Today we switch our attention to Africa, and its first qualifying round. This takes the form of two-legged play-offs between 22 sides, who are aiming to join 29 seeds in the next round. The draw for this round kept the biggest sides apart, but was otherwise random.
Burkina Faso vs. Lesotho
First leg
Burkina Faso are the third-highest ranked side in this stage of qualifying, and so went into this fixture as strong favourites. Fielding a 3-5-2 against their opponents’ unorthodox 4-3-1-2 (with a midfield of MR, MC, MC, AMCL), Burkina Faso had the majority of the chances, but were frustrated until just after half time when a quick pass released Yahia Kebe, and he slotted home, with what proved to be the only goal of the tie. In a way, both teams will settle for that, as Burkina Faso have secured a lead, but Lesotho are still in this tie.
Second leg
This match was much more even, so it will have settled Burkina Faso’s nerves when Ousmanne Derra fired in at the second attempt from a corner. Lesotho gave a good account, but couldn’t a way back into the match, and in injury time Basile Sam slid home to wrap up a 3-0 aggregate win for Burkina Faso, making them the first side qualified from the first round of African qualifying.
First leg
This looked to be a very even match-up between two well-matched sides. Both sides went with a 4-3-3 formation, although Equatorial Guinea’s was unusual in that the front three were an AMR and two STs. In a cagey match, Equatorial Guinea created the most chances, but fell behind an hour in when Oscar Agaba pounced on Patrick Ochan’s low cross. It got worse for Equatorial Guinea when they lost LB Ochaya to a second yellow card, meaning that they had to settle for a 1-0 defeat.
Second leg
Equatorial Guinea got exactly the start they needed when Mwesigwa tripped Quendamdu in the box and they had a penalty. Up stepped Niche... but his shot was straight down the middle and parried by Arakaza! Bayem had come into the team for the suspended Ochaya, but incredibly he also managed to get himself sent off straight after half time for a second yellow. It put Equatorial Guinea’s hopes on the edge, but it wasn’t until injury time Uganda were able to score the goal to confirm their progress, when Habib Kavuma’s shot took a big deflection and flew in.
First leg
Reunion are ranked joint-lowest in the world, although this is primarily due to a lack of data for them. This means it was a bit of a surprise when they crushed Guinea-Bissau 5-1 to all-but assure themselves of a place in the next round. Most impressive was Jonas Payet, who bagged three assists, playing on the left side of Reunion’s wide diamond formation.
Second leg
Guinea-Bissau had scored late on in the first leg, had that given them a way back? Not really, they went behind in this leg when Jimmy Simouri tapped in to add to his two first-leg goals. However, Reunion’s Grondin picked up a second yellow for a trip on Djata, and from then on Guinea-Bissau applied a bit of pressure, eventually scoring when Alvaro Jalo volleyed in from a corner. Pansau Nhasse fired in a low shot in the 90th minute to put Guinea-Bissau 2-1 up for the leg, but they were to be denied even that minor victory when Adrien Baur fired home in injury time for a 2-2 draw, and a 7-3 aggregate win for Reunion.
First leg
These two sides are ranked 147th and 165th respectively, so this was unsurprisingly a very close battle. Benin lined up with a 4-3-3 formation, whilst Liberia were slightly more adventurous with a classic 4-2-3-1 line-up. The opening goal came in the 67th minute when a Benin free kick broke down and Liberia broke at pace. A clever pass from Johnson gave Amadaiya Rennie a simple chance which he converted. However, Rennie turned villain when he pushed Olouchi over in the box, and Nana Nafiou stayed calm to put away the penalty and to ensure the leg finished level.
Second leg
In the second leg Liberia got the opening blow in, as Andrew Rennie opened the scoring in the 24th minute. Benin fell apart from there, and 9 minutes later Liberia scored twice within 100 seconds to all-but put the tie beyond doubt. Benin struggled to create chances, and the match was wrapped up when James Lomell scored in the second half. A thumping 4-0 win for Liberia sees them progress 5-1 on aggregate.
First leg
Botswana are the second-highest ranked side in this stage of qualifying, and so were expected to get through easily here. They started the better, and opened the scoring half an hour in when Qinani Sibanda smashed in a low cross. However, they struggled to create many more chances against Mauritius’ stark 5-2-3 formation, and when a penalty was given for a foul by Gaolaolwe, it gave Cyril Mourgine a chance to earn a smash-and-grab draw for Mauritius, which he did.
Second leg
Botswana looked to push on and secure their progress early, but were left shocked when a rapid Mauritian counter-attack resulted in Chihana being put clean through on goal, and he finished well to put his side ahead on aggregate. Botswana took until the 72nd minute to get level, which they did through a neat finish from Moemedi Moatlhaping, and with neither side able to find a winner, we went to extra time. The crucial moment came when Mauritius’ Mourgine flew in on Moatlhaping in the box, conceding a penalty. With just six minutes of extra time left, the pressure was on Phenyo Mongala, but he tucked it away and Botswana were able to scrape through as 3-2 aggregate winners.
Swaziland vs. Sierra Leone
First leg
For this tie, Swaziland lined up with a stout 5-4-1 formation, with an intent to break quickly via the wings, whilst Sierra Leone played a 4-3-3, also looking to play on the break. Unsurprisingly, Sierra Leone played more of the match on the front foot, and took the lead when a great early cross from Julius Wobay gave Donald Wellington (great name) an unmissable chance. Two minutes later and Wobay should have doubled the lead from the spot, but his shot thudded off the upright. There was no such charity from Swaziland’s Alois Ngwerume when his side were awarded a spot kick, and his goal ensured this leg finished one-apiece.
Second leg
Wobay is Sierra Leone’s best-rated player, so it’s very bad news that he is out injured for the second leg. Swaziland have their own injury worry as right-winger Diamini misses out. Sierra Leone started well, but undid that by allowing Tsabedze to open the scoring after terrible organisation from a corner. However, Sierra Leone were soon level when Swaziland goalkeeper Dlamini parried a shot straight to Alusine Pagal tap in just before the break. The second half saw few clear chances for either side, meaning that once again we head to extra time! With Swaziland holding firm, it took an excellent long free kick from Mustapha Bangura to put Sierra Leone ahead in the 108th minute, and in injury time Kwame Quee’s penalty secured a 4-2 aggregate win.
So that’s the first half of the first stage of African qualifying, as Burkina Faso, Uganda, Reunion, Liberia, Botswana and Sierra Leone progress. Next time it’ll be the start of qualifying in Oceania, as we see how entirety of the first round there pans out.