BNW

 

Biafra Nigeria World News & Archives

 

BNW News and Archives

 

 

BNW: the Authority on BiafraNigeria

BNW Magazine 

Biafra Nigeria World Forums and Message Board

 BNW News Archive

BNW Home

 

BNW Writer's Block

 WaZoBia @ BNW

Biafra Net

 Igbo Net

Africa World and BNW Africa 

Submit Article for Publication

BiafraNigeria Spacer

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

Flag of Biafra Nigeria

 

BNW News Archives

BNW News Archive 2002-January 2005

BNW News Archive 2005

BNW News Archive 2005 and Later

 

BiafraNigeriaWorld News: Weblogs Edition @ Blog Continent


« PDP Suspends Omisore, Others | Main | Money laundering : 14 governors on London Police list »

October 08, 2005

Weekend of drama

The last round of African qualifiers for next year's World Cup finals in Germany takes place on 8 and 9 October.

Will Togo's Hawks be flying in Germany next year? Can Egypt deny Cameroon another appearance on football's grand stage? And will Ghana break their duck and qualify for their maiden finals?

With the fate of many teams still in the balance, there will no shortage of shredded nerves across the continent.

Here is a group-by-group analysis of who needs to do what as World Cup qualifying comes down to the wire.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group One

Group One preview

Togo and Senegal are locked in a fierce struggle for first place and the group's one qualifying ticket. With 20 points, Togo visit Congo needing just a draw to reach the finals for the first time in their history.

Zambia's 5-0 win in Liberia on Saturday pushed them into second place on 19 points from their completed programme, one ahead of Senegal (18).

However, the Chipolopolo cannot make it to Germany 2006 as only the group winner qualifies. Senegal must beat Mali and hope Togo lose in Congo to come up from third to first place and so qualify.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group Two

Group Two preview

Ghana (18 points) are another team that can qualify for the finals for the first time in their history, providing they secure a draw in the Cape Verde Islands (10 points), no matter what happens between second-placed DR Congo (15) and third-placed South Africa (15) in Durban.

Have Your Say on 606
Who will qualify?

If Ghana should lose, DR Congo need an emphatic victory against South Africa to swing the goal difference their way.

Bafana Bafana cannot qualify even if they beat DR Congo and Ghana lose because although they would finish with the same number of points as Ghana, they have an inferior head-to-head record against the Black Stars.

Should either South Africa or DR Congo lose in Durban, Burkina Faso will qualify for the Nations Cup if they can beat Uganda in Kampala.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group Three

Group Three preview

Either Cameroon (20 points) or the Ivory Coast (19) will qualify from this group. The Indomitable Lions start as favourites after winning 3-2 in Ivory Coast last month.

Cameroon will win the group if they beat Egypt (16) at home while Ivory Coast must win in Sudan (6) and hope Cameroon lose or draw to reach the finals for the first time.

Libya and Benin are the other also-rans in this pool.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group Four

Group Four preview

This looks like another straight dash to the line - this time between Angola and Nigeria who both have 18 points.

Angola have the better head-to-head record against the Super Eagles so they will qualify if they win in Rwanda (5), regardless of what Nigeria do at home against Zimbabwe (15).

If Angola should lose or draw and Nigeria win, the Super Eagles will be through to the finals for the fourth successive time.

But Zimbabwe's Warriors have an outside chance of reaching Germany if they can beat Nigeria in Abuja by at least four goals and Angola lose in Rwanda.

Gabon and Algeria have already been eliminated from the World Cup frame.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Group Five

Group Five preview

Either Tunisia (20 points) or Morocco (19) will go through and as long as Tunisia do not lose at home to the Moroccans in Rades, they will be heading to Germany for their third straight finals.

Morocco, the only team still unbeaten in the entire African qualifying competition, could even suffer the heartbreak of going through all ten matches undefeated should they draw - yet still end up being eliminated.

Guinea, Kenya, Malawi and Botswana have all been left to contemplate what might have been.


Posted by Publisher at October 8, 2005 11:18 AM

Comments

Post a comment

Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)

(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)


Remember me?





BNW Writers A-M


BNW Writers N-Z

 

BiafraNigeria Banner

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BiafraNigeria Spacer

BiafraNigeria Spacer

 

BNW Forums

 

The Voice of a New Generation