African World Cup Zonal qualifiers results

The heat for Germany 2006 World Cup tickets grew hotter this weekend,with matches across the African Continent. Here, nigeriasports.com take the pains to lay out expressive details of the hostilities in the respective centres. This is, in consonance with our earlier promise to bring this mundial services to our delightfully endearing viewers across the world. Enjoy the frills, shrills and freaks of the soccer inferno burning all over mother Africa:

Tunisians reduce German trip to hair's breadth

Tunisia, hosts and winners of the last African Nations Cup Championship in 2004, further made bold their determination to attend next year's World Cup Finals holding in Germany, by whipping their hapless Kenyan hosts 2-0 in Nairobi yesterday, September, 3, 2005. The Tunisians' victory over the East Africans on their soil, was played behind closed doors with no spectators...no thanks to FIFA's hammer, which was slammed on the Kenyans, following the death of a 15-year ball fan during their match against Morocco earlier in the qualifying race.

The uninspired and self-defeatist Kenyan side of 10 men, had hardly trooped into the picth, when their North African visitors, whirled the ball past their equally reluctant goal warden in the second minute. Being in 'exile' in your own home could be one hell of an experience and the Kenyana' demeanour in the encounter,in which only both team's and match officials were the spectators, spelt clearly, their duressed -approach to the game.

Barely five minutes to regulation time, the hosts' defender, Edwin Mukenyen bagged the referee's marching order; a development which further difused an already-wary Kenyan side. So, it was no surprise when Tunisian substitute, Isaam Jomaa raced into the Kenyans' eighteen to zip- home the second goal of the colourless encounter.

With the 'platter of gold' victory, Tunisia now needs only a point to qualify for the Mundial in Germany next year...that is even if Morocco decides to play another 'Kenyan' to their visitors from Botswana today in Rabat. Otherwise, the current African champions, could as well start their qualification ceremonies and putting their acts together for the challenges of the World Cup...not hoping for another 'Kenyan gif't.

Senegalese pile-up pressure on Keshi's Togo

Just a goal; that was all the Terranga Lions of Senegal needed to snuff-off the oozing confidence of Togolese in their well-knit scheme to land in Germany next year, as participants and not the age-long status of spectators, which they had unenviously had to live with and sulked over, since the inception of the global soccer finals.

The encounter played in Lusaka, the Zambian capital, had upheld the tempo of a tightly contested battle, until the homers' defence brickwall defence caved- in in the 54th minute, to the Senegalese' relentless attacking force, which was ably arrow-headed by Ousseynou Diouf.

With this inspirational away victory, the Senegalese have thus dethroned Togo to the second place on their Group One table, a position the Stephen Keshi-coached side had jealously guarded until yesterday. Following this situation, nigeriasports.com gathered that an eerie air of uncertainty have taken over the Togolese' horizon.

nigeriasports.com also gathered that, more than ever before, the natives of the West African sub-regional nation, and members of the team's resolve to ensure a grand defeat of their Liberian guesst today, have been rejuvinated. We were told on phone that an air of uneasy calm swept across the land as soon as the news of Zambia's fall at home to the superior fireworks of Senegal hit the Togolese capital of Lome yesterday, September 3, 2005.

Our source in Lome also informed that, the thought of an easy ride on the backs of a reluctant and financially-constrained Liberian side, have been over-taken by the fear of the unknown. "Now, the feeling here, is like they did not know that, in football, it is never ove,r until the referee's whistle signals the end of an encounter.

"They had assumed that Zambia would beat Senegal in Lusaka, but when the news of Zambia's fall at home reached them, the tone suddenly changed and their pre-victory toasts over Liberia today, was stopped mid-way. What is upper most on their minds now, is for God to bring them victory today over Liberia.

A hungry man, is an angry man, it is said and the for once, it has dawned on Togolese ball fans, that the hunger in their visitors, could afterall be an enhancing spell in their favour. So it has now become a must fought and win affair to the hosts this evening.

Sad and emotionally shattered, the Liberian side, is expected to travel by air to neighbouring Ghana, from where they hope to complete the rest of their trip to Togo, by road. But as tormenting as this may seem, it could turn out to become the pivotal springboard on which, the written-off Presidential Seat-seeking George Opong Weah's could kinsmen unleash frustration...one psychological ingriedient,which if properly harnessed, could spell doom for Togo.

If hosts, Togo win today, they would be up again to their first position of their Group One Table with 20 points from 9 matches to the Senegales' 19 points from equal number of matches; and Togo would have succeeded in re-fuelling their Germany 2006 World Cup Finals' vehicle.

Libyans' Nations Cup attendance dwarfs W/Cup ambition

Libyans yesterday brought to practical translation, the age-long cliche of:"One man's meat, is another man's poison," when they engaged themselves in celebration dance steps over their qualification for the African Nations Cup for the first time, over the last two decades. This action, is the reverse case in other African nations, whose World Cup qualification chances, are still bright...Libya too, was one of such nations but since they could not have it, they have had to resign lots in their quest for a World Cup ticket to fate.

Be that as it may, the Libyans had not expected the doughty goal-less result when their national side engaged their Sudanese counterparts in their capital city of Tripoli yesterday, September 3, 2005. So, the parties had to be called off as soon as the referee sounded his whistle at regulation time. However, the 0-0 scoreline against Sudan, has not rubbed the Libyans an opportunity of joining their other continental folks in Egypt next year for the Nations Cup Championship.

This is because they have grossed enough points (14), which the last two nations, Sudan (6) and Benin Republic, cannot attain even if both win their last Group 3 matches. For the Libyans, it is a matter of;"different strokes for different folks."

The Boys, The Boys of S/Africa refuse to grow

South Africa's Bafana Bafan (The Boys The Boys) refused to grow up to become men, when yesterday in Ougadougou, Burkina Faso, they stumbled and fell to the powerful gallops of the Stallions of hosts, Burkina Faso. Pundits had sketched victory pendullum would swing in the direction of the South Boy; at worse, they had argued, "the encounter would end in a draw."

But that was far from the line...The Boys shunned all entreaties to "grow up and be men, who have had the feel of the World Cup Finals before" from their technical shots callers from the sidelines. They staggered, stumbled and slumped 3-1 to their offensive hosts, who were searching for at least, a consolatory Nations Cup 2006 qualification ticket. `

The Burkinabes have thus grossed 12 points; 2 points ahead Cape Verde, who are meeting Congo Democratic Republic today, September 4, 2005 in the Congolese' home. If the elements of mathematics could be anything with which, African home and away matches syndrome could be measured, then Cape Verde could be the losers in the encounter, which is yet to be played at the time of this report.

That would therefore translate to be that, the Burkinabes have toppled Cape Verde, who have 10 points and placed 4th on the Group 2 Table. Cape Verde will be hosting the Ghanaian Black Stars on October 9, 2005...the result of the match could go either way or a draw for the Ghanaians, who have not been able to hide their thirst for a maiden Mundial attendance.

On the otherhand, Burkina Faso are expected to travel East Africa, to dare the Ugandans at home; again, the outcome of the encounter on October 8, could go either way...especially with a Ugandan team, that has only beeen able to chalk-up 7 points from 8 matches in the global cup qualifying series. Even a victory over their West African opponents, would not change their fortunes in both the continental and global championships.