Justin Kampamba, AfricaNews reporter in Pretoria, South Africa
The 2013 Afcon Cup qualifiers have reached a turning point. By the evening of October 14, the fifteen teams to compete at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa next year would have been known. This final round is crucial for some soccer giants of the continent who would not make it to South Africa if they fail to turn the tide against them.
Opening the list is Cameroon. Beaten in Praia 2-0 by Cape-Verde, the Indomitable Lions have to score at least three goals at home without conceding any to confirm their participation at next year's Afcon Cup. After a commotion that ended in the sacking of their coach and the return to the squad, after eight months of suspension of their star striker, Samuel Eto’o, Cameroonian football fans are hoping they would not be disappointed for the second time in a row. One thing is for sure: whatever the outcome of the October 14 encounter in Yaounde, Cameroon would still not be strong enough to prevent the team from failing again.
The Senegal- Cote d’Ivoire clash bears all the hallmarks of a mouth-watering encounter as one soccer giant must fall at the end of the day. The scale seems to tip in favour of Cote d’Ivoire for now with a 4-2 win in the first leg but would this two-goal cushion shield the Elephants from the Teranga Lions’ strikes in their den (Dakar)? If the Elephants fall, it would be the lamentable end of a golden generation with nothing to show for. The Teranga Lions’ failure at this stage of the race would equally be as regrettable as that of their opponents’ for, after passing through dark days for many seasons, a new squad is only just beginning to rise again.
Now Zambia. Would the new champs make it to Johannesburg to defend their title in four months? Zambia must make a perilous journey to Kampala where a very resolute Uganda is waiting for them. With a slim 1-0 advantage from the first leg game in Ndola, Katongo and his teammates would certainly have it hot warding off a much improved Ugandan squad.
Morocco have followed Cameroon’s example by firing their head coach. The very expensive Eric Geret has made way for home brewed, Rachid Taoussi. The Marrakech encounter, it is hoped, would be a real fireworks as the Atlas Lions are expected to reverse a two-goal disadvantage conceded in Maputo, Mozambique.
Algeria, who seem to be heading for qualification, made a good impression in neutral ground Cassablanca by imposing a 1-0 victory over Libya in their first leg game. Vahid Halilhodzic’s boys however, remain wary over the Libya clash at home as the Greens have become experts in playing away games, since the political instability in their country, without even batting an eye lid. The Fennecs, therefore, are ready to stand their grounds.
Tunisia and Nigeria, who both ended their away leg games in a virgin draw, are sure to confirm their qualification when they clash with Sierra Leone and Liberia respectively. There may be some surprises though.
Some teams, like the DRC with a 4-0 advantage over their opponents, Equatorial Guinea secured at home, would travel in comfort and in confidence to play the return leg encounter abroad. Claude Le Roy’s boys are only an inch from making the trip to South Africa. On their part, Mali are sure of keeping Botswana at bay when they go to Gaborone to maintain the three-goal lead won at home.
The same is true for Ghana and Zimbabwe, who are capable of holding Malawi and Angola in Lilongwe and Luanda respectively to grab their tickets for the South Africa show down. Finally three games seem unpredictable following the two teams’ equal or almost equal weight on the scale: Togo – Mali (1-1), Niger – Guinea (0-1) and Burkina Faso -CAR (0-1).
The 2013 Afcon Cup qualifiers have reached a turning point. By the evening of October 14, the fifteen teams to compete at the African Cup of Nations in South Africa next year would have been known. This final round is crucial for some soccer giants of the continent who would not make it to South Africa if they fail to turn the tide against them.
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