Femi Solaja
15 November 2009
analysis
Lagos — For the first time in the history of African World Cup qualifying series, most of the matches had to go the wire with Nigerian and Cameroon having to wait till the last day to decide their fate. They both joined Ghana and Cote'd Ivoire who sealed their passage to Madiba's country months ago.
Egypt and Algeria on the other hand, will have to wait till Wednesday, November 18 to know who gets Africa's last ticket to the World Cup in the play-off slated to hold in Sudan. South Africa's Bafana Bafana got their ticket without kicking a ball as hosts of the most prestigious football tournament on the globe. This is how far African teams have fared in their previous outings.
Nigeria
A nation that has struggled to make an appearance on the big stage but missed the chance mostly at the last minute finally debuted at the World Cup in USA in 1994. And the Super Eagles made their first appearance as memorable as possible, missing the quarterfinals by the whiskers to an 88mins error that Italy cashed on to stop their fairy tale run. The Eagles have featured in three competitions with France '98 and Korea/Japan 2002.However, the team will be going to South Africa without conceding any defeat in the qualifier even if they have to wait till the last day of the group matches to secure the ticket at the expense of Tunisia who led from day one till last weekend. The team's main stay now are the likes of John Obi Mikel, Osaze Odemwingie and Obafemi Martins all of whom are making their first appearance at the Mundial.
All Time Table
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
11 4 1 6 14 16 -4 13
South Africa
They are participating as the hosts of the competition and go into history as the first African nation to host the world. South Africa has made two previous appearances at the competition first at France '98 and the second in the Korea/ Japan edition in 2002. As first timer in France '98, South Africa showed so much promise, having won the Nations' Cup two years earlier as hosts in Johannesburg. In both occasions, they failed to go beyond the first round.
Although with great players like Lucas Radebe, Benni McCarthy, Pierre Issa, Siyabonga Nomvethe and Quinton Fortune in the past, Mandela's men have lost the fire with which they returned from the apartheid era. Their football profile has nosed dived with soccer pundits having doubts over the team's chances to progress beyond the first round next year.
All Time Table
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
6 1 3 2 8 11 -3 6
Cameroon
Fondly called the Indomitable Lions and true to the nick name, the Cameroonians will be going to the next Mundial with the highest appearance by any African country at the competition with six outings. They made their debut at Spain '82 where they drew all their group matches even against eventual champion Italy. With players like Roger Milla, Theophilus Abega, François Oman-Biyik, Benjamin Massing and lately the likes of Rigobert Song, Samuel Eto'o Fils, the Central Africans have held sway in the game in the continent. Their quarterfinal appearance at Italia '90 has remained the benchmark so far. No other African country has been able to match the feat. For the record, Cameroon featured in 1982, 1990, 1994, 1998 and 2002.
All Time Table
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
17 4 7 6 15 28 -13 19
Cote 'd Ivoire
In Germany, the Elephants made their debut but were unfortunate to have been placed in a tough group, which included former champions, Argentina, Holland and Serbia and Montenegro. The African nation only managed to finish third behind Argentina and Holland. However, on the road to South African, the Didier Drogba inspired team has come of age and emerged the favourites to win the Nations' Cup in Angola next January. The team had a brilliant performance in the qualifier and picked the ticket for the competition even with one match left to play. All eyes will be on the likes of the Toure brothers, (Yaya and Kolo), Salomon Kalou, Emmanuel Eboue, Aruna Dindane, Bakary Kone and Didier Zokora.
All TimeTable
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
3 1 - 2 5 6 -1 3
GHANA
After several attempts at qualifying for the global stage, the Black Stars of Ghana finally had their dream come true to make the train to the last edition.. Parading the likes of Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari, John Mensah and Asamoah Gyan, the team continued its impressive run of the last African Cup of Nations competition when they became the first nation in the series to qualify for the finals after securing a perfect score win in the first four matches in the final qualifying tournament. At the last competition in Germany where they debuted, Ghana were the only African nation that went beyond the group stage but lost scandalously to then defending champions, Brazil 3-0.
All Time Table
P W D L GF GA GD PTS
3 2 - 2 4 6 -2 6
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