Nigeria, Mali and Morocco are amongst the qualifiers for next January’s African Cup of Nations, whilst crowd trouble causes Senegal’s home game against Ivory Coast to be abandoned with the visitors 6-2 up on aggregate.
Senegal Ivory Coast (Match abandoned with score standing at 0-2 (2-6 aggregate))
Papiss Cisse and Demba Ba started for the hosts – the latter’s owners will be relieved to hear his substitution early in the second half was purely for tactical reasons. Although Newcastle are yet to confirm, it appears the pair will be available for Newcastle next January after the Senegal’s official news agency released the following statement:
“The match was halted and the Lions of Senegal will not qualify for the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations. Senegal will now incur a sanction from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).”
Ivory Coast named four Premier League players in their starting line. Yaya and Kolo Toure, Cheick Tiote and Gervinho were all part of the Elephants’ first XI, while Wigan’s Arouna Kone and West Ham’s Guy Demel were unused subs. It was a former Fantasy favourite, Didier Drogba, who was the main protagonist, though. The ex-Chelsea man’s brace bagged a brace before the match was abandoned after missiles were launched onto the pitch and fires broke out in the stands.
Nigeria 6 Liberia 1
Chelsea duo Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel both lasted the 90 minutes as the hosts booked their place in the African Cup of Nations in January. Moses had a hand in three of the Super Eagles’ goals – his free-kick was nodded home by Efe Ambrose within 60 seconds before the former Wigan winger then scored twice. Mikel also found the net, slotting home a spot-kick as Nigeria clinched qualification with an 8-3 aggregate victory.
Botswana 1 Mali 4
West Ham’s Modibo Maiga was amongst the scorers as the visitors clinched their place in next January’s tournament. Fulham’s Mahamadou Diarra and QPR midfielder Samba Diakite could also be set to travel to South Africa.
Morocco 4 Mozambique 0
The home side overcame a two-goal first-leg deficit to book their spot in January’s tournament – amongst their ranks are Adel Taarabt, Villa’s Karim El Ahmadi, Liverpool’s Oussama Assaidi and Marouane Chamakh. Although the absence of the latter pair will have minimal impact for their respective clubs come January, El Ahmadi has started every game for Villa this season, while Taarabt has started to produce the goods for QPR, notching in each of his last two league appearances after regaining a starting role in Mark Hughes’ side.
In Other News…
Theo Walcott has been ruled out of England’s game with Poland on Tuesday evening. The Arsenal winger is sidelined with a chest injury sustained in a clash with the San Marino keeper in the opening minutes of Friday’s 5-0 win. The news immediately casts doubts over his availability for Arsenal’s Gameweek 8 trip to Norwich – climbing off the bench to grab a goal and assist against West Ham last time round, Walcott had staked a claim for a starting role at Carrow Road but a possible absence could see Gervinho continue on the right, affording Olivier Giroud a chance to lead the line once again.
Chris Brunt has revealed he is on the road to recovery from a hamstring injury.
“I’m not too sure what the overall timescale on the injury is, but it’s coming along. It wasn’t as bad as we thought at first because it felt like a nasty one when I got it at Villa Park, so in that sense it isn’t too serious. The problem is that it’s happened a couple of times now, so this time I want to make absolutely sure it’s right before I come back because it’s no use to anybody doing two or three weeks at a time and then getting another injury.”
The West Brom midfielder limped off against Villa with just 39 minutes on the clock in Gameweek 6 and missed out in the following week’s home triumph over QPR. While the Baggies continue to flourish under Steve Clarke, Brunt has been a peripheral figure – injuries have afforded him just two starts this term, with James Morrison proving to be the Hawthorns’ star turn in midfield. Both players started the season priced at 6.0 in FPL and while Brunt’s cost has understandably dropped, Morrison is yet to rise despite returning 40 points so far – just one less than Santi Cazorla, for example.
