The-Shot.Net Writers Club - World Cup qualifiers week 1 (updated with match infos)

It is often the points from the first games that make a difference in the end. In fact each point is similarly valuable, and the idea that the qualification is decided in the last matches is only a deceiving way to look at the way points are aggregated for a final table.
In 2002 World Cup qualifiers Liberia had a point less than Nigeria in the end, and it had been as much the loss to Ghana in their last game as the loss to Sudan in the first match that made the difference. Only that the Sudan game might have been so much easier to win...

What it means? The first match is at least as importannt as the last one, maybe even more: gaining momentum or frustration, confidence or doubt can depend on the first results.

Reason enough to prepare thoroughly. And a perfect indicator for the seriousness of the players and the professionalism of the officials.

Unfortunately reports from the camps before the matches confirmed that the desire to qualify for the World Cup in many countries seems secondary to individual preferences, carelessness, and power struggles.
Many teams fielded understrength or miserably prepared squads, lost their coach one week before the match (Zimbabwe) or even got suspended by FIFA because of fights between politics and associastion officials (Kenya).
Many got away with the lacklustre approach because playing at home against opponents just too weak to profit.

So it was left to the always well prepared Tunisians to have a bright start into their campaign that will possibly see them take onother African berth while other seemingly more talented candidates like Ghana with stars at Champions League greats like Juventus or Bayern hardly ever will be seen at the World Cup in the near future.
Another team to convince (at least judged from the scoreline) were Egypt: the only of the 14 away teams to win.

Group 2 (South Africa, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Congo DR, Uganda, Cape Verde):
A living klischee of inconsistency, infighting and unprofessionalism seem Ghana who might have already thrown away the golden opportunity, drawn in one group with a South Africa themselves unstable in self doubts and inner conversion after similar infightings in the recent past. But neither Ghanas association allowed their coachs preperation plans nor did Ghanas professionals seem to bother much about preparing thoroughly for the first match (provided those reports are true) Three days warming up appeared to be thought sufficient for such superplayers....
The consequence: Ghana were beaten in one of those key matches, away to Burkina Faso, 0:1 (Zongo scored for the hosts after 80 minutes). Of course it's not all over yet for Ghana after only one game but those three points will hurt them throughout the qualifiers till the end. They might even have to put up a fight to qualify for the Nations Cup at least.
South Africa without many stars did not do much better, and struggled but beat Cap Verde 2:1 at home, almost dropping two points, rescued only by the visitors who blew two big scoring opportunites at the end of the game.
DR Congo presented another gift to the Souuth Africans when losing at Uganda 0:1 on Sunday. The Congolese association had just been criticized by their sudpended striker Lualua for bad management and had to do without their other starstriker Nonda.

Group 4 (Nigeria, Angola, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Rwanda, Gabon):
In the 2002 qualifiers a Nigeria in a miserable organisational state were lucky to be drawn in one group with others caught in similar tangles like Ghana and Liberia. Still they needed to take the two opponents to take points from each other, Nigeria would not have qualified from their own strength. A qualification they would most likely never have achieved in the much tougher parallel group like the one with Morocco-Senegal-Egypt-Algeria.
Nigeria , a little bit improved, are similarly lucky in the 2006 qualifiers with no team seemingly able to really challenge the big favorites.
Against an understrength Rwanda Nigeria were able to compensate for an again half focussed approach (many key players absent but an apparently good warmup program) and win thanks the still remaining talent. Though absences of several key player rescue man Obafemi Martins was enough to provide for a 2:0 home start.
Meanwhile the two possibly strongest challengers cancelled out each other when Algeria and Angola drew 0:0 at Algiers Saturday night. Algeria needed time to find a rhythm but then tormented the nervous Angolan defence with dangerous crosses. Angola drew back too much towards the end of the match and were lucky that the several errors were not converted by the hosts. Two huge chances nevertheless were on the occasions of the rare but then extremely dangerous Angolan counter attacks, one time Algeria were lucky not to be punished with a penalty when a defender approached a broken through Angolan at the limits.
Zimbabwe, a possible other challenger, themeselves thrown in trouble after the coach resigned because of a row with the association only a week to the first qualifier, disappointed and only got a late equalizer at Gabon (1:1).

Group 1 (Senegal, Mali, Zambia, Liberia, Congo, Togo):
Favorites Senegal started at home and secured an expected 2:0 against Congo (Brazzaville) thanks to second half goals by Lamine Diatta and Mouss Ndiaye.
Zambia, coached by Kalusha Bwalya in an attempt for consistency, at least targeting Nations Cup qualification but secretly hoping for more, again failed to bury the hatchet with their best professionals from Europe. They were happy to secure three points anyway through an 11th minute goal by Jacob Mulenga at home against Togo.
On Sunday Mali blew their good opportunity to pressure Senegal in their challenge for a World Cup spot, losing away 0:1 at Liberia. The hosts scored the late winner by Kieh two minutes to the end and are dreaming alittle bit now themselves.

Group 5 (Tunisia, Morocco, Guinea, Malawi, Kenya, Botswana):
Because of a tough power struggle between association officials and the sports ministry the FIFA suspended Kenya from international football and the match against the hopeful Guineans had to be called off.
Tunisia made no mistakes, took Botswana seriously and won their opening home match 4:1 thanks to goals from their new young star Hagui(2), Clayton, and Ali Zitouni. Botswana had scored a second half goal to make it 2:1 then by Selolwane.
Morocco, without two injured key players, had to settle for a 1:1 away draw with a strong Malawi home side, a result that might hurt them in race for perfect exploitation of points in matches against third teams, with co-favorites Tunisia, who have been best in this during the recent qualifiers.

Group 3 (Cameroon, Egypt, Côte d'Ivoire, Sudan, Libya, Benin):
Cameroon without warmup matches but with a strong squad overcame the Beninoise resistance and a bad pitch after a heavy rain to win 2:1.
Benin went ahead through a Konabe shot after 11 minutes but a double strike by Eto'o and Song after corners caught the visitors unconcentrated at dead ball situation twice already on their way to the halftime break.
Côte d'Ivoire wasted several chances but scored through Aruna Dindane and a Drogba penalty to beat Libya.
Egypt were the only team to win their away game with a convincing 3:0 scoreline at Sudan.