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World Cup 2010 African Qualifying Finale: Who Will Take the Three Final Spots?
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It’s the World Cup 2010 qualification finale in Africa this weekend, with three spots at the big show still up for grabs. South Africa are qualified as hosts. Ghana and Cote d’Ivoire join them having already won Groups D and E respectively.
That leaves three groups undecided with just one round of games to go, and those games are this weekend. The winners of Groups A, B and C will all qualify for the African continent’s first World Cup. You don’t need me to tell you how important that makes these games. Three of the following six teams could still qualify:
Group A: Cameroon or Gabon
Group B: Nigeria or Tunisia
Group C: Algeria or Egypt
(click the links to read our excellent team blogs)
A little explanation after the jump, plus – as with the playoff games – we’re challenging you to pick which three will qualify.
But if you’re looking for drama, you might want to scroll right on down to the Egypt vs Algeria preview. Plenty to talk about there.
Since the World Cup 2010 qualifiers double as the Africa Cup of Nations (Angola 2010) qualifiers, all teams still have something to play for. Winners of the groups go to the World Cup, but second and third place qualify for the AFCoN. We’ll post the list of 16 Cup of Nations qualifiers either this weekend or Monday morning. But in the meantime, let’s focus on the teams aiming for World Cup 2010.
GROUP A:
Who can qualify?Cameroon or Gabon.
Matches:
Nov 14th: Togo vs Gabon
Nov 14th: Morocco vs Cameroon
Paul Le Guen’s Cameroon just need a result equal to or better than Gabon’s to qualify, and Samuel Eto’o is on fire with eight goals in qualifying. But visiting Morocco is no easy task. Gabon basically need to beat Togo and hope Cameroon slip up.
Daryl’s pick: Cameroon.
GROUP B:
Who can qualify: Tunisia or Nigeria.
Matches:
Nov 14th: Mozambique vs Tunisia
Nov 14th: Kenya vs Nigeria
Nigeria simply have to beat Kenya to stand any chance of qualifying. If the Super Eagles succeed in doing so, then it’s all about what Tunisia do in Mozambique. If Nigeria wins and Tunisia loses, then then the Super Eagles go to South Africa. If Nigeria wins and Tunisia draws, then Nigeria will have the better goal difference. That’s what we call drama.
Daryl’s pick: This is tough. Really tough. I’m struggling to imagine a 2010 World Cup without Nigeria. But Tunisia’s fate is in their own hands, so I’m picking them for that reason alone.
Group C:
Who can qualify? Algeria or Egypt.
Matches:
Nov 14th: Egypt vs Algeria
Nov 14th: Rwanda vs Zambia
North African rivals Egypt and Algeria have a long history of not being very nice to each other, including the last time these two met in similar circumstances back in 1989. Egypt qualified for Italia ‘90 on the occasion.
This year there has already been trouble, with the Algerian team bus coming under attack from Egyptian fans, who apparently shattered the bus windows and left at least one player with facial injuries. Not cool. But here’s hoping we can move beyond that and enjoy some football. Speaking of which…
The situation is as follows: Egypt need to beat Algeria by three goals to qualify. If Egypt lose, draw, or win by only one goal, then Algeria goes to the World Cup. If Egypt win by two goals then we’ll have a one game playoff at a neutral location on Wednesday Novemeber 18th.
Daryl’s pick: I really don’t want to get in the middle of this one, but will pick Algeria, just because they go in with the advantage.
So my three picks are:
Cameroon
Tunisia
Algeria
Yours?
Cameron
Tunisia
Egypt – They will kill Algeria for sure, look for mohamed Zidan and Aboutrika to grab some goals, and who can forget Amir Zaki?
Im confident that the game in Cairo will be the most intense football atmosphere in the history of ever. You cant even begin to imagine…
Posted from 
United States
What I want:
Cameroon
Nigeria
Egypt
What I think:
Cameroon
Tunisia
Egypt
Posted from United States
Cameroon (Fate in their hands, they can deal with Morocco, or at least best Gabon’s result.)
Nigeria (Though my brain says Tunisia. But I see it as the teams they are playing are both vying for Africa Cup of Nations berths, Nigeria could squeak through.)
Algeria. My heart and mind say Algeria. The deficit is too great to overcome for Egypt. And against any team in the world it would be difficult to go in and get two goals to get any result. Much less in a situation between evenly matched teams like Algeria and Egypt.
Watch Morocco vs Cameroon Fifa World Cup 2010 Qualifiers Live Score, Highlights Online here. This important match of group A in the 2010 World Cup qualifier will be held between Morocco and Cameroon at Stade Mohammed V, the home ground of Morocco.
Cameroon
Tunisia
Egypt (this game is going to be a very nervous encounter!)
Hey Daryl, i just have 2 comments
1- i won’t choose hatred as a word to describe Egypt – Algeria relationship; it is just rivalry in football, nothing more it is like a derby where each set of fans want to beat, kill…etc the other but next day they are side by side at work and in the streets!!!
you should know that Algerian traveling fans has been clebrating in cairo streets for the past couple of days with their egyptian counterparts without any troubles.
2- regarding the stone throwing, you only took the Algerian version, the bus driver came out and sweared to God that the players were the ones who smashed the bus from inside, maybe there was one or 2 stones……i am not blaming either sides yet….i just want everybody to wait for something official before they can accuse anyone.
remember we hosted the U-20 wc, CAN 2006……etc and not a single problem occured regarding security!!!!
Those who will qualify are Cameroon,Algeria,tunisia
but Cameroon
Algeria
Tunisia
most obtain their qualification
From cameroon,
Cameroon
Algeria
Tunisia
Must obtain their ticket
Nigeria have done it! With great help from Mozambique of course. Just incredible. And it is the much maligned Obafemi Martins scoring the 83rd minute goal to send them South Africa.
Bravo Nigeria and Mozambique
Posted from United States
what i want Gabon Nigeria Algeria
Great news for Nigeria!!
Gabon is seriously the only real debutante that could still qualify. (I count former Yugoslavian countries as having already participated.)
Otherwise, no first time qualifiers in this World Cup.
Webo has put Cameroon ahead with a shot from the outside of the box in off the post!
Posted from United States
Cameroon doubles their lead through Eto’o who was left unmarked from a couple of yards out following Makoun flicking a header from a corner right to him.
Posted from United States
Egypt Algeria 1-0 (Amri Zaki 2nd Minute)at half time.
FECAFOOT AND THE MINISTRY OF YOUTH AND SPORTS CAN HIT THEIR HANDS ON THE CHESTS TODAY FOR A JOB WELL DONE.THE LIONS HAVE MADE CAMEROONIANS ONCE MORE PROUD AND GLAD FOR THEIR BRILIANT PERFORMANCES .
BRAVO ET PAS DES RECULES.THANK YOU FOR YOUR COMMITEMENTS AND LET TEAM SPIRIT AND PATRIOTISM BE THE COMMON BASE OF OUR ACTIONS AND WORDS.
ALLEZ LES LIONS
ALLEZ FECAFOOT
ALLEZ MINEJES
MOVE AHEAD CAMEROON.
Egypt 1 – Algeria 0 half time
(I am neither egyptien nor algerien) I wish algeria gets it since they seem to deserve more
Egypt incredibly force a play-off with a second goal in the 95th minute.
Posted from United States
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It is impossible to overstate the level of insanity this game will be at in Cairo tomm.
I am honestly worried about the safety of the Algerian contingent should there be a controversial decision denying Egypt the win. Hopefully the desert foxes score early and take the air out of it.