ew, if any, World Cup
qualifying campaigns
have concluded as
dramatically as the
five African play-offs
that saw Cameroon,
Ghana, Morocco, Senegal and Tunisia
book their berths as the continent’s
representatives at the Qatar World Cup.
Cameroon snatched success away
fromAlgeria withvirtually the last kick
ofthematch,whileSadioManereprised
his penalty-kick heroics as his Liverpool
team-mate Mohamed Salah skied
his effort in yet another shootout
between Senegal and Egypt.
Ghana won unexpectedly thanks to
a goalkeeping howler, while Tunisia had
a bizarre own goal to thank for their
qualification.
Morocco proved the only side to
produce an emphatic victory over the
two legs, but even then their progress
was dogged by controversy over player
selection.
Karl Toko Ekambi was Cameroon’s
hero, sweeping the ball home deep in
stoppage-time at the end of extra-time
to seal a 2-1 victory over Algeria in
Blida in the second leg of their tie. The
drama of the goal was heightened by
the fact that the Indomitable Lions
looked to have lost any chance of an
eighth World Cup finals appearanceAFCON
final
repeats
itself
Senegal overcome
Egypt on penalties
once again to secure
their place in Qatar
alongside Morocco,
Cameroon, Ghana
and TunisiaF
- an African record – when they lost
1-0 at home in the first leg.
Algeria deservedly won in Douala
thanks to an Islam Slimani first-half
header, seemingly making up for their
desperately disappointing performance
in the same stadium inJanuary, when
their defence of their Africa Cup
of Nations title
went horribly
wrong.
They were all
set for further
redemption at
home in the
return leg, but
quickly ceded their advantage when
goalkeeper Rais M’Bolhi dropped
the ball at a corner and Eric Maxim
Choupo-Moting snapped up the
opportunity to equalise on aggregate.
It stayed that way until the118th
minute when Algeria retook the
aggregate lead with sub Ahmed
Touba’s header from a corner.
Yet there was still time left for
Cameroon to throw everything forward
in a dramatic finale, snatching the tie on
away goals with their fairy-tale winner.
Away goals also did it for Ghana who
were held goalless in Kumasi by Nigeria
in the first leg, but went ahead away
after ten minutes in Abuja. Thomas
Partey’s rasping shot slipped underNigeria keeper Francis Uzoho to hand
the Black Stars a sudden – and surprise- advantage. Nigeria equalised through
William Troost-Ekong’s penalty soon after,
but still needed one more goal. Even with
Victor Osimhen and Emmanuel Dennis
back in attack, they proved devoid of
ideas and went out with a whimper.
Tunisia will be ever thankful to
Moussa Sissako, the Paris-born
R
e
v
ie
wAfrica
MARK GLEESONSenegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy saved from
Mostafa Mohamed, allowing Mane to grab
glory again as he thrashed his kick home in a
repeat of the AFCON final