World Soccer - UK (2022-01)

GUINEA

“SyliNationale” hada convincing
qualifying campaigntogetinto
thefinalsbutthenimplodedinthe
WorldCuppreliminariesbetween
SeptemberandNovember, firing
coachDidierSix in theprocess.
ThetaciturnFrenchmanlikely
contributedtohisowndemise,but
thecountry’scausewasnothelped
bya military coupinSeptember
thathadGuinea brieflybanned
fromhostinganyfootball, thereby
impactingtheirhopesof a credible
tiltatWorldCupqualification.
Guineausedtobea powerin
Africanfootball in the 19 70s,and
wererunners-upin 19 76,but
remaininconsistentparticipants.
Buttheyarecapableofcausing
waves and, with a bitofmomentum,
mayprovespoilersinCameroon.

KEYPLAYER

NabyKeitahasstruggledwith
injuryoflate,someofitpicked
uponinternationalduty,and has
notbeenasregularashemight
havelikedforLiverpool.But when
fit,themidfielderisverymuch
thetalismanforhiscountryand
givesthemanaddedimpetus.

THECOACH

Ex-Arsenal,MarseilleandPSG
strikerKabaDiawarasteppedin as
caretakercoachatthe endofthe
WorldCupqualifiersinNovember.
Ifthe 45-year-oldkeeps therole
forthetournament, he willbe
oneoftheyoungestandmost
inexperiencedonthe bench.

MALAWI

The“warm heart of Africa”,Malawi

isamongthepoorest countries

onthe continentandlargely an

also-raninthe Africangame.

Thisisjustthethirdtimethey’ve

qualifiedfor thefinals,following

appearancesin 1984 and 2010 ,

where they startedwithastunning

3-0victoryoverAlgeriabutthen

lostthenexttwoto be eliminated.

Subsequentaccusationsof

match-fixingsurfacedduringthe

WilsonPerumalsagabuthave

never been dealtwith.

Malawiqualifiedforthesefinals

byedgingoutUgandain a decisive

tieinMarch,butintherecently

completedWorldCup qualifiers

theyfinishedbottomof theirgroup.

KEYPLAYER

FrankMhangoisalsoknown

as“Gabadinho”andis a former

GoldenBootwinnerinthe South

AfricanleaguewithOrlando

Pirates.The 29 -year-oldhasa

reputationfor a quickturn and

devastatingpacebuthehas been

strugglingwith form of late.

THECOACH

MekeMwasefolloweda

well-troddenpath forMalawian

footballerstoSouth Africaasa

professional,alsoplayingcentre-

backfor hiscountry, andhas

comethroughcoaching thejunior

nationalteamstofirstserveas

caretakerandnow permanent

coachsincethe 2019 departure

ofBelgianRonnyVanGeneugden.

SENEGAL

Senegalarestillsearchingfortheir

first AFCONsuccess,havingbeen

runners-upatthelasteditionin

2019. They alsolost,onpenalties,

inthe 2 00 2 final to Cameroonand

willbe amongthefavouritesfor the

title,boastinga high-qualitysquad.

Increasinglythe national team

draws itsplayersfromthe migrant

communityoverseas,thusboosting

itschancesofa placeat theWorld

Cupin QatarinNovember.

Ithas alsomeantcompetitionfor

places,whichhasseenanoverhaul

ofthe teaminthe twoanda half

yearssince thelastCupofNations.

Anythingbut victorywillbe

considereda failure givenhow

theyhaverompedthroughboth

Cupof NationsandWorldCup

qualifyingover thelast 1 8 months.

KEYPLAYER

TalismanSadioManecommands

respectfromboth team-matesand

opponentsalike,withtheLiverpool

aceshowinga strongdedicationto

hisnationalteamand thecause

ofdeliveringa firstmajortitle

tothe “LionsofTeranga”.

THECOACH

The 45 -year-oldex-Birmingham

City, PortsmouthandPSG defender

AliouCisseleadsSenegal at a

fourthmajortournament,having

alsocaptainedthe countryatthe

2002 WorldCupinJapanand

South Korea,wheretheyshocked

holdersFranceintheopeninggame

andreachedthe quarter-finals.

ZIMBABWE

A swatheof naturaltalentmakes

Zimbabwea dangerousoutfit,but

theyarebadlyletdownbythe

foiblesoftheiradministratorsand

theeconomicmalaiseincountry.

After completingtheirWorld

Cupqualifyingcampaignwithout a

win,the nation’s FA wassuspended

bythe government,whoaccused

itofnotaccountingformoneyit

hadbeengivenfromthepublic

pursetopreparefortheirlast

NationsCupappearancein 2019.

Theriskofbeingkickedout

ofthe tournamentloomedlarge,

buttherehassincebeensome

backtrackingbythe governmentto

avoidanyconfrontationwith FIFA.

ThisisthethirdsuccessiveCup

ofNationsfinalsthatZimbabwe

havequalifiedfor– before that

theyhadbeento onlytwo.

KEYPLAYER

TinoKadewerescoredten goals

inLigue1last seasonforLyon

butisstrugglingnowwithform

andinjury.Thestriker,whoturns

26 ontheeveofthefinals,will

belookingtothetournament

fora muchneeded boost.

THECOACH

Norman Mapeza, whohasmade

PlatinumFCthe topclubsidein

Zimbabwe,returnedfora fourth

stintascoachona three-month

contractinSeptemberfor the

World Cupqualifiers.Hewas

expectedtostayonandtake

theteamtoCameroon.

GROUP B

Beatenfinalists...

Senegalwerethe

2019 runners-up

Three in arow...

Zimbabwehave

qualifiedfor their

third consecutive

AFCONfinals

Talisman...

NabyKeita

Outof form...

Gabadinho

National icon...

SadioMane

Coach...

Mapeza

celebrates

withhis

players