Home teams to hold sway in qualifiers

Ghana 2 Uganda 1

Uganda generally struggles on the road at this level, their 1-0 victory over Mauritania in Nouakchott notwithstanding. The last time the Cranes were in Ghana, they held the hosts to a one-all stalemate but the West Africans have since played at two World Cup finals. I expect Asamoah Gyan and Christian Atsu to prove the difference against Milutin Sredojevic’s determined but technically limited travelers.
Ethiopia 1 Algeria 2
Ethiopian football has enjoyed a period of unparalleled growth but they come up against Africa’s most technically accomplished side. The continent’s top ranked team, Algeria’s Desert Warriors, are miles ahead of their rivals when it comes to the nitty-gritty of negotiating their way around tight fixtures. Sofiane Feghouli will guide Vahid Halihodzic’s side past the technically sound but physically challenged Walya Antelopes in a rare away victory.

Senegal 2 Egypt 1
Egypt showed sufficient resilience to stand toe to toe with some of the world’s elite football playing countries after their 1-6 loss to Ghana. Senegal are however blessed with the continent’s second most lethal attacking force. Stoke’s Mame Diouf, Southampton’s Sadio Mane and Fernabache’s Moussa Sow should wreak havoc against Egypt’s ageing back four.

Nigeria 2 C. Brazzaville 0
Rwanda should have been the team facing African champions Nigeria had it not been for the boardroom decision to throw them out for fielding the controversial Daddy Birori aka Taddy Etekiama. Any team that can’t eliminate Rwanda on the field of play stands no chance in front of the vast myriads of fans that will grace the Super Eagles’ first home match.

Burkina Faso 3 Lesotho 0
Lesotho punched above their weight to reach the group stages. Their two-legged victories over Liberia and Kenya were built on dogged defending. But in Burkina Faso, they come up against the continent’s most improved side. The Burkinabe enthralled us all on their road to the last Afcon finals and pushed Algeria all the way for a World Cup place. Lesotho will be no match.

DR Congo 1 Cameroon 1
Congolese football is enjoying a mini-revival courtesy of a new crop of stars from AS Vita and TP Mazembe. Ironically, the Lubumbashi-based clubs’ use of so many regional stars had contributed to their decline. DR Congo should be good for a point against an Indomitable Lions outfit still struggling to shake off the allegations of match-fixing during their World Cup debacle.

Ivory Coast 3 S. Leone 0
It must be easy to be a coach in Africa. Herve Renard has been rewarded for presiding over the relegation of Sochaux from French Ligue 1 with a job to coach Ivory Coast. Sierra Leone have named an all foreign-based squad to assuage fears over the Ebola pandemic hitting Free Town. Their poor preparations mean there can only be one winner as the Elephants are blessed with abundant talent.
Sudan 2 South Africa 1

Ugandan-born Jamal Salim Magoola could yet make his international debut for Sudan when they host South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in this crunch encounter. The El-Merreikh shot stopper has developed in leaps and bounds and was the outstanding custodian at the recent Cecafa Kagame Cup where his penalty saving heroics guided his side to success. South Africa continue to under-perform and I think they will wilt in the Khartoum desert heat.