African World Cup qualifiers: Cameroon pulls off miracle, Egypt misses out

Africa’s 10 best teams closed out the region’s final round of World Cup qualifying with Tuesday’s second legs. Each matchup was finely poised following some tight opening fixtures. Below, theScore has the results that determined which five African nations go to Qatar.

Nigeria 1-1 Ghana (1-1 on agg., Ghana advances on away goals)

Ghana qualified for the World Cup on away goals following a 1-1 draw against West African rivals Nigeria.

Thomas Partey stunned the crowd in Abuja when his hopeful effort from outside the area squirmed under goalkeeper Francis Uzoho. However, Nigeria captain William Troost-Ekong converted a spot-kick later in the first half after 33-year-old Denis Odoi conceded a penalty in his second outing for Ghana.

Ghana’s attacks gradually eased off when it tried to protect its away-goal advantage in the second half, and that in-game management paid off.

Nigeria is now left to pick up the pieces following a qualification campaign that included a draw with Cape Verde and defeat to the Central African Republic before its World Cup hopes were dashed in the high-stakes Jollof derby.

Ghana will play in its fourth World Cup when it competes in Qatar later this year.

Senegal 1-0 Egypt (1-1 on agg., Senegal wins shootout)

Senegal beat Egypt on penalties again to secure its third appearance at the World Cup.

Almost two months after the Lions of Teranga topped the Pharaohs on spot-kicks to win the Africa Cup of Nations, Senegal triumphed in a shootout once more. Sadio Mane scored the winning penalty, just as he did in the AFCON final.

Mane’s Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah sent Egypt’s first penalty over the bar. The attacker, 29, played two World Cup matches at Russia 2018, scoring a goal apiece in those group-stage games, but will now have to wait until the qualification cycle for the 2026 edition for another opportunity to appear on soccer’s biggest stage.

Boulaye Dia stabbed home from close range to level the doubleheader in just the third minute, somehow raising the volume even higher at the Stade Me Abdoulaye Wade. The national team’s new 50,000-capacity home, located around 20 miles from the capital Dakar, was hosting its first competitive match and the lively locals ensured Senegal had home advantage long before kickoff.

Tensions threatened to boil over in the second half as desperate lunges and petty shoves disrupted the game’s flow. Egypt showed more attacking intent but substitute Zizo couldn’t finish two of its best openings. Senegal had its own gilt-edged opportunity, though, with Ismaila Sarr wastefully steering wide of the post as goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy closed him down.

El Shenawy’s influence grew as he heroically kept out efforts from Pape Abou Cisse, Bamba Dieng, and Sarr in the opening minutes of extra time. Once again, Sarr should’ve hit the back of the net with his chance.

The final 15 minutes were less eventful as the teams dragged themselves toward the inevitability of penalties. It was a nervy back-and-forth from 12 yards, with Senegal taking a 3-1 win in the shootout.

Algeria 1-2 Cameroon (2-2 on agg., Cameroon wins on away goals)

Cameroon floored Algeria with a strike in the 124th minute to qualify for the World Cup on away goals.

Algeria was headed to Qatar 2022 after Ahmed Touba dramatically headed home in the 118th minute to give his team a 2-1 lead on aggregate. His goal sparked jubilant celebrations and Algeria’s players did everything to waste time as the final whistle neared.

But the game flipped in an instant. The ball fell to Karl Toko Ekambi after a punt into the box was flicked into his path, and he coolly finished into the bottom corner. His goal completed the most dramatic finish to a fixture in this crucial international window – and perhaps of this whole qualification cycle.

With the result, Cameroon will become the first African nation to appear at eight World Cups.

Algeria’s collapse also marks a disastrous few months for the country after it embarrassingly finished below the Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, and Sierra Leone in its Africa Cup of Nations group earlier this year.

The team fired some early warnings through Islam Slimani and Riyad Mahrez, but Cameroon restored parity after its first-leg defeat thanks to Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. The Bayern Munich benchwarmer was on his toes when Algerian shot-stopper Rais M’Bolhi spilled a corner, finishing through a crowd of players.

Youcef Belaili should’ve put Algeria back ahead on aggregate in the 38th minute but couldn’t even trouble the goalkeeper when he struck a tame shot into the side-netting.

Algeria’s chances continued in the second half, with Abdelkader Bedrane perhaps the guiltiest party for not restoring his country’s advantage when he inexplicably headed over the bar. Cameroon almost punished Algeria’s profligacy when M’Bohli thwarted Leandre Tawamba with two quick saves.

Slimani, who already had a goal ruled out for offside in the second half, had the ball in the net eight minutes into extra time after a great delivery from substitute Touba. However, the veteran frontman was left frustrated again after the goal was disallowed for hitting the net via his elbow.

Then, with penalties looming, Touba’s and Ekambi’s goals contributed for an incredible ending to Africa’s qualifiers. Football is drunk.

Morocco 4-1 DR Congo (Morocco wins 5-2 on agg.)

Morocco eased into its sixth World Cup following a 4-0 second-leg victory over DR Congo.

Azzedine Ounahi interrupted a steady start to the game in Casablanca with an excellent first-time shot that curled in the bottom corner. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine “Bono” Bounou was eventually withdrawn after suffering two blows to the head, but the home side made the most of 12 minutes of injury time with a breakaway goal from Tarik Tissoudali.

Morocco could begin its celebrations when Ounahi poked in his second goal of the game and Achraf Hakimi tapped in his team’s fourth from close range. DR Congo at least had something to shout about with Ben Malango using two touches to produce a breathtaking goal immediately after his introduction from the bench.

The Atlas Lions haven’t won a World Cup match since Salaheddine Bassir’s brace and Abdeljalil Hadda’s fortuitous goal downed Scotland at France ’98.

Tunisia 0-0 Mali (Tunisia wins 1-0 on agg.)

Tunisia has reached back-to-back World Cups after edging out Mali.

Yves Bissouma, Abdoulaye Diaby, and Moussa Djenepo desperately tried to unlock Tunisia’s defense in the first half, with the latter having a goal ruled out for offside.

Tunisia was better after the interval and had chances to double its aggregate lead, but Seifeddine Jaziri hit the side-netting and Naim Sliti shot wide after bearing down on Ibrahim Mounkoro’s goal. The host also held firm at the back, and its efforts were assisted by home supporters aiming laser pointers at the Malian attackers.

Tunisia has won only twice over its 15 World Cup matches. The Eagles of Carthage’s first victory was over Mexico in 1978 before they finally added another win in 2018 after beating Panama 2-1.

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