Downing Street indicates Netanyahu faces arrest if he enters UK    London's Gatwick airport reopens terminal after bomb scare evacuation    Civil Defense warns of thunderstorms across Saudi Arabia until Tuesday    Saudi Arabia, Japan strengthen cultural collaboration with new MoU    Slovak president meets Saudi delegation to bolster trade and investment ties    Saudi defense minister meets with Swedish state secretary    Navigating healthcare's future: Solutions for a sustainable system    Sixth foreign tourist dies of suspected methanol poisoning in Laos    Al Khaleej qualifies for Asian Men's Club League Handball Championship final    Katy Perry v Katie Perry: Singer wins right to use name in Australia    Trump picks Pam Bondi as attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws    Al-Jasser: Saudi Arabia to expand rail network to over 8,000 km    OMODA&JAECOO: Unstoppable global cumulative sales over 360,000 units    Al Hilal doesn't need extra support to bring new players, CEO says    Saudi Arabia sees 73.7% rise in investment licenses in Q3 2024    Rafael Nadal: Farewell to the 'King of Clay'    Indonesia shocks Saudi Arabia with 2-0 victory in AFC Asian Qualifiers    Sitting too much linked to heart disease –– even if you work out    GASTAT report: 45.1% of Saudis are overweight    Denmark's Victoria Kjær Theilvig wins Miss Universe 2024    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    India puts blockbuster Pakistani film on hold    The Vikings and the Islamic world    Filipino pilgrim's incredible evolution from an enemy of Islam to its staunch advocate    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



World Cup qualifiers suffer at African championship
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 23 - 01 - 2010

The five leading cast members at the Africa Cup of Nations suffered varying degrees of stage fright during Act I of the competition.
Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Algeria all eventually made it into the quarterfinals but each of the quintet experienced a World Cup reality check along the way. The first of the famous five to stumble was Ivory Coast, who almost came a cropper against Burkina Faso, Didier Drogba and his star-studded teammmates fortunate to escape with a goalless draw.
The Elephants stepped up a gear in their next run out, defeating Ghana 3-1 to become the first side into the last eight with coach Vahid Halilhodzic a relieved man.
“I told the boys that we had to choose a path between paradise and hell as a nation like the Ivory Coast would never forgive us if we lost,” he said.
Next of the South Africa-bound teams to join them in the second round were Algeria, who had looked down and out when suffering a 3-0 thrashing by minnows Malawi in their opener.
That triggered an onslaught of criticism from the Algerian media who held coach Rabah Saadane responsible for the wipe-out.
The Desert Foxes came back fighting with a 1-0 win over Mali and then ensured their last eight ticket with a 0-0 draw against host Angola. After the Mali victory Saadane said crisply: “This win has given the perfect answer to all our critics.”
Next into the quarterfinal mix was Ghana, who qualified with a tight 1-0 win over Burkina Faso.
The Black Stars, the first team from Africa to qualify for the World Cup, went into their must-win game missing a raft of star players, including Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, who suffered a serious training injury 48 hours before kick-off.
Andre Ayew, son of one of Africa's most decorated players, Abedi ‘Pele' Ayew, was the hero of the hour, producing the decisive first half goal to bag them the runnerup spot behind Ivory Coast in Group B.
Ghana's Serb coach Milovan Rajevac said the injuries to key players like Essien were giving ‘Dede' and the other youngsters' the chance to shine.
Nigeria found themselves with their backs to the wall after an opening 3-1 defeat to champion Egypt. That led to an ultimatum to coach, Shuaibu Amodu - beat next-door neighbours Benin or else make way for assistant coach Daniel Amokachi.
The Super Eagles duly beat Benin 1-0 and qualified with a 3-0 victory over Mozambique.
Match winner Osaze Odenwingie, who scored twice, said: “I'm happy for the team. We had a lot of pressure on us, but since the start of the competition we have made daily progress, from the goalkeepers to the strikers.”
Amodu added: “My job is to do a good CAN - I can't avoid the critics. I'm happy that the boys were able to deliver the goods.”
And finally to Cameroon, who after its shock 1-0 opening loss to Gabon was four minutes away from getting knocked out only for substitute Mohamadou Idrissou to head home the 86th-minute winner for a 3-2 win over Zambia.
Samuel Eto'o and his men had to make another comeback for a 2-2 draw with Tunisia in Lubango Thursday to join their fellow World Cup contenders in the second round.
Coach Paul Le Guen said he had two objectives in Angola. “To get the best possible results in this Africa cup of Nations, and to prepare the squad for the World Cup. “It's hard going, but we've shown we can fight back even if we are letting in a lot of goals.
“I have had to take decisions (about team selection) which may appear tough but it allows me to prepare for the World Cup in the best fashion.”


Clic here to read the story from its source.