in the dying minutes with a brilliant strike by captain Feindouno. (why does he wear the #2 jersey when he’s a striker? Who cares about jersey numbers these days). I had predicted a draw, but after watching the Guineans execute their game plan, they deserved the win. An exciting match in which both teams squandered several chances and I hope they both qualify for the Nations Cup. In the next round, Guinea host Cape Verde and Algeria travels to Gambia.
Group 9
Mali – 9
Togo - 9
Benin - 8
Sierra Leone - 1
Benin [4-1] Togo
Mali [6-0] Sierra Leone
I could not wait to write about this group, as I got my predictions horribly wrong here. Let’s just say any one of Togo, Benin and Mali could go through on the final round of qualifiers. To summarize what the contenders need to do:
Togo – beat Mali and they are through. If they draw, they better hope that Benin falters in Freetown
Mali – beat Togo. Recall Kanoute, Diarra and anyone else who had to put club over country this past weekend due to useless FIFA ruling.
Benin – beat Sierra Leone and hope for a Togo/Mali draw.
Sierra Leone – just show up.
The Hawks of Togo have led this group since Round 1 and to go out on the final day would be a real blow to Stephan Keshi’s troops. There is still infighting in the camp with Sheyi Adebayor (Arsenal) and Coubadja Kader (Guingamp) in one corner, and the FTF in the other. Ade and Kader trained with the team all week but did not stay in the same hotel as their team mates. They refused to travel the 160km road trip to Benin on Saturday afternoon because they have not been officially reinstated into the national team after their suspension. That is just one side of the story. Now it’s easy to say “forget about them”, however Adebayor is a key figure in the NT. He was the overall top scorer in the WC Qualifiers in a group featuring the likes of Senegal and Mali. Another school of thought would be to forget the Arsenal man as he’s never far from controversy – remember his days at Monaco? Come on guys, sort yourselves out.
Togo got thumped and I did not expect it. I don’t recall ever watching Benin, although I have been keeping tabs on Stephane Sessegnon whom I expect to make it big at Le Mans in Ligue 1. This must be Benin’s second biggest win since the 4-0 thrashing of Tanzania four years ago. Their only appearance in the ANC was in 2002 when The Squirrels lost all their matches and registered a lone goal. Their most famous export is well respected African referee Coffi Codja who officiated at last summer’s WC.
If Togo got thumped, then there are no words to describe what happened to the Leone Stars in Bamako. Sierra Leone could potentially boast of foreign exports such as Nigel Reo-Coker, Liam Rosenior (whose father is the head coach) and Carlton Cole. None were on the team list when they faced the Malian firing squad. The game could have ended 10-0 in favour of the hosts but for a few heroics by the Leone Stars GK, Christian Coker. It was men v boys as the men in green and yellow were camped in one half of the field. Embarrassing game to watch courtesy of maliweb.com. While Mahamadou Diarra was scoring for Real Madrid to secure the Spanish title, Djibril Sidibe, Seydou Keita (twice), Mamadou Diallo, Lassana Diallo and Bassala Toure were doing it in Bamako. I caught very few glimpses of the Mali GK, that’s how one-sided this match was. Well done Mali. It will be tougher in Lome in September
Group 10
DR Congo - 8
Libya - 7
Namibia - 7
Ethiopia – 6
Namibia [1-1] DR Congo
Libya [3 - 1] Ethiopia
It is now officially the GoD; with one game to play, any of the teams could top the group although my money is on the Leopards of Congo. Namibia is the surprise of this group as they have not featured on my radar. The Brave Warriors are coached by no-nonsense Ben Bamfuchile who has instilled discipline in his charges by removing certain players who have aired their grievances to the local press. Going into the 5th round, the Namibians had won their home games and lost away from home, placing them second behind the Congolese. In the same fixture last year, the Congolese triumphed 3-2, however the Namibians were without Collin Benjamin (Hamburg) and Meraai Swartbooi. DR Congo were embroiled in a pay dispute this past week and were STILL missing the services of Shabani Nonda (Blackburn Rovers), who has not played any part in the qualifiers. What gives! The Congolese are team that could dominate Africa if their entire foreign legion played for their birth country instead of suiting up for France or Belgium. The current Leopards arrived in Windhoek the day before the match where they met with their president Joseph Kabila, returning home from a trip to South Africa. Reports suggest that His Excellency diffused the pay dispute with the players and encouraged them to get the win in Windhoek. The visitors were on their way to collecting the much needed away win when Zola Matumona (FC Brussels) opened the scoring from a threaded pass by Lomana Tresor Lua Lua (Portsmouth). A substitution by coach Bamfuchile yielded results as the home side started exerting their superiority. On 38 minutes, gangly defender Michael Pienaar rose head and shoulders above everyone and headed home the equalizer.
Group 11
South Africa - 11
Congo - 8
Zambia - 6
Chad - 1
Zambia [1-1] Chad
Congo [1 - 1] South Africa
Zambia hosted a Chad team which had lost all its previous encounters by at least 3 goals and was made up of mostly new players. A win would keep them close to group leaders South Africa. The Chipolopolo prepared for this encounter by playing a friendly against Tanzania last weekend which ended in a draw. The Sao of Chad arrived in Lusaka on Wednesday and refused to travel the 200km to the Copperbelt region by road as suggested by their hosts. Eventually a ZAF aircraft was secured for the visitors. (Do I need to add that African teams playing away from home are not afforded the most comfortable reception?) The game itself was brought forward by an hour to avert a repeat of the June 2 stampede that left a dozen people dead. Collins Mbesuma, currently clubless after his year-long loan spell in Portugal with Maritimo, was hoping to end his 2 year goal drought for the NT – his last goal was against Mali on June 18, 2005. A game of two halves saw the Chadians surprisingly open the scoring through Kedigul Hillaire after 12 minutes and Collins Mbesuma equalize for the home side with a tap-in. Patrick Phiri’s men effectively ended their chances of finishing top of the group with this dismal showing against arguably the most useless team in the qualifiers. How Zambia did not win this game is very surprising, as unofficial stats had them with 90% possession! After the game there was a bust up between Collins Mbesuma and Captain Chris Katongo. Patrick Phiri may get fired after this disaster.
It is pretty much confirmed that Bafana Bafana is going to Ghana after the 1-1 draw in Pointe Noire against Congo. The game was thoroughly dominated by Congo, however, against the run of play the visitors took the lead through Sibusiso Zuma (Armenia Bielefeld) right after the interval. The equalizer came through Jean Vivien Batsinba’s long range effort which slipped through the fingers of Rowen Fernandez (Armenia Bielefeld). It was the first goal conceded by the South Africans in these qualifiers.
Zimbabwe out
group 12