Africa: Soccer Teams Compete for 2010 Places

29 May 2008
allAfrica.com
By Aliou Goloko

Dakar — Most of Africa's national soccer teams are heading for stadia around the continent this weekend, only four months after the Cup of Nations ended in Ghana with Egypt pocketing a historic sixth win.

This time round, the teams are competing in the combined qualifiers for the World Cup in South Africa – the first to be held in Africa – and for the next Cup of Nations in Angola. Both tournaments are to be held in 2010.

Throughout the playoffs, AllAfrica will bring you coverage of the game on the continent where football is alive, growing and flourishing.

In order not to miss the historic tournaments of 2010, many teams have new players lined up and ready to go. Here are some of the teams to watch out for.

Nigeria's "Super Eagles" Want to Restore Their Image

The new coaching team of Nigeria's Super Eagles, led by Amobu Shaibu and Daniel Amokachi, has cast a wide net by calling 50 players for the qualifiers.

All the big names of Nigerian football are there: Joseph Yobo, Taye Taiwo, Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka, Obafemi Martins, John Mikel Obi, Peter Odemwingie and a new wave of rising stars from European clubs, including Haruna Lukman , Onyekachi Okonkwo, Kayode Odejayi, Mohammed Yusuf and Kalu Uche.

The big unknown on the list is Gabriel Agbonlahor, a bi-national player who was also called to play by England. He has already played with the English Olympic team, but is highly sought after by Nigeria.

Nigeria will retain only 23 players for the first four games. The Super Eagles begin their journey by facing 2010 hosts South Africa, before battling Mauritius and Tanzania.

These are the 50 pre-selected players:

Vincent Enyeama, Joseph Yobo, Taye Taiwo, Nwankwo Kanu, Obinna Nwaneri, Danny Shittu, John Utaka, Obafemi Martins, John Mikel obi, Peter Odemwingie, Austin Ejide, Rabiu Afolabi, Seyi Olofinjana, Ike Uche, Ayo Makinwa, Obinna Nsofor, Ifeanyi Emeghara, Felix Ogbuke, Richard Eromoigbe, Onyekachi Apam, Dele Aiyenugba, Christian Obodo, Chidi Odiah, Yusuf Ayila, Mannaseh Ishiaku, Sani Kaita, Paul Obiefule, Olufemi Oladapo, Chinedu Ogbuke, Haruna Lukman, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Kingsley Udoh, Elderson Echiejile, Onyekachi Okonkwo, Kayode Odejayi, Mohammed Yusuf, Kalu Uche, Victor Anichebe, Emmanuel Okoduwa, Greg Etafia, Akpan Bassey, Gabriel Agbonlahor, Onyekachi Amuneke, Chrisantus Macauley, Joseph Akpala, Abiodun Agunbiade, Moses Adams, George Gilmore, Chijioke Ejiogu.

For Zimbabwe, Soccer as Therapy

Zimbabwe Warriors will be keen on making their fellow citizens forget life's difficulties by achieving a victory on the continental stage. The difficulties, both political and economic, that the country faces should not necessarily affect the performance of the team.

Coach Valinhos (real name Jose Claudinei) has called on eight expatriate players and 19 locals to line up against neighboring Namibia and Guinea's Sily National.

The list of players from which Zimabwe's team will be selected:

Goalkeepers: Tapuwa Kapini (Platinum Stars), Washington Arubi (Highlanders, Zimbabwe), Energy Murambadoro (CAPS United).

Defenders: Onisimo Bhasera (Kaizer Chiefs), Zvenyika Makonese (Santos), Obert Moyo (TUKS), James Matola (Free State Stars), Harlington Shereni (FC Nantes, France), David Kutyauripo (CAPS United, Zimbabwe), Gilbert Banda ( Highlanders, Zimbabwe), Sam Mutenheri (Dynamos, Zimbabwe), Zhainu Jambo (Gunners, Zimbabwe).

Midfielders: Esrom Nyandoro (Mamelodi Sundowns), Tinashe Nengomasha (Kaizer Chiefs), Honour Gombami, Vusa Nyoni (both Cercle Brugge, Belgium), Cephas Chimedza (Sint Truiden, Belgium), Clemence Matawu (Motor Action, Zimbabwe), Justice Majabvi ( Dynamos, Zimbabwe).

Strikers: Gilbert Mushangazhike (Orlando Pirates), Benjani Mwaruwari (Manchester City, England), Takesure Chinyama (Legia Warsaw, Poland), Joseph Ngwenya (SK Austria, Austria), Mike Temwanjira (FC Vaslui, Romania), Quincy Antipas (MAS FES , Morocco), Musa Mguni (Omonia, Cyprus).

South Africa: Forgetting Parreira

Bafana Bafana should mourn the departure of their Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Carlos Parreira, who resigned suddenly last month.

His successor as head coach is another Brazilian, Joel Natalino Santana, who has named the players who will compete for the preliminaries of the Nations Cup. (As host nation, SA has already qualified for the World Cup.)

Notable on Santana's list is the return of Delron Buckley and Benny McCarthy, two players who did not take part in the last Cup of Nations. But Sibususo Zuma, one of the icons of South African football in recent years, will not be part of the initial expedition.

South Africa faces Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea during June.

Santana's full list:

Goalkeepers: Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Rowen Fernandez (Arminia Bielefeld) and Moeneeb Josephs (BidVest Wits).

Defenders: Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers), Mokete Tsotetsi (Chiefs), Bryce Moon (Ajax Cape Town), Bevan Fransman (Moroka Swallows), Tsepo Masilela (Maccabi Haifa), Innocent Mdledle (Orlando Pirates), Benson Mhlongo (Mamelodi Sundowns ), Bongani Khumalo and Siboniso Gaxa (both SuperSport United)

Midfielders: Steven Pienaar (Everton), Teko Modise (Pirates), Lance Davids (Djurgardens), MacBeth Sibaya (Rubin Kazan), Delron Buckley (Borrusia Dortmund), Surprise Moriri (Sundowns), Kagisho Dikgacoi (Golden Arrows), and Siphiwe Tshabalala and Gerald Sibeko (both Chiefs).

Angola's Palancas Negras Warm Up

Angola will host the next African Cup of Nations. They proved quite sensational at the last Cup of Nations for, among other achievements, ousting Senegal.

In a recent match, the Palancas Negras (Black Antelopes) played a friendly against Benfica of Lisbon without their best players – Flavio, Manucho and Gilberto – to lose the game 2-3. Definitely a team to reckon with.

The main objective of Palancas' coach, Luis Oliveira Gonçalves, is to qualify for the World Cup again, after the euphoria generated when the team qualified for the 2006 tournament.

Cameroon: Six New "Lions" In the Lair

The Indomitable Lions will start to regroup on Sunday against the backdrop of a controversy with Germany.

Eric Maxim Tchoupo Moting is the name on everyone's lips in Cameroon right now. This young prodigy is of dual German-Cameroonian origin. Where will his heart go? A real dilemma.

He is coach Otto Pfitser's newest recruit, along with Marcel Ndjeng of Burussia Mochengladbach, Alexis Ngambi of Montpellier in France, Guy Stéphane Essamé of Terek Grozny, Sadjo Haman of Ujpest in Hungary, Gustave Anicet Bebey Mbangue, who plays in Turkey's Ankaragücü club, and Christian Pouga.

These six players are poised to replace veterans of this year's tournament in Ghana — Tchamba Essola, Bill Tchato, Bertin Tomou Bayard, Mohamadou Idrissou, Angbwa Benoit and Joseph Desire Job.

Pfitser has, however, recalled two regulars of the "lair," Eric Matoukou and Pierre Achille Webo.

Cameroon's Indomitable Lions will play first against Cape Verde in Sunday, before facing Mauritius and Tanzania.

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