World Cup
Four goals for Egypt’s Salah but shock setback for Nigeria
Mohamed Salah scored four times and took his goal tally for Egypt past 50 as they began their World Cup qualifying campaign with an expected victory over tiny Djibouti while Nigeria were held to a shock home draw by Lesotho on Thursday.
Salah’s performance ensured a 6-0 win for Egypt in their opening Group A match in Cairo with the striker grabbing the first four goals and increasing his overall tally for Egypt to 53 in 93 appearances as they look for a place at the 2026 finals, having missed out on the Qatar World Cup last year.
Nigeria, without injured Napoli striker Victor Osimhen, were held to a 1-1 draw at a rainy Uyo by the small mountain kingdom of Lesotho, who are 113 places below them in the FIFA rankings.
Defender Motlomelo Mkhwanazi put Lesotho into a shock lead after 56 minutes of the Group C encounter and they kept their advantage for 11 minutes before London-born centre back Semi Ajayi headed home the equaliser from Kelechi Iheanacho’s corner.
But despite pressure on the visitors’ goal for the remainder of the game, Nigeria could not fashion a winner and the result will put heavy pressure on coach Jose Peserio, just two months out from their participation at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Mozambique claimed the first away victory of the African qualifying campaign, which got underway this week, beating Botswana 3-2 in Group G with Jonathan Muiomo, who plays in the fourth tier of German club football, scoring the winner in only his second appearance.
UNCONVINCING
Algeria are the favourites in that group but their 3-1 home win over Somalia in Algiers was unconvincing with Riyad Mahrez and Amine Gouiri among their star players taken off at halftime as coach Djamel Belmadi looked to freshen up a struggling side.
Gabon fought from a goal down to beat Kenya 2-1 with Denis Bouanga, this year’s top scorer in Major League Soccer, equalising on the hour mark and Guelor Kanga grabbing a 88th-minute winner in Franceville.
Burundi also won in Group F, edging the Gambia 3-2 in their match played in Tanzania because of Burundi’s lack of a suitable stadium.
Sudan were forced to host their Group B clash against Togo in Benghazi, Libya because of the civil war in their country and although they went ahead through an early penalty saw Togo equalise through Belgian-based Kevin Denkey for a 1-1 draw.
Missed chances were the order of the day in the Group D clash between the Cape Verde Islands and Angola, that ended goalless.
The first two rounds of African qualifiers are played from Wednesday to next Tuesday, and will resume next June.
There are nine groups where the winner qualifies for the 2026 finals in Canada, Mexico and the U.S but the four best runners-up get a further chance to qualify through a two-tier playoff system.
Reuters
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Congress rose from its Annual General Meeting in Asaba on Friday and assured the Nigerian Government of its commitment to ensure that the Super Eagles qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The Nigerian team has had a poor head start in the series and has not won any of the four matches. There are six more matches to be played.
Only one of the the six teams will pick an automatic ticket even as Nigeria sat dangerously fifth in Group C. Their next match is away to group leaders, Rwanda on 17 March next year.
Another drop of points portends deep dangers as the Super Eagles have zero option other than to win all the remaining six matches. Two of those matches are potentially risky. These are the away duels with South Africa on 7 September and Lesotho on 5 October next year.
Both matches will be played in South Africa which also hosts Lesotho home games apart from the fact that Lesotho is geographically completely encircled by South Africa.
The quest to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is relatively easier as the Super Eagles are in the lead of the quartet that includes Benin Republic, Rwanda and Libya.
Two teams will qualify. Victory over Libya in the back-to-back clashes holding in the next few days will likely qualify Nigeria for Morocco 2025.
Nigeria’s World Cup Qualifying Fixtures
- 17 March 2025 – Rwanda v Nigeria
- 24 March 2025- Nigeria v Zimbabwe
- 1 Sept. 2025 – Nigeria v Rwanda
- 7 Sept. 2025 – South Africa v Nigeria
- 5 Oct. 2025 – Lesotho v Nigeria
- 12 Oct. 2025 – Nigeria v Benin Republic
Nigeria’s AFCON Cup Qualifying Fixtures
- 10 Oct. 2024 – Nigeria v Libya
- 15 Oct, 2024 – Libya v Nigeria
- 11 Nov. 2024 – Benin Republic v Nigeria
- 19 Nov. 2024 – Nigeria v Rwanda
Argentina have been boosted by the return of captain Lionel Messi for their CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers against Venezuela and Bolivia, the country’s football association said on Wednesday, after the 37-year-old recovered from an ankle injury.
Messi, who plays for Major League Soccer club Inter Miami, was left out of Argentina’s squad for their World Cup Qualifiers against Chile and Colombia in August due to the injury which he sustained during the Copa America final.
Argentina beat Colombia 1-0 to win a record 16th Copa America title.
ARGENTINA SQUAD:
Goalkeepers – Geronimo Rulli, Walter Benitez, Juan Musso.
Defenders – Gonzalo Montiel, Nahuel Molina, Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi, German Pezzella, Leonardo Balerdi, Marcos Acuna, Nicolas Tagliafico.
Midfielders – Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez, Giovani Lo Celso, Thiago Almada, Guido Rodriguez, Nico Paz.
Forwards – Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez, Alejandro Garnacho, Julian Alvarez, Valentin Carboni, Valentin Carboni, Paulo Dybala and Lionel Messi.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez has been suspended for two matches by FIFA for “offensive behaviour”, the Argentine Football Association (AFA) said in a statement on Friday.
Martinez will miss Argentina’s next South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup against Venezuela and Bolivia in October.
The Aston Villa goalkeeper has been suspended over incidents in matches against Chile and Colombia earlier this month.
In the Chile game, his first since winning the Copa America in the United States, Martinez celebrated by making a lewd gesture with the trophy, as he did after winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
After the loss to Colombia, the 32-year-old hit a local television camera.
“Damian Emiliano Martinez is being held responsible for his offensive behaviour and violation of the principles of fair play,” the AFA said in a statement, adding that it disagreed with the FIFA Disciplinary Committee’s decision
-Reuters
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