Sport
Soccer star Didier Drogba dropped by Ivory Coast
In an interview with FIFA’s website, Egypt’s American coach Bob Bradley called his team’s training camps “a chance to breathe” for players affected by a myriad of problems in their home country.
“We didn’t want to forget about Port Said,” Bradley said, “but we wanted the time together to be our chance to concentrate on how we could build the team and move forward so we would have a chance to go to the World Cup.”
Egypt, a record seven-time African champion, hasn’t been to the World Cup since 1990 but will put itself on the brink of a place in those final qualifying ties with victory over Zimbabwe.
Cameroon plays Togo in Yaounde, where Samuel Eto’o and Emmanuel Adebayor will likely have leading roles, but with both teams also struggling in qualifying and both trailing Libya and Congo in Group I. Cameroon has missed the last two African Cups and is no longer a giant of African soccer, and although Togo impressed to reach the cup quarters, it is winless in two games in World Cup qualifying. There is also the chance of self-destruction within the Togolose camp after the stinging criticism of coach Didier Six from Tottenham’s Adebayor after the African Cup.
Senegal must play Angola in neutral Guinea because of a one-year ban for Dakar’s Leopold Senghor Stadium after a riot there in an African Cup qualifier in October. Ghana, another team hurting from its African Cup disappointment, hosts Sudan in Group D, which is led by Zambia.
Group B leader Tunisia faces second-placed Sierra Leone, Algeria goes up against Benin at home on Tuesday, and Morocco is away at Tanzania. The pride of North African soccer was badly dented after none of the region’s teams made the knockout stages of the continental championship in South Africa.
Ethiopia’s revival following its return to the African Cup could continue with it top of Group A ahead of a home game against Botswana on Sunday. Group rival South Africa needs to beat Central African Republic in Cape Town with its campaign failing badly and its hosting of the 2010 World Cup a distant, fading memory.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press
