Final 2010 World Cup Qualifying Matches
Three African Bids Up For Grabs, Four From Europe, Two Play-Offs
Oct 29, 2009
The field for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa is nearing completion. The final qualifying action will take place on November 14 and 18, 2009. There are still nine spots available for South Africa next summer. Three of those berths will come from Africa. Europe will send the four winners of the Play-Offs. There are also the winners of the Asia-Oceania and Conmebol/Concacaf Play-Offs.
Africa
There is still one final game day in the Third Round of the African qualification campaign. Two teams - Ghana and Ivory Coast - have already won their groups, rendering the final games in their groups meaningless. But six teams will be fighting for the final three spots.
Group A
Nov 14 in Lome: Togo v Gabon
Nov 14 in Fes: Morocco v Cameroon
Cameroon 3-1-1-7/2-10
Gabon 3-0-2-9/6-9
Togo 1-2-2-2/7-5
Morocco 0-3-2-3/6-3
Gabon must beat Togo on the road and then hope that Morocco can notch their first victory of the third round against Cameroon. The current leaders Cameroon will be through with a loss if Gabon draw at Togo since they won 2-0 in Gabon and beat Gabon 2-1 at home.
Group B
Nov 14 in Maputo: Mozambique v Tunisia
Nov 14 in Nairobi: Kenya v Nigeria
Tunisia 3-2-0-7/3-11
Nigeria 2-3-0-6/2-9
Mozambique 1-1-3-2/5-4
Kenya 1-0-4-3/8-3
Tunisia will advance to 2010 South Africa with a draw in Mozambique as they hold the tiebreaker over Nigeria by scoring two goals on the road. Nigeria must beat Kenya in Nairobi and hope Mozambique can fend off Tunisia.
Group C
Nov 14 in Kigali: Rwanda v Zambia
Nov 14 in Cairo: Egypt v Algeria
Algeria 4-1-0-9/2-13
Egypt 3-1-1-7/4-10
Zambia 1-1-3-2/5-4
Rwanda 0-1-4-1/8-1
Egypt enter the game knowing they need to beat Algeria by at least three goals to advance to the World Cup. Algeria can afford a loss by one goal after beating Egypt 3-1 in June 2009. Should Egypt win by two goals, there will be a play-off between Algeria and Egypt on November 18, 2009 at an undisclosed location.
Group D
Nov 14 in Omdurman: Sudan v Benin
Nov 15 in Kumasi: Ghana v Mali
Ghana 4-0-1-7/1-12
Mali 2-2-1-6/5-8
Benin 2-1-2-4/5-7
Sudan 0-1-4-1/7-1
Ghana have already won their group meaning both games are strictly friendly - also since both Mali and Benin have qualified for the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
Group E
Nov 14 in Abidjan: Ivory Coast v Guinea
Nov 14 in Ouagadougou: Burkina Faso v Malawi
Ivory Coast 4-1-0-16/4-13
Burkina Faso 3-0-2-9/11-9
Malawi 1-1-3-4/10-4
Guinea 1-0-4-7/11-3
Ivory Coast have already secured the World Cup spot from this group. Malawi and Guinea, however, are battling for third place and the final spot in the 2010 African Cup of Nations.
Asia/Oceania Play-Off
Nov 14 in Wellington: New Zealand v Bahrain
New Zealand and Bahrain head into the return leg of the Asia/Oceania Play-Off after a scoreless draw in Bahrain on October 10, 2009.
Europe Play-Offs
Nov 14 in TBA: Ireland v France
return leg on Nov 18
Nov 14 in TBA: Portugal v Bosnia-Herzegovina
return leg on Nov 18
Nov 14 in TBA: Greece v Ukraine
return leg on Nov 18
Nov 14 in TBA: Russia v Slovenia
return leg on Nov 18
Europe's final four berths will be played out over the final two game days - November 14 and 18, 2009. The winner on aggregate in the two-leg matches will head to South Africa next summer.
Conmebol/Concacaf Play-Off
Nov 14 in TBA: Costa Rica v Uruguay
return leg on Nov 18
Fourth place from Concacaf Costa Rica are hosting the first leg of the Play-Off against Conmebol fifth-placed Uruguay. The return leg will be played on November 18, 2009 in Uruguay.
