Posted by By Patrick Omorodion on
Nigeria's presence at next year's FIFA World Cup in Germany may be guaranteed with the qualification of tiny Togo whose national team is being handled by former Super Eagles captain and assistant coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi who led his team to a 3-0 trouncing of troubled Lone Star of Liberia in Lome.
Nigeria's presence at next year's FIFA World Cup in Germany may be guaranteed with the qualification of tiny Togo whose national team is being handled by former Super Eagles captain and assistant coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi who led his team to a 3-0 trouncing of troubled Lone Star of Liberia in Lome.
Also another west African country and four time African Nations Cup champions, Ghana, yesterday brightened their chances of a World Cup debut with a 2-0 defeat of Uganda in Accra after group rivals South Africa fluffed an opportunity to remain in contention when they got hammered 3-1 on Saturday in Ouagadougou by the Burkinabe national team.
Keshi and his lads were denied the joy of shouting eureka for a definite World Cup appearance after Senegal surprised Kalusha Bwalya-tutored Zambian team with a shocking 1-0 away win in Zambia. Togo remain two points clear of Senegal's 18 points, with the Senegalese having the luxury of playing their last game on home soil in October.
On the weekend of October 7-9, Senegal host Mali who have lost out in both the World Cup and Nations Cup while Togo would have an herculean task against Congo in Brazzaville but Keshi would pray for a draw if a win is not possible.
A win for Senegal against Mali gives them 21 points while an away win for Togo guarantees them the World Cup ticket with 23 points. However, a draw leaves Togo at 21 points but they would pick the ticket ahead of Senegal as they have a better head to head aggregate of four points to Senegal's one. They beat Senegal 3-1 in Lome and pulled a pulsating 2-2 draw in Dakar.
The streets of Ghana will definitely be in celebration mood and will remain so until October 9 when they play their last qualifier away to Cape Verde. If they fail to beat Cape Verde and South Africa wins against Congo DR, Ghana picks the ticket, but if Congo DR beat South Africa in Johannesburg, with Ghana and the Congolese equal on head to head, the Ghanaians will still pick it on goal's difference except the South Africans lose scandalously with Ghana also losing to Cape Verde.