Five African nations qualify for World Cup finals
Algeria and Ghana completed the five African qualifiers for next
year’s World Cup, joining Nigeria, Cameroon and Ivory Coast, who all
qualified at the weekend.
This quintet is identical to Africa’s ambassadors at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.
Algeria did just enough to book a ticket to their fourth
World Cup by beating Burkina Faso 1-0 to go through on the away goals’
rule after the first game ended 3-2 in favour of the west Africans.
It needed a scrambled effort in the 49th minute by skipper Madjid
Bougherra for Algeria against Burkina Faso - beaten finalists at this
year’s Africa Cup of Nations - who were resolute in defence, but offered
very little going forward.
Despite losing 2-1 in Cairo, the Black Stars of Ghana qualified for a third successive World Cup, 7-3 on aggregate.
Egypt could not overcome the 6-1 humiliation they suffered at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi last month.
The Pharaohs, who last appeared at the World Cup in 1990, scored
through Amr Zaki and Mohamed Gedo in either half, before substitute
Kevin-Prince Boateng pulled a goal back for Ghana late on.
It was a huge disappointment for the seven-time African champions, whose American coach Bob Bradley is now expected to quit.
Ghana became only the third African team to reach the last eight of a World Cup four years ago.
They will again be fancied to do well in Brazil with the
return of several top stars Michael Essien, Boateng and the Ayew
brothers, Andre and Jordan.
Nigeria became the first African team to qualify for Brazil
on Saturday when they beat Ethiopia 2-0 in the southern coastal town of
Calabar to go through 4-1 on aggregate.
Cameroon put aside internal squabbles to qualify for an
African record seventh World Cup in style when they trounced Tunisia 4-1
in Yaounde after the first leg finished in a goalless draw in Tunis.
The Indomitable Lions became the first African team to reach
the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 1990, but suffered a first-round
exit at the last tournament in South Africa.
The Ivory Coast will also hope to go beyond the first round
in Brazil after they outscored fellow west Africans Senegal 4-2 on
aggregate.
The Elephants, led by inspirational skipper Didier Drogba,
were eliminated in the first round in 2006 and 2010 after being drawn in
very tough groups.
The draw for the 2014 World Cup will be conducted at Bahia in Brazil on December 6.
source:
http://www.smh.com.au/sport/soccer/five-african-nations-qualify-for-world-cup-finals-20131120-2xu07.html
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