Benin - Most popular for 2008
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Nigeria survives to live another day, although it may be a short-lived experience.
With their 2-0 drubbing of Benin and Mali's inexcusable 3-0 loss to Ivory Coast (more on that
later), Nigeria's Super Eagles scraped into the quarterfinals, where they'll meet hosts Ghana.
Nigerian midfielder Jon Obi Mikel, who plays for Chelsea said the team should savor today's victory
some before thinking of their mega-encounter with Ghana's Black Stars.
The most important qualifier for each region during the next week:
AFC: 9/6 - Saudi Arabia vs Iran
Three teams in Group 2 are expected to compete for the two automatic bids; they are these two and
South Korea. Iran struggled a bit during the last round, waiting until the final matchday to
advance.
Day 3 of the African Cup of Nations didn't disappoint.
First off, defending champions Egypt routed pre-tournament favorites Cameroon 4-2. Striker Mohamed
Zidan scored a double and Hosni Abd Rabou also struck twice for the five-times African champions
with Samuel Eto'o netting Cameroon's two at the Baba Yara stadium.
Razak Omotoyossi (Helsingborgs IF / Benin) Realistically Benin were never going to make it out of
an African Cup of Nations 2008 group that included Nigeria, Mali and Côte d'Ivoire and, as
expected, this ultimately proved the case. Despite finishing bottom of Group B with no points on
the board however, the team played with a tenacity and a lust for attacking football that was
The Wasps, who have never qualified for a FIFA World Cup and who have only made one African Nations
Cup (2004), have advanced into the third round of the Confederation of African Football's 2010
World Cup qualification tournament.
20 nations will advance into this third round hoping to land one of the 5 spots open for the 2010
World Cup.
The first important game of the 2008 African Cup of Nations took place yesterday and once again, a
player who earns his paycheck in the Premiership took center stage. Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou
capped a beautiful solo run by coolly slotting the ball past Nigerian goalkeeper Austin Ejide and
into the net to give Ivory Coast a critical 1-0 victory.
Nigeria are in serious trouble.
The Super Eagles' African Cup of Nations hopes suffered another blow on Friday after a 0-0 draw
with Mali left them floundering in their opening round group.
Nigeria are third in Group B with just a single point, three behind second placed Mali.
Ivory Coast became the first nation to punch their ticket to the quarterfinals of the 2008 African
Cup of Nations today after a 4-1 romp over Benin, a game in which Benin needed a 90th minute goal
to avoid a shutout and the Toure brothers combined on a nice goal for the winners.
Ivory Coast now need only a draw in their last group match against Mali to win Group B and the game
against the runner-up in Group A that comes with it.
The venues are being scrubbed clean, the tickets are printed and the cities are bubbling with
anticipation.
The African Cup of Nations is but a mere 2 weeks and 2 days away from taking over the minds and
hearts of football fans around the globe.
Cup finalists begin their pre-tournament preparations in earnest this weekend, led by defending
champions Egypt who host Namibia in a friendly.
Every tournament needs a little scandal. The African Cup of Nations has its first one. And it's not
a good one.
Today, Benin coach Reinhard Fabisch said he'd been approached to fix his side's opening match
against Mali.
"I was approached by someone in a hotel who said his name was Mr Andrews.
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Looks like Benin isn't the only squad being asked to throw a match.
Today, word that Namibia were approached to fix a match at the Cup of Nations, having been offered
$30,000 per player to throw their final group game against Guinea in Sekondi on Monday.
"My players were approached by a man saying he represented a syndicate and offered them money to
lose the game," Namibia Football Association president John Muinjo told Reuters in Accra on
Saturday.
Disgruntled Chelsea striker Didier Drogba scored just nine minutes in and two second half goals
were added insurance for Ivory Coast yesterday as Les Éléphants, my pre-tournament pick to win
the whole thing, cruised to a 3-0 win over Mali. Mali came into this game knowing they really
needed a result because Nigeria was playing the lightweight of the group, Benin, but they just
looked overmatched at times.
*RAZAK OMOTOYOSSI (FW)* Benin/Al-Nasr Image:...
