S. OchiengGhana, Senegal, Mali headline latest teams on course for 2022 World Cup
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Reading Time: 3min | Mon. 15.11.21. | 14:25
So far six teams have confirmed their places in the playoff stage
So far, so good. At least for most of the big-name favourites who were expected to go on and grab the sole qualification tickets needed to seal progression to the African playoffs and stay on course to book their ticket to the FIFA 2022 Qatar World Cup.
In matches that have already been done and dusted with, powerhouses Senegal, Ghana and Mali did not disappoint as they managed to finish top of their respective groups and consequently advance to the final round of the qualifiers. Joining the trio in the playoffs is Democratic Republic of Congo who also managed top spot in Group J.
DAY 1️⃣ ✅
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 14, 2021
DAY 2️⃣ ⏳
Day 3️⃣ ⏳
🇨🇩 DR Congo and 🇬🇭 Ghana secure their places in the final round! 🌟
Take a look at the results of day 1️⃣ of the final round of the 2022 #WCQ group stages! 🔢#WorldCup pic.twitter.com/4frgbEssH7
While Mali, Senegal and DR Congo had relative ease in advancing to the final playoff round, drama ensued as Ghana, in contentious fashion, narrowly edged South Africa to steal the Group G ticket right off the noses of Bafana Bafana.
Heading into the final group game, Ghana were in second place, three points behind the leading South Africans and needed nothing short of a win in order to advance to the next round. On the 31st minute, the debatable moment that turned the game in Ghana’s favour came when the centre referee pointed to the spot when it appeared that Leicester defender Daniel Amartey threw himself to the ground without any contact whatsoever or very mild if any.
This is the moment the Ghana 🇬🇭 Black Stars were awarded a penalty tonight vs South Africa’s 🇿🇦 Bafana Bafana. Yes or no? #WCQ2022 pic.twitter.com/mV8jlTVBny
— Usher Komugisha (@UsherKomugisha) November 14, 2021
Experienced Andrew Ayew then stepped up in that pressure moment and scored the solitary winning goal to condemn South Africa to their first detrimental loss in the group that came at the worst possible time.
With both Ghana and South Africa having 13 points in the group and coincidentally ending with the same goal difference, the Black Stars edged through courtesy of having scored one goal more than Bafana Bafana in the group (7-6).
GROUP G SUMMIT SEALED 🔝
— CAF (@CAF_Online) November 14, 2021
4 wins ✅
1 defeat ❌
1 draw 🤝
Ghana have made it to the final round of the 2022 #WCQ! 🏆
The Black Stars join the race to secure a spot to Qatar in 2022! 🇬🇭#WorldCup | @ghanafaofficial pic.twitter.com/wyvf5xqKgJ
On the other hand, DR Congo will be hoping to reach their first World Cup since 1974 after beating Benin 2-0 in Kinshasa and booking that playoff ticket.
So far, six teams – Senegal, Mali, DR Congo, Egypt, Morocco and Ghana - have booked their ticket to the third and final qualifying round with four more teams expected to join them. Africa's five World Cup representatives at Qatar 2022 will be decided when the two-legged play-offs take place in March 2022.
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