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Teams
in action this weekend for 2004 CAN
The group qualification matches for the
2004African Cup of Nations finals in Tunisia will continue this
weekend at various cities in the continent. There are 46 teams
fighting for a place in the finals. The participating countries are
divided into 7 groups of 4 teams and 6 groups of 3 teams. The 13 group
winners and the best of the groups formed of 4 teams qualify for the
final tournament in Tunisia
Group 1: Malawi, Nigeria, Angola
Group leaders Malawi awaits the arrival of Nigeria for a clash in
Lilongwe that may decide the fate of both teams. Malawi, which is
topping the group with 3 points, has two away matches left, while
Nigeria has two home matches to their advantage. Malawi defeated
Angola 1-0 at home, while Nigeria forced Angola to a goalless draw in
Luanda.
Group 2: Guinea, Niger, Ethiopia, Liberia
Guinea hosts Niger, while Liberia meets Ethiopia in Addis Ababa. Each
member of this group won their first matches with only goals
difference separating them. Guinea beat Liberia 3-0 at home, Niger won
Ethiopia 3-1 in Niamey, Ethiopia beat Guinea in Addis Ababa, and
Liberia defeated Niger 1-0 in Monrovia.
Group 3: Benin, Zambia, Sudan, Tanzania
Sudan hosts Benin and Tanzania face Zambia in Mwanza. Benin is on top
with 4 points garnered from 4-0 defeat of Tanzania in Cotonou and away
1-1 drawing with Zambia. Sudan lost 2-1 to Zambia in Khartoum last
September in the first group matches.
Group 4: Congo, Burkina Faso, Central Africa,
Mozambique
Congo hosts Central Africa and Mozambique against Burkina Faso in
Maputo. Congo, which drew first group match 0-0 at home with Burkina
Faso managed to overpower Mozambique 3-0 in Maputo to moved to the
top. Burkina Faso trails on goals difference having won one home game
2-1 against Central Africa.
Group 5: Kenya, Cape Verde, Togo, Mauritania
Cape Verde hosts Togo and Mauritania visits Kenya. A home 3-0 defeat
of Togo and 1-0 away win over Cape Verde shot Kenya to the top with 6
points. Mauritania is pointless after losing 2-0 at home to Cape Verde
and 1-0 away to Togo.
Group 6: Zimbabwe, Mali, Seychelles, Eritrea
Mali visits Eritrea, while Zimbabwe welcomes Seychelles. With 1-0 home
defeat of Mali and 1-0 away win of Eritrea, Zimbabwe hopes to extend
their 6-point lead in the group. Mali is second after 3-0 home defeat
of Seychelles, while Eritrea’s 1-0 away loss to Seychelles
guaranteed them no point.
Group 7: Morocco, Sierra Leone, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea
Gabon hosts Equatorial Guinea, while Morocco visits Sierra Leone.
Morocco and Sierra Leone are sharing 6 points apiece having won all
their matches. Morocco defeated Gabon 1-0 in Libreville and trashed
Equatorial Guinea 5-0 in Rabat, while Sierra Leone secured 3-1 away
win over Equatorial Guinea and 2-0 home win against Gabon.
Group 8: Gambia, Senegal, Liberia
Group leader Gambia hosts Senegal in another crucial encounter. The
outcome of this match will set the stage for a return leg clash in
June to decide who tops the group. Senegal defeated host Lesotho 1-0,
while Gambia trashed Lesotho 6-0 in Banjul.
Group 9: Swaziland, RD Congo, Libya, Botswana
Libya hosts Botswana and RD Congo visits Swaziland. Swaziland’s 2-1
home defeat of Libya and away goalless draw with Botswana puts them on
top. RD Congo trails with 2-0 home defeat of Botswana, while Libya
follows with 3-2 home defeat of RD Congo.
Group 10: Madagascar, Mauritius, Egypt
Mauritius hosts Egypt. Both teams are yet to win a match in the group.
Group leaders Madagascar, which defeated visiting Egypt 1-0 and
Mauritius 1-0 in Flacq plays next away match in June against Egypt.
Group 12: Algeria, Namibia, Chad
Chad hosts Namibia. Both teams are yet to win a point in the group.
Algeria is in control with 6 points garnered from 1-0 away defeat of
Namibia and 4-1 home win over Chad.
Group 13: Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda
Rwanda hosts Uganda. Uganda trails group leaders Ghana on goals
difference. Uganda defeated Ghana 1-0 at home, while Ghana beat Rwanda
4-2 in Accra.
Kick-off of the combined 2006 World Cup and
Nations cup preliminaries
CAF Secretariat
transmitted the engagement forms of the 2006 African Nations cup whose
preliminaries will be qualifying for the 2006 World Cup.
The 52 National
Associations affiliated to CAF will have until 15th June 2003 to
transmit their engagement files for the 2006 edition.
A drawing of lots will be
made in Zurich in July for the determination of the pairing of teams
which will play in the preliminary round matches to be held in October
and November 2003.
The five countries which have
represented Africa in the 2002 World Cup and the best African teams in
the last FIFA ranking list before the July draw will be exempted from
the preliminary round.
After the preliminary round, the exempted
teams and the qualified teams from the preliminary round will be
divided into five groups of six teams. The drawing of lots for the
constitution of the five groups will be made on 5th December 2003 in
Frankfurt on the occasion of the preliminary round draw of the 2006
World Cup.
The winner of each group will be qualified for the 2006
World Cup in Germany and the first three of each group will qualify
for the final tournament of the 2006 African Cup of Nations in Egypt.
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