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| WorldCupBlog FastForward*: World Cup Qualifier Weekend Posted: 13 Nov 2009 05:30 PM PST (*it’s the opposite of Offside Rewind) FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty
Any previews I missed? Please share them in the comments. That’s me done for the week on the front page, though Matilda and myself will be doing a LiveBlog of England vs Brazil on Saturday. Dave and Laurie will be along to inform and entertain us this weekend.        |
| World Cup 2010 African Qualifying Finale: Who Will Take the Three Final Spots? Posted: 13 Nov 2009 02:23 PM PST
That leaves three groups undecided with just one round of games to go, and those games are this weekend. The winners of Groups A, B and C will all qualify for the African continent’s first World Cup. You don’t need me to tell you how important that makes these games. Three of the following six teams could still qualify: Group A: Cameroon or Gabon (click the links to read our excellent team blogs) A little explanation after the jump, plus – as with the playoff games – we’re challenging you to pick which three will qualify. But if you’re looking for drama, you might want to scroll right on down to the Egypt vs Algeria preview. Plenty to talk about there. Since the World Cup 2010 qualifiers double as the Africa Cup of Nations (Angola 2010) qualifiers, all teams still have something to play for. Winners of the groups go to the World Cup, but second and third place qualify for the AFCoN. We’ll post the list of 16 Cup of Nations qualifiers either this weekend or Monday morning. But in the meantime, let’s focus on the teams aiming for World Cup 2010. GROUP A: Who can qualify?Cameroon or Gabon. Matches: Paul Le Guen’s Cameroon just need a result equal to or better than Gabon’s to qualify, and Samuel Eto’o is on fire with eight goals in qualifying. But visiting Morocco is no easy task. Gabon basically need to beat Togo and hope Cameroon slip up. Daryl’s pick: Cameroon. GROUP B: Who can qualify: Tunisia or Nigeria. Matches: Nigeria simply have to beat Kenya to stand any chance of qualifying. If the Super Eagles succeed in doing so, then it’s all about what Tunisia do in Mozambique. If Nigeria wins and Tunisia loses, then then the Super Eagles go to South Africa. If Nigeria wins and Tunisia draws, then Nigeria will have the better goal difference. That’s what we call drama. Daryl’s pick: This is tough. Really tough. I’m struggling to imagine a 2010 World Cup without Nigeria. But Tunisia’s fate is in their own hands, so I’m picking them for that reason alone. Group C: Who can qualify? Algeria or Egypt. Matches: North African rivals Egypt and Algeria have a long history of not being very nice to each other, including the last time these two met in similar circumstances back in 1989. Egypt qualified for Italia ‘90 on the occasion. This year there has already been trouble, with the Algerian team bus coming under attack from Egyptian fans, who apparently shattered the bus windows and left at least one player with facial injuries. Not cool. But here’s hoping we can move beyond that and enjoy some football. Speaking of which… The situation is as follows: Egypt need to beat Algeria by three goals to qualify. If Egypt lose, draw, or win by only one goal, then Algeria goes to the World Cup. If Egypt win by two goals then we’ll have a one game playoff at a neutral location on Wednesday Novemeber 18th. Daryl’s pick: I really don’t want to get in the middle of this one, but will pick Algeria, just because they go in with the advantage. So my three picks are: Cameroon Yours?   |
It’s the World Cup 2010 qualification finale in Africa this weekend, with three spots at the big show still up for grabs. 
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With 23 nations already qualified for World Cup 2010, there are just nine places in South Africa still up for grabs. Three of those will be decided when African qualifying concludes next Wednesday. But that’s a separate post. The six other qualifiers will be decided by playoffs, starting tomorrow.
ESPN has taken more than their fair share of stick for their football/soccer coverage, and for good reason. They’re American (despite dubbing themselves The Global Leader) and, by and large, they do American sports well. Others: not so much.
This seems almost impossibly unimportant following 
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