Ghana or South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire or Cameroun, Burkina-Faso or Algeria, Mali or Uganda, Tanzania or Benin Republic, Nigeria or Cape Verde, November is the month of decision as the penultimate race to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar comes to an exciting end in Africa.
As things stand, Senegal in Group H is the only West African team already sure of qualification for the last playoff which comes up in March immediately after the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon. All other big teams from the region are facing the threats of elimination, including Nigeria.
Format:
A previous proposal to merge the qualification rounds for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with those for the World Cup was turned down after a CAF meeting on 11 June 2018. CAF then reverted to the format used for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification competition.
First round: 28 teams (ranked 27–54) played home-and-away over two legs. The 14 winners advanced to the second round.
Second round: 40 teams (ranked 1–26 and 14 first-round winners) have been divided into ten groups of four teams to play home-and-away round-robin matches. The ten group winners will advance to the third round.
Third round: The ten second-round group winners play home-and-away over two legs. The five winners qualify for the World Cup.
Let us take a look at the journey so far for the West African giants and the threats that lie ahead in November.
Group A
Burkina Faso or Algeria: In a group comprising Algeria, Burkina Faso, Djibouti and the Niger Republic, nothing has separated Algeria and Burkina Faso after 4 matches.
The 2 countries are tied on 10 points after achieving 9 points from three victories where the only draw recorded happens to be the encounter between both sides in September where Burkina Faso fought back to hold Algeria to a 1-1 draw in a match played at the Stade de Marrakech, Morocco because CAF did not approve the Stade du 4 Août in Ouagadougou, capital of Burkina Faso, for the World Cup series.
Ultimately, the match ended in a 1-1 draw with Algeria extending their impressive unbeaten run to 29 matches across all competitions, but their six-match winning streak came to an end.
On the 11th of November, Algeria will play away to Djibouti while Burkina Faso will host Niger with both sides expected to cart away the six points at stake in the two matches.
The mother of all battles will take place on 14 November in Algiers in a winner take all contest. Algeria remains unbeaten in 31 matches.
Prediction: Game to end in a draw or victory for Algeria. Burkina Faso to be eliminated.
Group C
Nigeria or Cape Verde
The good thing about this dire situation is that both countries are from West Africa.
Nigeria on 9 points, Cape Verde on 7 points means that both countries can still qualify to go into the last round of matches in the group. Nigeria plays away to Liberia in Monrovia while Cape Verde will host the Central Africa Republic at home and the two top group contenders are expected to bag maximum points in their respective encounters.
The decider comes up in Lagos on 14 November when Cape Verde comes visiting the Super Eagles at the Teslim Balogun Stadium and with what happened in October where CAR shocked Nigeria, anything can happen.
Prediction: Nigeria to win, Cape Verde eliminated.
Group D
Côte d’Ivoire or Cameroun
This is the biggest and most difficult situation in the whole of the African qualifiers. Ideally, both countries should not have found themselves in the same group. Sadly, the draws brought them together, meaning that one country must be eliminated.
Côte d’Ivoire is at the moment on top of the log with 10 points while Cameroun trails closely behind on 9 points.
Côte d’Ivoire next hosts Mozambique while Cameroun plays away to Malawi but the last group match holds the ace with Cameroun hosting Côte d’Ivoire.
Group D is the only section of 10 in Africa featuring two countries among the 10 highest ranked on the continent because Côte d’Ivoire
were 12th when the draw was made two years ago, unfortunately.
Prediction: Cameroun in the slim win, Côte d’Ivoire eliminated.
Group E
Mali or Uganda
This group is made up of Mali, Uganda, Kenya and Rwanda and it was expected to be a fight to the finish.
Strangely, only two countries are in line for qualification while others have been blown away.
Mali on 10 points plays away to Rwanda while Uganda on 8 points plays host to Kenya. The group decider will come up on the last day when Mali host Uganda in Bamako.
Prediction: Mali wins emphatically, Uganda eliminated.
Group G:
Ghana or South Africa
Without a doubt, Accra will shake on 14th November.
South Africa presently on 10 points and number one on the log is expected to lead the table till the last day because they will next play host to the bottom-placed team Zimbabwe while Ghana, presently 2nd on the log with 9 points, embark on a tricky tie away ties to Ethiopia.
Ghana must not lose in Addis Ababa to keep hopes alive and look forward to avenging the 0-1 loss to South Africa in Johannesburg through an 83rd-minute Bongokuhle Hlongwane goal and replace them as Group G winners.
Prediction: Ghana to win, South Africa eliminated.
Group J
Benin or Tanzania or DR Congo
What makes this group unique is that it is still a 3-horse race.
The Benin Republic is presently tied on 7 points with group leaders Tanzania courtesy of a better goal difference but DR Congo is on their heels with 5 points.
Benin Republic can do themselves a huge favour by beating Madagascar in the next match in Cotonou on the same day Tanzania is expected to do battle at home with DR Congo.
On the last day, Benin Republic faces a tricky tie away to DR Congo while Tanzania visits Madagascar.
Prediction: The Benin Republic to win in Cotonou and Kinshasa, Tanzania to win in Dar es Salaam and Antananarivo.
Tanzania to advance, Benin Republic eliminated.
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