World Cup Corner

Didier Drogba of Chelsea and Ivory coast has been named the 2006 African Footballer of the Year on Thursday, beating out Samuel Eto’o of Barcelona, who would have won his 4th consecutive award.

Drogba, 28, is a first time winner and was captain of Ivory Coast when they reached the African Nations Cup final but lost out on penalties to Egypt. The Ivorians also participated in the 2006 World Cup tournament, where they made a good showing of themselves.

Full List of African Nations Awards:
African Footballer of the Year: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
Team of the Year: Ghana
Club of the Year: Al Ahli (Egypt)
Coach of the Year: Manuel Jose (Al Ahli, Egypt)
Young African Player of the Year: Taye Taiwo (Olympique Marseille and Nigeria)
African club competition Player of the Year: Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahli, Egypt)
Women’s Footballer of the Year: Cynthia Uwak (Nigeria).

Qualification for the 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany is almost over.

There are just five more places for the finals in Germany which will start on June 9. Play-offs will be played on 12 and 16 November.

EUROPE
Read our previous post.

SOUTH AMERICA
Uruguay go into a two-legged play-off with Australia.

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Jay-Jay Okocha will miss Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against Zimbabwe due to a groin injury. Bolton Wanderers midfielder sustained the injury in his club’s 2-1 defeat by Wigan Athletic in the English Premier League on Sunday.

Nigeria must win Saturday’s game and hope Group Four leaders Angola fail to beat Rwanda in Kigali if they are to qualify for next year’s World Cup finals in Germany. Although both Nigeria and Angola have same 18 points, the southern Africans have a superior head-to-head record.

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On the last weekend of qualifying will be known which 5 teams from Africa will go to 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany.

In each of the five groups there are still two teams who entertain hopes of reaching the finals - a total of ten countries then with massive expectations weighing on their shoulders as the final countdown looms.

Games to be played in African Zone:

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FIFA has released the kick-off times for the matches that will decide which five African nations qualify for the 2006 World Cup, as well as those who will contest next year’s African Cup of Nations. FIFA has specified that all but two of the 15 games will be played on Saturday 8 October.

This wise decision was taken because in the past weeks there were some rumors about conspiracies and accusations of bribery around all these important matches.

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For a long time African football has been reliant on foreign coaches. Known as ‘Mister’ or ‘Monsieur’, depending on the origin of their employers, these football men have come from Europe to pass on their knowledge of the game.

This qualifying ciclus there has been the emergence of some ambitious young African coaches. FIFAworldcup.com takes a look at three men aiming to take their countries to next summer’s finals.

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Five countries have already qualified for the 2006 FIFA World Cup finals. None of those teams are from Africa. That could change this weekend, especially if the hopes of Côte d’Ivoire are to be realised.

The penultimate round of qualifiers is bringing a wave of anticipation and excitement across the continent. Millions will be watching nervously as their respective teams seek to book their place at next year’s tournament in Germany. In most of the groups the permutations are still complicated and the outcome not yet distinctly clear, even though there are just two games to go.

Côte d’Ivoire have never once qualified for a FIFA World Cup finals, but that could all be about to change.

The Elephants are busy gearing up for their home clash with Cameroon in the ninth and penultimate round of qualifiers, and they go into that game knowing that history beckons. However, Sunday’s visitors have been a thorn in their side more than once in the past, and no one need remind them that the Indomitable Lions harbour their own dreams of appearing in Germany next year.

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Tunisia 1-0 home win over Kenya on Wednesday brings them closer to a place at Germany 2006. The win puts Tunisia at the top of the African qualifying zone Group 5 standings for the first time, one point ahead of arch-rivals Morocco.

Tunisia now need only to win their match against Kenya on September 3 and then draw at home against Morocco in October to qualify for FIFA World Cup finals.