Nigeria might have been beaten by Bafana Bafana at home in June but the Super Eagles have more than bounced back since and are likely to become the first African country to book a 2018 World Cup finals place.
A home win over Zambia in Uyo on Saturday (kick off 6pm SA time) will give them top place in Group B and see them advance with one game to spare from a pool that was dubbed the “Group of Death” and expected to go down to the wire.
Reigning African champions Cameroon and Algeria‚ who got to the second round of the last World Cup finals in Brazil‚ have already been eliminated after disappointing campaigns‚ leaving only Zambia to challenge Nigeria for the single qualifying berth from the group.
If Zambia pull off another upset away win – they beat Algeria 1-0 in Constantine last month in their previous qualifier – then the teams will be level on points and the outcome of the group will be decided in the final round of matches next month.
There is also the possibility that Egypt and Tunisia will also qualify this weekend but that is dependent not only on the two countries winning but also on other results going their way.
GROUP A:
Tunisia and the Democratic Republic of Congo are the two countries left in contention but there is a three-point gap between the two.
Tunisia will qualify if they beat Guinea away on Saturday‚ and at the same time‚ the Congolese lose to Libya‚ in a game that‚ ironically‚ is being played in Tunisia‚ where Libya have been forced to move their games because of the Fifa ban on international football in their country.
It could be that both Tunisians and the Congolese are beaten this weekend‚ which would leave the group to be settled next month.
GROUP C:
The Ivory Coast have a slender one-point lead over Morocco but that situation could be turned on its head by the end of Saturday’s action.
The injury-hit Ivorians play away against Mali in Bamako. Mali have are out of the race and saw coach Alain Giresse quit last month but will be no walkover for the Ivorians given their neighbours' rivalry.
If the Ivory Coast fail to win then Morocco can go top of the group by beating Gabon in Casablanca on Saturday night. But Gabon are still in contention as well and have been buoyed by the return to the squad of their superstar Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
GROUP D:
Bafana Bafana’s group is the tightest and will not be settled this weekend. Plus there is the extra game to come between South Africa and Senegal.
Burkina Faso and Cape Verde have six points and Senegal five with South Africa on one‚ but ironically Stuart Baxter’s team could still finish top if they win their remaining three matches.
GROUP E:
Egypt have not qualified for the World Cup since 1990 and their repeated failure since has been the source of much frustration‚ particularly given how they have dominated the African Nations Cup during that period. But they are now tantalisingly close‚ two points ahead of second placed Uganda in the group standings and four ahead of Ghana.
Uganda host Ghana in Kampala on Saturday and if that game ends in anything but a home win‚ Egypt could sew up the group when they host Congo-Brazzaville in Alexandria on Sunday night.
- TimesLIVE
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