International Football
African Qualifiers – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 – Matchday 2 Roundup
Only one game remains outstanding as the African Qualifiers for FIFA World Cup, Qatar 2022 reached the end of Matchday 2 this week. Consequently, the 10 groups have started to take shape on the road to Qatar.
The only outstanding match is that of Guinea and Morocco which was postponed due to the political situation in Guinea.
The following is a look on how it stands in the 10 groups, with top side reaching the third and final qualification round
GROUP A
Algeria extended their unbeaten record to 29 games, after holding Burkina Faso to 1-1 draw in Marrakech. Both sides are on four points, but Les Fennecs lead the group on goal difference.
In Rabat, Niger defeated Djibouti 4-2 to record their first win in the campaign and go third.
Results:
- Djibouti 2-4 Niger
- Burkina Faso 1-1 Algeria
Standings
1. Algeria – 4 points (+8)
2. Burkina Faso – 4 points (+2)
3. Niger – 3 points (0)
4. Djibouti – 0 points (-10)
Matchday 3
- Algeria – Niger
- Djibouti – Burkina Faso
GROUP B
Tunisia continued their perfect start, beating Zambia 2-0 in Ndola to go on top with maximum points, and without conceding a goal. Meanwhile Equatorial Guinea revived their hopes, beating Mauritania 1-0 in Malabo.
Results
- Zambia 0-2 Tunisia
- Equatorial Guinea 1-0 Mauritania
Standings
1. Tunisia – 6 points (+5)
2. Zambia – 3 points (-1)
3. Equatorial Guinea – 3 points (-2)
4. Mauritania – 0 points (-2)
Matchday 3
- Equatorial Guinea – Zambia
- Tunisia – Mauritania
GROUP C
Nigeria needed the help of luck to come from behind and defeat Cape Verde 2-1 in Mindelo, courtesy to a late bizarre own goal. The Super Eagles top the goal with maximum points. Meanwhile in Douala, Liberia defeated Central African Republic 1-0 to record their first win.
Results
- Cape Verde 1-2 Nigeria
- Liberia 1-0 Central African Republic
Standings
1. Nigeria – 6 points (+3)
2. Liberia – 3 points (-1)
3. Cape Verde – 1 point (-1)
4. Central African Republic – 1 point (-1)
Matchday 3
- Liberia – Cape Verde
- Nigeria – Central African Republic
GROUP D
Sebastien Haller produced a “Man of the Match” performance to guide Cote d’Ivoire to a home 2-1 win over Cameroon in Abidjan, in the group’s Clash of Giants. Haller’s brace in the opening half put Les Elephants on top of the group on four points, one more than the Indomitable Lions.
Elsewhere in Johannesburg, Malawi managed a vital 1-0 win over Mozambique to go third.
Results
- Cote d’Ivoire 2-1 Cameroon
- Malawi 1-0 Mozambique
Standings
1. Cote d’Ivoire – 4 points (+1)
2. Cameroon – 3 points (+1)
3. Malawi – 3 points (-1)
4. Mozambique – 1 point (-1)
Matchday 3
- Cameroon – Mozambique
- Malawi – Cote d’Ivoire
GROUP E
It was a tale of two draws, as Kenya held Rwanda to a 1-1 draw in Kigali, while Uganda and Mali played to a barren stalemate in Entebe. Mali leads the pack on four points, have achieving the only group win so far.
Results
- Rwanda 1-1 Kenya
- Uganda 0-0 Mali
Standings
1. Mali – 4 points (+1)
2. Kenya – 2 points (0)
3. Uganda – 2 points (0)
4. Rwanda – 1 point (-1)
Matchday 3
- Mali – Kenya
- Rwanda – Uganda
GROUP F
Libya surprised Angola 1-0 in Luanda to shockingly lead the group with maximum points. While Egypt scored a last minute equalizer to hold Gabon 1-1 in Franceville. In the aftermath, The Pharaohs coach Hossam Elbadry was sacked to become the qualifiers’ first victim.
Results
- Angola 0-1 Libya
- Gabon 1-1 Egypt
Standings
1. Libya – 6 points (+2)
2. Egypt – 4 points (+1)
3. Gabon – 1 point (-1)
4. Angola – 0 points (-2)
Matchday 3
- Egypt – Libya
- Angola – Gabon
GROUP G
A late goal in Johannesburg gave South Africa a famous 1-0 win over Ghana to go on top of the group on four points. Ethiopia scored from the spot in injury time to secure their first win 1-0 over Zimbabwe in Bahir Dar and go third.
Results
- South Africa 1-0 Ghana
- Ethiopia 1-0 Zimbabwe
Standings
1. South Africa – 4 points (+1)
2. Ghana – 3 points (0)
3. Ethiopia – 3 points (0)
4. Zimbabwe – 1 point (-1)
Matchday 3
- Ghana – Zimbabwe
- Ethiopia – South Africa
GROUP H
Senegal proved their favorites’ tag, beating Congo in Brazzaville 3-1, with Ismaila Sarr and Sadio Mane scoring two late goals to secure top spot with maximum points. Meanwhile, Namibia returned from Lome with an away 1-0 win over Togo to continue their dream start.
Results
- Congo 1-3 Senegal
- Togo 0-1 Namibia
Standings
1. Senegal – 6 points (+4)
2. Namibia – 4 points (+1)
3. Congo – 1 point (-2)
4. Togo – 0 points (-3)
MATCHDAY 3
- Senegal – Namibia
- Togo – Congo
GROUP I
Guinea Bissau achieved a remarkable away victory, beating Sudan 4-2 in Khartoum to go top on four points.
The current situation in Guinea forced its game with Morocco to be postponed.
Results
Sudan 2-4 Guinea Bissau
Standings
1. Guinea Bissau – 4 points (+2)
2. Morocco – 3 points (+2)*
3. Guinea – 1 point (0)*
4. Sudan – 0 points (-4)
* From one match
Matchday 3
- Morocco – Guinea Bissau
- Sudan – Guinea
GROUP J
Tanzania defeated Madagascar 3-2 in a five goal thriller in Dar es Salaam, while DR Congo held Benin to a 1-1 draw in Cotonou, as the group looks still open to all probabilities.
Results
- Tanzania 3-2 Madagascar
- Benin 1-1 DR Congo
Standings
1. Tanzania – 4 points (+1)
2. Benin – 4 points (+1)
3. DR Congo – 2 points (0)
4. Madagascar – 0 points (-2)
Matchday 3
- DR Congo – Madagascar
- Tanzania – Benin
International Football
Former Brazil coach Tite taking break to take care of mental, physical health
Former Brazil coach Tite said he is taking an indefinite career break in order to take care of his mental and physical health.
The 63-year-old, who led Brazil to the 2019 Copa America title, was hospitalised due to a heart issue last August. He was sacked by Flamengo the following month and had most recently been linked with the Corinthians job.
“I realised that there are times when you have to understand that, as a human being, I can be vulnerable and admitting that will certainly make me stronger,” Tite said in a statement posted on his son Matheus Bachi’s Instagram on Tuesday.
“I’m passionate about what I do and I’ll continue to be so, but after talking to my family and observing the signals my body was giving off, I decided that the best thing to do now is to take a break from my career to look after myself for as long as it takes.
“As has become public, there was a conversation in progress with Corinthians, but it will have to be paralysed by a difficult but necessary decision.”
Tite, who stepped down as Brazil coach after their quarter-final exit from the 2022 World Cup, has previously coached a string of Brazilian sides including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras.
-Reuters
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Brazil have sacked head coach Dorival Jr, the country’s football confederation (CBF) said on Friday after the five-time world champions were thrashed 4-1 away to fierce rivals Argentina in a humiliating qualifying loss in Buenos Aires.
The 62-year-old was appointed in January 2024 after the team spent a year under two caretaker coaches as the Brazilian FA were unable to lure Italian Carlo Ancelotti from Real Madrid.
“The Brazilian Football Confederation informs that coach Dorival Jr is no longer in charge of the Brazilian national team,” the confederation said in a statement.
“The management thanks (Dorival) and wishes him success in continuing his career … the CBF will work to find his replacement,” it added.
Dorival was handed the job after his success with Flamengo in 2022 where he won the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Cup, a trophy he lifted again the next year with Sao Paulo.
However, he never seemed to get to grips with the national team job and failed to earn the trust of Brazil’s demanding fans after winning only seven of his 16 games in charge.
Sources told Reuters the CBF was not confident in Dorival’s work, considering there had been little to no progress since a lacklustre Copa America campaign when Brazil were knocked out in the quarter-finals by Uruguay last year.
Still, the CBF was willing to wait and see until the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Paraguay in June to reassess the situation following the end of the European season and the Club World Cup in the U.S. in June and July.
But after Brazil slumped to their heaviest-ever loss in a qualifier when they were thrashed by Argentina this week, CBF president Ednaldo Rodrigues decided to pull the trigger.
IDEAL CANDIDATE
Sources told Reuters Ancelotti was still the ideal candidate but he is under contract with Real until July 2026 and there is no indication he would leave the European and Spanish champions.
Brazilian media have reported that Al Hilal’s Portuguese coach Jorge Jesus is the favourite to replace Dorival.
Brazil have been in unfamiliar territory for over two years since crashing out of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia on penalties in the quarter-finals, a heartbreaking elimination that led to the exit of long-time manager Tite.
Their humbling defeat in Buenos Aires was the latest of a series of negative records Brazil have set under caretakers Ramon Menezes and Fernando Diniz and with Dorival in charge. They had never conceded four goals in a World Cup qualifier.
Brazil are in the midst of their worst-ever World Cup qualifying campaign. They are fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, a point above sixth-placed Colombia who currently occupy the final direct qualifying berth.
Never have Brazil lost so many games, conceded so many goals or set so many negative records in the qualifying competition. They have lost five of their 14 games and conceded 16 goals.
Brazil’s 1-0 defeat by Argentina in the Maracana late in 2023 was their first-ever qualifying loss on home soil.
They also lost to Colombia for the first time, saw the end of their unbeaten run against Uruguay stretching back over two decades and were defeated by Morocco and Senegal, having never previously lost to an African nation.
-Reuters
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International Football
England’s German manager Tuchel will not sing the English anthem in his first game
England manager Thomas Tuchel said he would have to “earn the right” to sing the national anthem, God Save the King, after announcing his 26-man squad on Friday ahead of the team’s World Cup qualifiers.
Tuchel, who was appointed as Gareth Southgate’s successor in October and named his first squad to face Albania and Latvia this month, said he would not sing the anthem in his first games in charge.
“It means a lot to me, I can assure you, but I can feel that because it is so meaningful and it is so emotional and it is so powerful, the national anthem, that I have to earn my right to sing it,” the 51-year-old German told a news conference.
Former caretaker manager Lee Carsley was criticised last year for not singing the anthem during his tenure.
However, Tuchel added that while he is proud to be in charge of the team and knows the words to the anthem, he plans to earn the right with results.
“Maybe I have to dive more into the culture and earn my right from you, from the players, from the supporters, so everyone feels like ‘he should sing it now, he’s one of our own, he’s the English manager, he should sing it’,” he said.
-Reuters
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