African soccer icons Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi appear set to feature at next year’s FIFA World Cup as Egypt and Morocco have built commanding leads in their qualifying groups following Tuesday’s results.
However, reigning CAF Footballer of the Year Ademola Lookman and his fellow Nigerian Victor Osimhen are facing a struggle to be involved in the 48-nation global showpiece.
Inspired by Paris Saint-Germain fullback Hakimi, Morocco boast a nine-point advantage over Niger in Group E, the biggest lead among the nine groups.
Photo: AP
Liverpool star Salah has scored six goals in six qualifiers, helping Egypt to top Group A by five points from Burkina Faso.
With four rounds of matches remaining, in September and October, only dramatic collapses can stop Egypt and Morocco being among the guaranteed nine African qualifiers for the tournament in the US, Canada and Mexico.
The nine group winners are assured of places and the winners of a mini tournament involving the four best-ranked runners-up are to seek a finals place via intercontinental playoffs.
Photo: AP
In Group A, Salah and Mahmoud Trezeguet have contributed 11 of 14 goals as Egypt look set to qualify for a third time after their 1-0 win over Sierra Leone in Cairo on Tuesday.
In Group B, leaders the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo), Senegal in second place and Sudan are engaged in a three-way fight for top spot with just one point separating them.
DR Congo downed Mauritania 2-0, while Sudan and South Sudan drew 1-1, and Senegal beat Togo 2-0.
In Group C, South Africa could see a five-point lead shrink to just one point if they are punished by FIFA for fielding ineligible Teboho Mokoena in a victory over Lesotho last week.
South Africa defeated Benin 2-0 on Tuesday, but face the possibility of the 2-0 win over Lesotho being changed to a 3-0 loss. They believe Lesotho did not meet the 24-hour post-match deadline for lodging an official protest.
Rwanda drew with Lesotho 1-1 on Tuesday.
Nigeria lie fourth in Group C having won only one of six matches, including Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Zimbabwe.
In Group D, Cape Verde, who beat Angola 2-1, are one point ahead of Cameroon — 3-1 winners over Libya — who are to visit Praia in September.
If the surprise package known as the Blue Sharks can win in Mauritius, then triumph at home to eight-time World Cup qualifiers Cameroon, they will be poised for a historic first appearance.
In Group E it is a question of when rather than if Morocco secure qualification, with the representatives of the north African kingdom possessing too much class for rivals Niger, Zambia and Tanzania, who they downed 2-0 on Tuesday.
Should the suspension of the Republic of the Congo over government interference change to disqualification, Morocco need one point from two matches. If the Republic of the Congo are reinstated, Morocco need four points from three.
In Group F, just one point divides African champions Ivory Coast and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang-inspired Gabon, who beat Kenya 2-1, in the struggle to finish first, with a September showdown to come in Franceville.
Whichever country finishes second is likely to get another chance to qualify by being among the four best-ranked runners-up.
In Group G, Algeria have dominated under Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic apart from one blip, a home loss to Guinea, whose qualification hopes are all but over after a 1-0 loss to Uganda.
Mozambique are the best of the rest so far — despite a 5-1 loss against Algeria — and contenders for one of four playoff places.
In Group H, it is hard to imagine Tunisia not staying on top and qualifying for a seventh time, but fourth-placed Equatorial Guinea are the center of attention.
With FIFA reversing a ban of star forward Emilio Nsue, Equatorial Guinea want the six points forfeited after wins over Namibia and Liberia restored, which would catapult them to second.
In Group I, Ghana have won five qualifying matches and have established a three-point lead over Comoros, who beat Chad 1-0 on Tuesday.
Top seeds Mali improved dramatically when Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet took charge, but they were surprisingly held by Central African Republic this week, leaving them six points off the pace.
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