FT World Cup 2018: Senegal held to a 2-2 draw by Japan

Three African teams have already been knocked out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia namely; Tunisia, Morocco, and Egypt. Senegal was the first team from the continent to pick up three points in the tournament so far before Nigeria learned from their mistakes and got back in the conversation as they beat Iceland.

On Sunday, 24th of June, Senegal were looking to repeating this feat as they matched up with fellow Group H member Japan. Les Lions de la Téranga coach, Aliou Cisse played around with his starting XI by switching the formation from 4-4-2 in the previous match to a 4-3-3 and accommodated Ndiaye in midfield. They started off well. It was in the 11th minute that Sadio Mane was accredited for scoring a goal for Senegal after Kawashima parried Youssouf Sabaly's shot into the feet of the Liverpool forward before the ball bounced off his shin and rolled into the net. Senegal continued to dominate in a first half that was typified by long balls and physical battles in the middle of the park. Japan came back into the match on the 34th minute through Inui’s curler that beat Khadim Ndiaye to level the matters.

Moussa Wague gave Senegal the lead for the second time in the match as he turned in Sabaly’s cross from a tight angle on the 71st minute. The Japanese coach made a bold decision of removing Shinji Kagawa and replaced him with Keisuke Honda before also throwing Shinji Okazaki into the match to rescue a point. The pair caused havoc in the opposition box, and it was written in the stars that they would leave a mark on the match. The Senegalese goalkeeper miscalculated a Japanese cross into the box and completely missed it which gifted Honda the opportunity to slot home just 7 minutes after Wague’s goal. The game ended in a 2-2 draw.

In all fairness, both teams created opportunities to score and showed the desire to stay in the competition, desire that has been lacking in the other African teams that have already been eliminated at this stage. The only question remaining is the omission of a young player on the rise. Up until now, we have not seen Keita Balde in this tournament. The young winger is highly rated and widely regarded to be the next big thing but is still yet to kick a ball in this tournament. Could it be that they have been reserving for the most challenging match (against Colombia) which will be the decider?

FT World Cup 2018: Tunisia goes down hard but they go down swinging

The odds really seem to be against the North African Les Aigles de Carthage in this tournament as they once again lost a game that they really needed to win to stay in the competition. Belgium did not just beat them, they scored more than double what Tunisia produced in an overwhelming 5-2 win. In case you are wondering how so much was accomplished, here is a snippet below.

Wahbi Khazri capitalized on the assist from Hamdi Nagguez and scored for Tunisia just before the referee blew the whistle. What a redemption for Tunisia! Earlier in the game, Dylan Bronn had taken a free kick from Saif-Eddine Khaoui which he then headed into the center of the net. Maybe this undesirable outcome can be accredited to the change of the players that started off the game from the Tunisian side. Farouk Ben Mustapha had to step in for the Tunisian goalkeeper who got injured during the game with England. Such a critical change during a desperate time is least likely going to yield good results in most cases, and this one happened to be one of them. Two of their players also had to exit the game before the end of the game, due to injury and this may have had an impact on the team too.

On the Belgium side, the drops of the victory started to pour in early into the game. Just after 6 minutes, a foul that worked in Belgium’s favor gave Eden Hazard a chance to capitalize with a penalty and he easily put the ball into the net while the Tunisian goalkeeper just knelt in front of the goal post. Lukaku was on fire too! Just before the teams adjourned for the first half, he had two goals under his belt for the Belgians. Even though he eventually left the game due to an injury, it did not stop the Red Devils from pouring in goals. Hazard and Batshuayi also each contributed one goal to the game which led to this incredible victory.

Tunisia needed to win this game, but we do not always get what we need. Tunisia will face Panama on Thursday, the 28th of June which might be their last game. As they pack their bags, they will say “we did not win the World Cup, but we participated and represented Africa in the World Cup!”

FT World Cup 2018: The Super Eagles of Nigeria find their mojo against Iceland

It is official, the Super Eagles are flying again. After a lifeless start to their FIFA World Cup campaign in Russia where they lost 2-0 to Croatia, Nigeria bounced back with a 2-0 victory of their own over the “fairytale team” Iceland. After going toe to toe with Lionel Messi’s Argentina in a 1-1 stalemate, the Icelanders surely headed into this encounter brimming with confidence to achieve yet another major upset on the biggest stages of them all, but it was not to be. The vengeful West African boys had other plans, in Ahmed Musa’s handwriting.

The Nigeria gaffer, Gernot Rohr, made three changes to the team that started against Croatia. He replaced forwards, Alex Iwobi and Odion Ighalo with Ahmed Musa and Kelechi Iheanacho, also opting for Omeruo in place of Abdullahi Shehu at the back. These changes meant he switched formation from a 4-2-3-1 to a 3-5-2 that provided more defensive cover in the form of two wing backs running up and down the wings, in Moses and Idowu. A position which Victor Moses has become accustomed to at Chelsea.

The first forty-five minutes were really nothing out of the ordinary, a plain Nigerian side that seemed to have a stable defense but no plan going forward. The Icelanders actually created fewer but more threatening chances, forcing a save from Uzoho from a free-kick early in the match. After the restart, the complexion of the match changed. Whatever Rohr said to the Super Eagles at halftime worked. Ahmed Musa pulled off a great technique to control a Victor Moses half-cross from the wing before smashing the ball into the net with the same foot, sending 180 million Nigerians and the whole of Africa into ecstasy. Twenty-five minutes later, Musa was at it again, Omeruo sent him through with a clearance that could have been mistaken for a pass, dribbling past one defender and according to Twitter fans, “made the goalkeeper lie in green pastures” and slammed the ball into the top corner. The CSKA Moscow man officially claimed the G.O.A.T (Greatest of all Time) accolade in the eyes of many Nigerians. Iceland had a chance to pull one goal back after being awarded a penalty in the 83rd minute which Gylfi Sigurdsson sent over the crossbar. 

After Lionel Messi and Argentina fell to a 3-0 at the hands of Luka Modric’s Croatia, it’s now all to play for in Group D. None of the teams have been knocked out yet, mathematically. Croatia sits on the top with a maximum of six points and a guaranteed round of 16 place but Nigeria, Argentina and Iceland will be vying for that second spot. The Super Eagles currently sit second with 3 points while the other two are both on a single point.

Nigeria will play Argentina on the 26th of June in what promises to be a fiery contest where everything will be on the line.

FT World Cup 2018: Morocco could not find a solution against Portugal

The World Cup hunt is as good as finished for the Lions of the Atlas. Morocco was knocked out of the 2018 FIFA World Cup finals in Russia on Wednesday after falling short against the European champions’ who showed experience and resolve. Portugal only needed an early single goal to bag all three of the points on offer in this Group B clash.

The odds were always against the North Africans heading into this tournament who were drawn into Group B against the global football powerhouses in the form of Spain and Portugal, and also sharing a group with the Asian masters, Iran. This group earmarked the “group of death” by most analysts has provided some of the most entertaining games of the tournament. Most fans would have expected Morocco to have a stronger showing in terms of results than they have had thus far, especially after having an impressive qualifying campaign where they conceded zero goals and had the support of an experienced coach in Herve Renard. They may not have quite met expectations but maybe it is more attributed to having failed to find the back of the net in their first two fixtures. They dominated the match against Iran, creating a couple of chances but unfortunately gifted all three points to the opposition after conceding an own goal in the 90th minute. Against Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal, the Real Madrid forward proved the difference early on. Ronaldo pounced on Joao Moutinho’s cross in the 4th minute and drove the ball into the net with a fierce header. Starting the match on the backfoot, the Moroccans had to dig really deep to save their World Cup dream and they left it all on the pitch. Hakim Ziyech was pulling strings in the midfield and Nordin Amrabat gave the Portuguese defense all sorts of problems with his pace, trickery and superhuman strength. Portugal seemed to be the underdogs throughout the entire match, sitting deep and letting Morocco play the beautiful game with a fluid and attractive style we all love.

One positive to take back to Rabat would be the fact that they have shown that an African team can outplay the best. Investment in scouting more clinical finishers for the Lions of the Atlas should be a priority in their continued efforts in building a formidable Moroccan side. It is not really all over yet, with their final match coming against Spain on the 25th June, they can still have a say on who progresses from the group with Portugal, Spain, and Iran sitting on four, four, and three points respectively. A shock-win over the 2010 World Cup Champions, Spain would not be such a bad farewell gift for Moroccan fans.

FT World Cup 2018: Russia continue victorious form against Egypt

The return of Mohammed Salah was not enough to inspire Egypt in their second match in Group A on Tuesday night as they lost 3-1 to World Cup hosts, Russia.

With Salah making a return to the starting XI after shaking off a shoulder injury, much was expected from “The Pharaohs” especially in the final third, however, that was not to be the case.

Ahmed Fathi’s bizarre own goal seemed to have paved way for more goals as Russia went rampant thereafter, adding two goals in quick succession, courtesy of Denis Cheryshev and Artem Dzyuba to kill the game off. Though Salah did pull a goal back for the Egyptians 20 minutes from time with a coolly struck penalty, the damage was already done and Egypt found it hard to break a resolute Russian defense in search for a comeback.

This was a game in which much was expected from Egypt especially with the return of Salah who had been sorely missed in the team’s first match against Uruguay. But even Salah’s presence couldn’t rally the team to victory as they failed to create clear-cut chances to trouble the Russian defense.

With two losses on the hump and one game left for them, it seems it might take all but a miracle for Egypt to salvage any chance of qualifying to the round of last 16. The Egyptians’ chances are hanging by a thread as they are now dependent on the outcome of Wednesday’s encounter between Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. Egypt currently sits at the bottom of Group A with zero points, with Russia leading the group with six points.

Is Egypt on the brink of exiting the World Cup, or can “The Pharaohs” still make a comeback and qualify for the round of 16?

FT World Cup 2018: Senegal Earn Three Important Points

After a long wait for a win by an African team at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia, Senegal has finally broken the duck as they marched to a 2-1 victory against Poland. The British media has dubbed the result a ‘shock’ win but was it really unexpected? Our African football expert, Dennis Takaendesa, boldly predicted that Senegal would top Group H ahead of Colombia, Japan and Poland prior to this match. This is because of the fire-power that the African side possesses as well as their tactical discipline drilled into them by the new coach, Aliou Cisse. For those of you that missed the match, here’s a recap.

Senegal set up with a compact 4-4-2 formation that sought to cover the field and limit the passing lanes for the Polish team. Their goal was to starve Robert Lewandowski from having any impact in the game, and it worked effectively.

Poland had little in the match before Idrissa Gana Gueye took a shot from distance which deflected off of Cionek before rolling into the back of the net. 1-0 to Les Lions de la Téranga. Poland had to chase the game but were well and truly outmatched for most of it. 15 minutes into the second half, Cisse's team added a second through M’baye Niang which lifted the spirits of the fans. For some of us who were watching the match in the comforts of our homes, you could not imagine how much furniture was broken in our joyous celebrations as Senegal proved once again that they are not underdogs. Krychowiak scored a consolation in the 86th minute but it was not enough.

Senegal made a statement in their attempts to get out of the group stage. We analyzed how the African teams lost the previous matches and detailed out how Senegal should play. They did just that. Thank you, Senegal. We are now hungry for more.

FT World Cup 2018: Tunisia suffer heartbreaking loss against England

Fouls in soccer are inherently bad and referees are there to deal with them diligently, but for Tunisia, a careless foul from England help produced their first and only goal. Kyle Walker decided to stretch his elbow on Fakhreddine Ben Youssef which knocked him to the ground and the referee took notice of it. When the referee granted the penalty to Tunisia, Ferjani Sassi took it on behalf of the team and the ball hit the net just where it needed to.

Tunisia’s performance was more impressive in the second half as they strengthened their defensive line. They shifted to the 5-3-1-1 strategy, which tightened the bolts for them. England then struggled to get the ball past this compressed line of defense. Despite the pressure that Tunisia were able to create in the second half of the game, one goal was all they could get. This strategy was more or less employed throughout the game, however, the outcome was affected by two set-piece plays for England. 

The captain of the English team, Harry Kane, lived up to the moment scoring both goals for England, including the winner late on. He was in the right place at the right time to finish the ball off in the 11th minute after a save from the goalkeeper from the ensuing corner kick. Then, in the 91st minute, another corner kick and another example of excellent placement from Harry Kane that was complemented by his header, which came at just the right time to afford the victory to England.

Tunisia will look to rebound against Belgium on Saturday, the 23rd of June with possibly a new strategy and with hopes of repairing their damaged pride. While we wait for them to revitalize, and pump in new levels of energy, all African eyes will be on Senegal as it takes on Poland. This will be another chance to demonstrate what Africa has to offer at the World Cup.

FT World Cup 2018: Africa’s winless streak perpetuated by a set-piece and 90th minute ‘curse.’

It began with the Pharaohs of Egypt. Matched up against the two-time world champions, Uruguay in a Group A clash, a match they had lost already on paper and in the eyes of many ‘pragmatic’ football enthusiasts. The lack of optimism originated more so because their talisman player, Mohamed Salah, was sitting this one out, working towards full recovery from his shoulder injury after his UEFA Champions League final controversial clash with Sergio Ramos. 

It was a totally different story on the pitch, the Pharaohs stood from their thrones and fought for their lives. Their plan to frustrate the ferocious La Celeste’s frontline of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani had been working successfully for nearly the entire match, and the Egyptian goalkeeper, El Shenawy defied gravity a couple of times, making saves that earned him the Budweiser sponsored Man of the Match Award which he turned down because of his faith. In the end, the 90th minute decided to pass a verdict on the match. Jose Maria Gimenez rose highest to head Sanchez’s free-kick into the back of the net, breaking Egyptian and African hearts.

The script was a bit different and somewhat similar for the Moroccans. The Lions of the Atlas started their Group C campaign with an Arabian derby against Iran. It was a match that most people expected them to win having reached the World Cup finals with some fluid displays and conceding no goals. Six-goal thriller participants, Portugal and Spain will certainly view themselves as favorites against Morocco, hence the need for Morocco to win the Iranian match and maximize any chances of reaching the knockout stages. They indeed came motivated to the match, creating more chances, showing more intent to win and forcing a couple of saves from their opponent’s goalkeeper. Again, a 90th-minute free kick decided the match. The substitute striker, Aziz Bouhaddouz, unfortunately, deflected an Iranian free-kick into his own net and handed the Iranians their first world cup win in 20-years.

The 90th-minute 'curse' was not necessary for the Croatia-Nigeria match but the set-piece curse was having none of it. Luka Modric curled a corner into the box which Mandzukic flicked before finding the unsuspecting Nigerian midfielder, Oghenekaro Etebo who finished the job for the Croatians. The second goal of the match came in the 71st minute, a penalty which Modric calmly converted, and ending any hopes for points for the Super Eagles.

As far as Africa is concerned, the task was left for Tunisia to walk the walk heading into Monday’s match against England. As the commentator described it, the Three Lions flew out of their traps early in the match and found the net through their captain, Harry Kane who turned in a rebound from close range after John Stones had forced off a fine save from Hassen. Again, it was from a corner-kick, another set piece piling misery on Tunisian fans and Africans. The Carthage Eagles did bounce-back and scored Africa’s first goal of the tournament through Sassi who converted from the penalty spot in the 35th minute. They seemed content with the stalemate and closed up shop, defending in numbers and trying to catch England on the break for the remainder of the match. The unfortunate and recurring theme of decisive moments in the 90th-minute occurred again when Kieran Trippier swung in another corner-kick which found its way to Harry Kane, who netted his second for the night and ended up being the winner for the English side.

Now, only Senegal remain unscathed. How will they fare against Poland in their Group H opener on Tuesday?

FT World Cup 2018: Uninspiring Nigeria loses to Croatia

Early warning signs seem to suggest that it was all about the outfits as far as the Super Eagles are concerned. Nigeria succumbed to a 2- 0 defeat to Croatia in their opening Group D match in Kaliningrad, Russia.

It was really one of the most unentertaining matches so far in the tournament with the first shot on target coming in the 59th minute courtesy of Nigeria’s Odion Ighalo glanced header, which Subasic saved comfortably. There was a goal before then, a 32nd-minute own goal turned in by Etebo Oghenekaro after a corner from Luka Modric was met by Mandzukic, touching Ante Rebic before finding the unfortunate Etebo. Croatia sealed their first win in a World Cup opener since 1998, nineteen minutes from time as Modric converted from the penalty spot. The penalty by the Croatian captain was actually a consequence of Nigeria’s Troost-Ekong illegally wrestling Mandzukic when a corner was being taken.

In all fairness, two things stood out from Nigeria’s performance: a lack of desire and a defined game-plan. They never really did anything to disturb an organized Croatian side that dominated possession the entire match without creating any clear-cut chances. Whenever Croatia got the ball, Nigeria would retreat without applying any form of pressure and the attacking threat was never present. The consensus seemed to just go with the wave when going forward hoping something will happen. One of the star-men expected to orchestrate magical moments, Victor Moses didn’t stay on his feet, looking to fall from the slightest or no touches at all from the opposition.

Now the task to reach the knockout stages for the Super Eagles seems to be an uphill battle as they will have to get points out of matches against Iceland and Argentina, who played to a thoroughly entertaining 1-1 draw with the highlight of the match being Lionel Messi getting his penalty saved by Halldorsson. The Super Eagles will face Iceland on Friday the 22nd of June and should spend the time in between games formulating a more effective game plan and add a bit of love to their performances.

They actually possess the quality to go far in this tournament and now is the time to put it work and repay the support from millions of across the continent and seas shores.

Come on you Super Eagles!

FT World Cup 2018: The Hopes of Africa Must Soar with the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia

The 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia has been nothing short of exciting. We have enjoyed bitter losses, heroic efforts, controversial decisions by the match officials among other dramatic moments that can be expected in such a prestigious tournament. The latter is still yet to catch up with the African teams as 3 of 5 teams have already played their first matches and have already tasted defeat.

First up, it was Egypt. A justifiable reason for their loss was the injured Mohamed Salah, who failed to make it onto to the pitch and wow the fans with his dazzling sprints and his calm and collected goal-scoring ability. The Pharaohs fell to a narrow 1-0 loss at the hands of fellow Group A members Uruguay on matchday 2. This saddened not only the helpless Salah, who was watching from the bench but also the whole continent of Africa who has high expectations on all of the teams participating in this year’s competition.

Morocco’s case was no different. They succumbed to a 1-0 defeat thanks to the well-organized defending of the Iranian team. This might come as a surprise to someone who knows what Benatia’s teammates are capable of. Morocco really had it all in one basket from kick-off. They came to play, and play they did. They dominated the match and barely gave Iran any chance until late on.  What broke the hearts of the hundreds of millions of fans watching the game was the way in which the match slipped out of their hands. An own goal by Bouhaddouz in the 95th minute sealed the victory for a very fortunate Iranian side. At this kind of tournament, you cannot afford to lift your foot off the gas. They were made to pay for their lapse in concentration, and the result will paint a bad picture in the minds and hearts of the fans. That is a lesson learned for them.

Nigeria came in on the third try. They took on Luka Modric’s Croatian side, but their fate was sealed in less than five mins into the match. Playing an opening match can be nerve-wracking, as was the case for Nigeria who looked nothing like the team that put up a fight against England in the friendlies not so long ago. Nigeria looked uncomfortable, unprepared and it was just a matter of time before the Croatians would humble them. Like Morocco, Nigeria conceded an own goal on the 32nd minute before Luka Modric scored a penalty to make it 2-0 to Croatia. Why is it that they lost, you may ask. Because of three main reasons, i.e. nerves, the tactical approach to the match, and a poor performance from the leaders of the team. The coach failed to prepare the team for the game and made some questionable substitutions throughout the 90 minutes. A lot more could be offered by the likes of Mikel, Iwobi, Moses, and Ndidi. Surely, this humbling experience should work as a learning curve for Nigeria and the other two African nations that are still yet to play.

Things are not looking good for Africa thus far at the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia. Not all hope is lost though, with Tunisia and Senegal still yet to play. It piles more pressure on them to do better than the teams mentioned above. Tunisia and Senegal have seen it all by this stage and should be prepared to battle with their lives like Morocco did but cannot afford to drop their concentration levels. Managers have to do their part and select their best players and make sure that they set up in a formation that allows them to contribute to the best of their abilities. Star players have to lead by example and influence the games into their favor. Defenders cannot afford to make costly errors like own-goals in the remaining matches. A big question mark is on how Tunisia will fare without their best player, Msakni, who is missing from the game due to injury. Will they respond to this loss the same way Egypt did without Salah or will they take ownership of the performance and make sure that they will be leading by the time the referee blows the whistle at the end of 90 minutes.

FT World Cup Summary: Heartbreak for Salah- less Egypt as Uruguay snatch late win

African giants Egypt were beaten by Uruguay in their first World Cup match in Group A.

“The Pharaohs” were missing their star player Mohamed Salah, who was expected to start the match but was surprisingly left on the bench by coach Hector Cuper. The coach cited that Salah was not 100% fit hence he didn’t want to risk the player by fielding him as he tries to recover from his shoulder injury.

Jose Maria Gimenez was the man to break the Egyptians’ hearts with a last-gasp winner in a thrilling encounter. His powerful 87th-minute header was enough to finally break through the Egyptian goal after an impressive Mohammed El Shenawy who dominated between the posts for Egypt.

Egypt was very organized during the match, giving Le Celeste a difficult time to penetrate and capitalize on any of their chances.

Barcelona marksman Luis Suarez and PSG forward Edinson Cavani were both kept in check by the North African giant's defense marshaled by Hegazi.

After holding on for almost 90 minutes, Egypt finally succumbed to Uruguay’s persistence. Egypt gave away a needless freekick which allowed substitute Carlos Sanchez to step up and provide a well-delivered cross which was met by the towering Gimenez. By that moment, the game was as good as over as Uruguay held on for the win in the referee’s remaining added time.

Next up for “The Pharaos” is World Cup hosts Russia on Tuesday evening. Many will be pleased to see Mohamed Salah starting the match to fire up the Egyptians in the final third where they were obviously lacking that much-needed spark. Defensively, the team seems to be well disciplined as they were able to minimize the threat of both Cavani and Suarez. Egyptian fans will be content with that part of their team. Keeper El Shenawy also made crucial saves and his height will come in handy for the team in the next couple of matches.

FT 2017/18 Best Africa XI: ST - Mohamed Salah

The 2017/18 season was as entertaining as any. Our African players took the European leagues by storm once more as they were taught by the legends who left a mark in these leagues as early as the 1970s. Most definitely, Mo Salah has been the talk of the town for his remarkable contribution to his club, Liverpool both in the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. In this piece, we are looking at the best African players to have played this season by each position and see who deserves to rub shoulders with the Egyptian King in the Starting XI. Here are our FT 2017/18 African Players of the Year lined up in a 3-5-2 formation.

ST - Mohamed Salah [Liverpool & Egypt]

Without a doubt, a Ballon D’Or contender this year, Mohamed Salah of Egypt has had the season of his life. Not many players score more than 40 goals in a single season let alone in their first season for their club. Not even the current FIFA World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo scored 44 goals in his first season at Real Madrid. Such is the impact that has been made by the African player who joined Liverpool in the summer of 2017. He has repaid the efforts of the scouting team at the Merseyside club who pushed the club into purchasing him ahead of other talented players on their transfer list. Liverpool finished 4th in the English Premier League behind Tottenham Hotspur in third, Manchester United in second and the winners Manchester City. Mo Salah also guided his team to the UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid even though they eventually lost 3-1. The player’s FIFA World Cup contribution level is in doubt, however, since he picked up a shoulder injury in an early clash with Sergio Ramos and it will be a big miss if he does not represent Egypt this summer.

FT World Cup 2018: Africa Has Arrived - Nigeria

In the history of the FIFA World Cup, no African team has ever reached the semi-finals. Ghana was agonizingly close in South Africa 2010 but crashed out after Luis Suarez’s heroics in goal, in place for a goalkeeper who was still in the game. Senegal’s Lions of Teranga had a great run in the 2002 finals before losing to Turkey, 1-0 after extra time. Can this year be a historical one for Africa?

The Naija boys have done so well in claiming the unofficial World Cup fashion awards by rocking a designer Nike outfit that has left everyone in the soccer world talking. It also sold out and generated millions for the West African nation. As if that was not enough, the Super Eagles consolidated their position as the best dressed by wearing an impeccable traditional outfit that effortlessly differentiated them from the rest of the suit and tie wearing nations touching down in Russia. Representing a nation of more than 180 million people, they inevitably got most of the media attention in the build-up to the finals in Russia, receiving both “blessings and curses”. Will they really be able to deal with all the pressure and make their killer outfits count for something?

I think it’s going to be really tough, but they will manage to do just enough to at least reach the knockout stages. Nigeria will be wary of Lionel Messi and Argentina having faced them in 2002, 2010 and 2014 finals. Although they lost 1-0, 1-0 and 3-2 in all occasions, respectively, they will be optimistic about getting a result this time around. They recently got one over them in a friendly played in November 2017, winning 4-2 and will be confident of getting a result on the 26th of June. As for the challenge of Croatia, it will really be a game of two halves but I am confident that Victor Moses and Alex Iwobi can work something out to expose the defense that conceded an avoidable goal against Senegal in a World Cup warm-up friendly. It should also be said that captain John Obi Mikel and Wilfried Ndidi will really have to be on their A-game as they will battle some of the best midfielders alive in the form of Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. As for their second group D match against the fairytale itself, Iceland, if they do the basics right I do not see them losing that match.

Here are my group D final standings;

Argentina (1st); Nigeria (2nd); Croatia (3rd); Iceland (4th).

What are your predictions? Let us know in the comment box below.
 

FT World Cup 2018: Africa Has Arrived - Senegal

In the history of the FIFA World Cup, no African team has ever reached the semi-finals. Ghana was agonizingly close in South Africa 2010 but crashed out after Luis Suarez’s heroics in goal, in place for a goalkeeper who was still in the game. Senegal’s Lions of Teranga had a great run in the 2002 finals before losing to Turkey, 1-0 after extra time. Can this year be a historical one for Africa?

What about the Senegalese in Group H? Will they repeat the heroics of 2002 under the mentorship of Aliou Cisse who was actually part of the South Korea and Japan 2002 squad or maybe even go further? My answer is yes, a very big YES! The Lions of Teranga do not play the most fluid of football but can be a neatly organized defensive unit comprising of the English Premier League’s second-best tackler, Idrissa Gueye and the mountain man, Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly leading the defense. They are also blessed with clinical attackers in the form of Diafra Sakho, Monaco’s Keita Balde and the X-factor, Sadio Mane. Most soccer fans witnessed what he did in the UEFA Champions League against Real Madrid. The Liverpool forward took the game in his hands after Mohamed Salah was forced out with an unfortunate early injury, and he scored a beautiful goal that gave the Reds some short-lived hope of lifting the trophy and consistently caused Sergio Ramos and his defense all sorts of problems until the 90th minute.

I am confident that Sadio Mane will step up as he always does and inspire Senegal to a win over lowly ranked Japan, an inexperienced Poland and maybe just fall short to unpredictable Colombia. It may be a bit of a gamble to endorse Senegal's chances so strongly, but i have a feeling that they will be a strong representative for the African continent. Sadio Mane is perhaps enough of an inspiring player that has provided the quality and lends evidence to consider Senegal doing the unexpected. It is a group centered around three star players in particular; Liverpool’s Sadio Mane vs Bayern Munich’s James Rodriguez vs Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski.. No offense to Japan.

Here are my predictions for Group H final standings:

Senegal (1st); Colombia (2nd); Poland (3rd); Japan (4th)

What are your predictions? Let us know in the comment box below.

FT 2017/18 Best Africa XI: ST - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

The 2017/18 season was as entertaining as any. Our African players took the European leagues by storm once more as they were taught by the legends who left a mark in these leagues as early as the 1970s. Most definitely, Mo Salah has been the talk of the town for his remarkable contribution to his club, Liverpool both in the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. In this piece, we are looking at the best African players to have played this season by each position and see who deserves to rub shoulders with the Egyptian King in the Starting XI. Here are our FT 2017/18 African Players of the Year lined up in a 3-5-2 formation.

ST - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang [Borussia Dortmund/Arsenal & Gabon]

The Gabon international is undeniably Africa’s best striker in the last few seasons. He has proved that he can score goals consistently in Europe’s toughest leagues. He started off well at Borussia Dortmund where he scored 22 goals in all competitions and provided 3 assists before attracting a bit of controversy in the dressing room of the club when he started skipping training. Many took it as a sign that the player wanted to leave the club and when Arsenal came calling in January, there was no way he was going to turn down such an opportunity to be a part of the history of the North London club. He came to England and he scored 10 goals and also assisted 4 in 12 appearances. All in all, he sits at 32 goals and 7 assists in 42 appearances. The striker is amongst the elite in European strikers and is the next best thing to Salah on the continent of Africa this season. Will he lead Arsenal to glory under new coach Unai Emery in the upcoming seasons?

FT World Cup 2018: Africa Has Arrived - Morocco

In the history of the FIFA World Cup, no African team has ever reached the semi-finals. Ghana was agonizingly close in South Africa 2010 but crashed out after Luis Suarez’s heroics in goal, in place for a goalkeeper who was still in the game. Senegal’s Lions of Teranga had a great run in the 2002 finals before losing to Turkey, 1-0 after extra time. Can this year be a historical one for Africa?

Let us briefly explore the possibility of Morocco delivering the goods for the continent. The Lions of Atlas had an impressive FIFA World Cup 2018 qualifying campaign where they finished top of the group occupied by Ivory Coast who hadn’t missed a world cup tournament since 2006, Mali and Gabon. Most remarkably, they scored a total of 11 goals and conceded zero. Not a lot has actually been said about their incredible stats and performances, probably because Nigeria has stolen attention in the headlines with their Nike jerseys and apparel. It is also true that assessing their chances is not a very pleasant exercise as it is really like handing a B to a great and hardworking student just because only 2 As are up for grabs in Group A and ostensibly they belong to two other extremely talented students who do not need to work too hard. It just doesn’t seem right. Furthermore, this football-loving nation has recently missed out on the opportunity to host the 2026 world cup, losing out to the United bid of Canada, Mexico, and the USA, it may not be fair to rub all their non-victories in their face.

Morocco begins their World Cup campaign against Asian surprise package, Iran on the 15th of June before tackling revered Spain and lastly, the European Champions, Portugal. If they are to book a place in the round-of-16, the Atlas Lions will have to get one over Iran and grind some sort of result against either Spain, Portugal or both. The likelihood of that actually happening is really next to impossible because of the two aforementioned more talented students in Spain and Portugal who are also vying for the two available spots. But with some instability that has recently struck the Spanish camp after the surprise sacking of their manager and also the wisdom of arguably the best coach in Africa, Herve Renard at work in the Moroccan camp, who knows what could happen.

I am actually optimistic that the Atlas Lions will pull off at least one major upset. However, here are my predictions for the final group B standings:

Portugal (1st); Spain (2nd); Morocco (3rd); Iran (4th)

What are your predictions? Let us know in the comment box below.

FT World Cup 2018: Africa Has Arrived - Egypt

In the history of the FIFA World Cup, no African team has ever reached the semi-finals. Ghana was agonizingly close in South Africa 2010 but crashed out after Luis Suarez’s heroics in goal, in place for a goalkeeper who was still in the game. Senegal’s Lions of Teranga had a great run in the 2002 finals before losing to Turkey, 1-0 after extra time. Can this year be a historical one for Africa?

Egypt is sweating over the fitness of their star man Mohamed Salah. If they are to have any chance of qualification to the next round, they are definitely going to need the services of the forward who can devastate opponents with his deft touch, exhilarating pace and crisp finishes.

The Egyptian team is in Group A with the hosts, Russia, Uruguay and Saudi Arabia. The favorites to win Group A are Uruguay led by two attackers in Louis Suarez and Edinson Cavani. They have enough firepower in their ranks to deal away with all their counterparts at this early stage. This might prove enough when they play against the three teams in the group. Egypt will hope to settle for a second-placed finish above Russia, who are the lowest ranking team in the tournament. As much as the hosts will have the fans in their backing, the Russian side has been disappointing in recent years and are likely going to be knocked out very early in the tournament.

The match to watch will be between Egypt and Russia, played on June 19. It has the potential to be the decider of who will make it to the Round of 16. Not much can be said about Saudi Arabia apart from the fact that they are the arch rivals of Egypt. They might cause an upset against the Pharaohs, but that is really far-fetched.

Predicted Standings: Uruguay (1st), Egypt (2nd), Russia (3rd) and Saudi Arabia (4th)

FT 2017/18 Best African XI: CAM - Riyad Mahrez

The 2017/18 season was as entertaining as any. Our African players took the European leagues by storm once more as they were taught by the legends who left a mark in these leagues as early as the 1970s. Most definitely, Mo Salah has been the talk of the town for his remarkable contribution to his club, Liverpool both in the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League. In this piece, we are looking for the best African players to have played this season by each position and see who deserves to rub shoulders with the Egyptian King in the Starting XI. Here are our FT 2017/18 African Players of the Year lined up in a 3-5-2 formation.

CAM - Riyad Mahrez [Leicester City & Algeria]

Not surprising to see the Algerian international being named as one of the best performers from the African continent in the 2017/18 season. A former winner of the PFA Player of the Year Award in 2016, that he guided Leicester to an English Premier League crown. This season did not start off as well for the player who was declined a move to AS Roma by Leicester City, when clearly he is in need of a better club that will give him the opportunity to challenge for trophies. He was not as motivated until he gradually came back to his best before the winter transfer window. Manchester City came calling for the player in January and the deal looked to be closed until Leicester rebuffed any attempts from the club to take their most-prized asset away. The player was disappointed and took a break from his club in protest. He eventually returned and contributed 12 goals and 10 assists. Imagine what his season could look like without any disturbances.