At the end of the return play-offs on Tuesday, the African continent will know the identity of the five nations which will represent its chances next winter in Qatar.
Senegal – Egypt (0-1): an African champion (still) in danger
Executioner then victim? After their victory in the final of the last African Cup of Nations to the detriment of Egypt, Senegal sees, for the moment, the qualification for the next world elude them to the detriment… of the Pharaohs, winner in the first leg (1 -0). In the event of elimination, the Lions of Teranga would extend the series of unfortunate CAN winners. Since Nigeria in 2013, none of the last African champions has qualified for the World Cup following their coronation (Côte d’Ivoire winners in 2015 and Cameroon in 2017 were not in the game in Russia in 2018. Algeria, winners in 2019, are on track to qualify.). “Now things are clear, there is no more calculation to do. We must win. We are back to the wall“, concedes the Senegalese technician Aliou Cissé. Revanchists after their defeat in the final, the Egyptians are also likely to be motivated after the eventful reception they received on their arrival in Senegal. What complicate the task of Sadio Mané’s teammates.
Read alsoAliou Cissé, the patient architect of Senegal
Algeria – Cameroon (1-0): Slimani to send Algeria to the World Cup?
By heading the ball under André Onana’s bar in the first leg, Islam Slimani gave the Algerian nation a good option for qualification against Cameroon (1-0). He confirms above all his good form interviewed since his departure from Lyon during the winter transfer window. Indeed, the new center forward of Sporting Portugal continues to walk on water after a more than successful debut in his new club (four goals and an assist in seven matches in the Portuguese first division). With eight goals scored during this elimination phase, Fennec is the top scorer on the African continent. He is also one goal away from the record for the number of goals in qualifying for a World Cup in the African zone, held by Didier Drogba (17 goals for Slimani, 18 for Drogba). There is no doubt that the former Lyonnais would sign immediately to equalize this record on Tuesday by sending his team to the World Cup.
Read alsoTops / Flops Cameroon-Algeria: Slimani again, the sleeping Lions
Morocco – DR Congo (1-1): Morocco in favorable ballot
After a perfect group stage during these qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar (six wins in six matches, twenty goals scored, one conceded), Morocco got scared against the Democratic Republic of Congo during the match go (1-1). Trailing after a blocked strike from Yoane Wissa, Brentford striker in the Premier League, Vahid Halilhodzic’s men struggled to come back to score with a penalty missed by Ryan Mmaee before the delivery, at the end of the match, of a superb volley from Tarik Tissoudali, Gantoise player. His first goal with the Atlas Lions is all the more important as, in the Africa zone, the away goal is still relevant. “We are not qualified yet, even if we got a good result despite a lot of difficulties, I hope we will play better“, declared the coach of Morocco at the end of the meeting, while haranguing the Moroccan public to come and support his team to win this qualification for the World Cup, the second in a row, after elimination in the first round in Russia.
Nigeria – Ghana (0-0): status quo between Super Eagles and Black Stars
First in their respective groups during the group stage, Ghana and Nigeria failed to decide in this first leg (0-0). In a balanced match, the attackers of the two formations were too clumsy to allow their team to win (two shots on target out of ten for Ghana, two shots on target out of seven for Nigeria). Victor Osimhem’s teammates will still regret a penalty canceled by the VAR for a handball in the area of Ghanaian Iddrissu Baba. The masked Napoli striker will do everything to qualify his team in the return match while Ghana will try to play the World Cup again, after failing in 2018. History of reliving a great adventure like in 2010, where André Ayew and company had been eliminated in the quarter-finals by Uruguay’s Luis Suarez, author of a hand passed down to posterity.
Tunisia – Mali (1-0): another grotesque scenario for this Tunisia – Mali?
Deprived of their flagship striker, Stéphanois Wahbi Khazri, who was injured in the thigh, Tunisia found a surprising reinforcement during the first leg against Mali (1-0). The Malian defender trained at PSG, Moussa Sissako, author of a huge blunder, scored against his side by propelling the ball on “a pass” back for his goalkeeper. The nightmare does not end there for the central defender of Standard de Liège, expelled four minutes after this blunder. This strange scenario echoes the last meeting between these two formations at the last African Cup of Nations, where the referee stopped the match in the 85th minute before resuming it 35 minutes later (1-0 victory for Mali). Tunisia will therefore have to be wary of a new surprise for this return match.
