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Cameroon, Nigeria win
There was joy for Cameroon and Nigeria as they booked their places at the World Cup finals in South Africa next year.
There was joy for Cameroon and Nigeria as they booked their places at the World Cup finals in South Africa next year. Algeria, who were hoping to pick up the final African place, will have to contest in a winner-take-all play-off against Egypt in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum on Wednesday after losing 2-0 against the Pharaohs in Cairo — a result that sees both teams top Group C with the same number of points, goals scored and conceded.
In the European play-offs between Russia and Slovenia, Greece and Ukraine, Ireland and France as well as Portugal and Bosnia, only France managed to secure a distinct advantage ahead of Wednesday’s return legs. The 1998 winners managed to secure an important 1-0 victory in Dublin against Ireland through a lucky Nicolas Anelka goal in the 72nd minute.
The Chelsea strikers’ shot, after being set up by Yoann Gourcuff, took a wicked deflection off Sean St Ledger that left Irish goalkeeper Shay Given, who was playing his 101st international game, flat-footed.
Anelka then had a chance to make it two, before French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris denied Glenn Whelan an equalizer two minutes from the end with a world-class save. The result gives Raymond Domenech’s team a huge advantage ahead of the return leg in Paris and should see the team through to next year’s finals in South Africa.
In Athens, Greece and Ukraine played a disappointing encounter, bereft of flowing football and lacking in virtually any clear-cut chances. The scoreless draw leaves the tie finely poised ahead of Wednesday’s return leg in Donetsk.
In Moscow, Russia seemed well on course for a two-goal lead that would have given them plenty of confidence for the return leg in Maribor, but substitute Nejc Pecnik scored late to leave the tie wide open.
Earlier Everton striker Dinyar Bilyaletdinov looked to have put Russia in the driving seat for a place at the finals with goals in each half in the Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow to put Guus Hiddink’s side in control before Pecnik found a late goal that could prove important.
