Breaking News
WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire in Crunchy Battle of Survival
Tunisia, E’Guinea, Zambia also in duel for Group B sole ticket to playoffs
Two of Africa’s heavyweights in football, Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire will be at war this evening in the battle for qualification to the final playoffs of the African round of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Both countries won their respective fixtures on Saturday for Group D to go down to the wire.
Côte d’Ivoire defeated Mozambique 3-0 to step up to 13 points, one point ahead of the Indomitable Lions, who brushed aside 10-man Malawi 4-0 earlier in the afternoon.
The Cameroonians who are hosting the Elephants in Douala today need to beat their west African rivals, while a draw will see the Ivorians top Group D.
Both countries failed to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia, and one will see their hopes of reaching next year’s tournament ended prematurely again this evening.
Elsewhere, Group B is wide open after leaders Tunisia suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat in Equatorial Guinea.
Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea and Zambia all head into the final round of Group B fixtures with a chance to progress after Saturday’s results.
Equatorial Guinea moved level with Tunisia on 10 points as Pablo Ganet stunned the Eagles of Carthage with his 84th-minute strike which he fired in from the centre of the box.
And Zambia are three points behind the pair after Rangers forward Fashion Sakala scored a hat-trick in their 4-0 win over Mauritania.
Tunisia, who lead the group on goal difference, host Zambia in the final round of matches and Equatorial Guinea travel to Mauritania – with several permutations possible.
Tunisia must win to clinch top spot but Equatorial Guinea will go through instead if they better the north Africans’ result.
Zambia need the Equatoguineans to lose, and to then beat Tunisia by a three-goal margin.
Egypt, Mali, Morocco, DR Congo, Ghana and Senegal have already secured their places in the play-offs next March, when Africa’s five representatives in Qatar will be decided.
TODAY
Africa
Algeria v B’ Faso
Mauritania v E’Guinea
Tunisia v Zambia
Liberia v CAR
Nigeria v Cape Verde
Mo’bique v Malawi
Cameroon v Côte D’Ivoire
Egypt v Gabon
Libya v Angola
Morocco v Guinea
Europe
Netherlands v Norway
Mo’negro v Turkey
Wales v Belgium
Czech v Estonia
Finland v France
Bosnia & H v Ukraine
THE STANDINGS
Group A
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Algeria. 5 4. 1. 0. 23. 2. 21. 13
B’ Faso 5. 3. 2. 0. 10. 2. 8. 11
Niger. 6. 2. 1. 3. 13. 17. -4. 7
Djibouti 6. 0. 6. 4. 2. 29. -25. 0
Group B
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Tunisia 5. 3. 1. 1. 8. 1. 7. 10
E’Guinea 5 3. 1 1 5 4 1. 10
Zambia. 5. 2. 1. 2. 7. 6. 1. 7
Mauritania 5. 0. 1. 4. 1. 10. -9. 1
Group C
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Nigeria 5. 4. 0. 1. 8. 2. 6. 12
C’ Verde 5. 3. 1 1 7. 5. 2. 10
CAR. 5. 1. 1. 3. 3. 6. -3. 4
Liberia. 5. 1. 0. 4. 2. 7. -5. 3
Group D
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Côte d’Ivoire . 5. 4. 1. 0. 10. 2. 8. 13.
Cameroon 5. 4. 0. 1. 11. 3. 8. 12.
Malawi. . 5. 1. 0. 4. 2. 11. -9. 3
Mo’bique. 5. 0. 1. 4. 1. 8. -7. 1.
Group E
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Mali. . 6. 5. 1. 0. 11. 0. 11. 16
Uganda 6. 2. 3. 1. 3. 2. 1. 9.
Kenya. 6. 1. 3. 2. 4. 9. -5. 6.
Rwanda 6. 0. 1. 5. 2. 9. -7. 1.
Group F
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Egypt. 5. 3. 2. 0. 8. 3. 5. 11.
Gabon . 5. 2. 1. 2. 6. 6. 0. 7
Libya. 5. 2. 0. 3. 3. 6. -3. 6
Angola 5. 1. 1. 3. 5. 7. -2. 4.
Group G
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Ghana. 6. 4. 1. 1. 7. 3. 4. 13
S’Africa. 6. 4. 1. 1. 6. 2. 4. 13.
Ethiopia . 6. 1. 2. 3. 4. 7. -3 5.
Zimbabwe 6. 0. 2. 4. 2. 7. -5. 2.
Group H
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Senegal . 6. 5. 1. 0. 15. 4. 11. 16
Togo. 6. 2. 2. 2. 5. 6. -1. 8.
Namibia . 6. 1. 2. 3. 5. 10. -5. 5.
Congo 6. 0. 3. 3. 5. 10. -5. 3.
Group I
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
Morocco . 5. 5. 0. 0. 17. 1. 16. 15
G’Bissau. 6. 1. 3. 2. 5. 11. -6. 6.
Guinea. 5. 0. 4. 1. 5. 8. -3. 4.
Sudan. 6. 0. 3. 3. 5. 12. -7. 3.
Group J
Team. P. W. D. L. F. A. GD. PTS
DR Congo. 6. 3. 2. 1. 9. 3. 6. 11
Benin. 6. 3. 1. 2. 5. 4. 1. 10.
Tanzania . 6. 2. 2. 2. 6. 8. -2. 8.
M’gascar 6. 1. 1. 4. 4. 9. -5. 4.
