CAF’s Formula

The African World Cup Qualifying zone looks like this at the moment:

GROUP 1
P W D L GF GA Pts
Cameroon 5 4 1 0 9 2 13
Cape Verde 5 3 0 2 6 5 9
Tanzania 5 1 2 2 6 5 5
Mauritius 5 0 1 4 3 12 1

01-02/06/08: Cameroon 2-0 Cape Verde
01-02/06/08: Tanzania 1-1 Mauritius
06-08/06/08: Cape Verde 1-0 Tanzania
06-08/06/08: Mauritius 0-3 Cameroon
13-15/06/08: Tanzania 0-0 Cameroon
13-15/06/08: Mauritius 0-1 Cape Verde
20-22/06/08: Cameroon 2-1 Tanzania
20-22/06/08: Cape Verde 3-1 Mauritius
05-07/09/08: Mauritius 1-4 Tanzania
05-07/09/08: Cape Verde 1-2 Cameroon
10-12/10/08: Tanzania v Cape Verde
10-12/10/08: Cameroon v Mauritius

Cape Verde will end up as the runners-up in the group as Tanzania. If Cape Verde loses their final match against Tanzania, then they will only have 3 points in Caf’s mathematical disaster.

GROUP 2
P W D L GF GA Pts
Kenya 5 3 1 1 6 2 10
Guinea 5 2 2 1 6 3 8
Zimbabwe5 1 3 1 2 2 6
Namibia 5 1 0 4 3 10 3

01-02/06/08: Guinea 0-0 Zimbabwe
01-02/06/08: Namibia 2-1 Kenya
06-08/06/08: Kenya 2-0 Guinea
06-08/06/08: Zimbabwe 2-0 Namibia
13-15/06/08: Namibia 1-2 Guinea
13-15/06/08: Kenya 2-0 Zimbabwe
20-22/06/08: Guinea 4-0 Namibia
20-22/06/08: Zimbabwe 0-0 Kenya
05-07/09/08: Zimbabwe 0-0 Guinea
05-07/09/08: Kenya 1-0 Namibia
10-12/10/08: Guinea v Kenya
10-12/10/08: Namibia v Zimbabwe

Guinea currently has 2 points with a game to go. If they draw with Kenya in their final match, they will only have 3 points, which might not be enough. If Zimbabwe finishes runners-up instead, they will also have 3 points only.

GROUP 3
P W D L GF GA Pts
Benin 5 4 0 1 11 6 12
Angola 5 2 1 2 8 7 7
Uganda 5 2 1 2 6 8 7
Niger 5 1 0 4 4 8 3

01-02/06/08: Uganda 1-0 Niger
01-02/06/08: Angola 3-0 Benin
06-08/06/08: Niger 1-2 Angola
06-08/06/08: Benin 4-1 Uganda
13-15/06/08: Niger 0-2 Benin
13-15/06/08: Uganda 3-1 Angola
20-22/06/08: Benin 2-0 Niger
20-22/06/08: Angola 0-0 Uganda
05-07/09/08: Benin 3-2 Angola
05-07/09/08: Niger 3-1 Uganda
10-12/10/08: Angola v Niger
10-12/10/08: Uganda v Benin

If Angola is to finish second in the group, they will have 4 points. They would have to hope that results go their way in the other groups.

GROUP 4
P W D L GF GA Pts
Nigeria 5 5 0 0 7 0 15
S. Leone 5 2 1 2 3 4 7
Sth Africa 5 1 1 3 4 5 4
Eq.Guinea 5 1 0 4 4 9 3

01-02/06/08: Eq Guinea 2-0 Sierra Leone
01-02/06/08: Nigeria 2-0 South Africa
06-08/06/08: Sierra Leone 0-1 Nigeria
06-08/06/08: South Africa 4-1 Eq Guinea
13-15/06/08: Eq Guinea 0-1 Nigeria
13-15/06/08: Sierra Leone 1-0 South Africa
20-22/06/08: Nigeria 2-0 Eq Guinea
20-22/06/08: South Africa 0-0 Sierra Leone
05-07/09/08: Sierra Leone 2-1 Eq Guinea
05-07/09/08: South Africa 0-1 Nigeria
10-12/10/08: Nigeria v Sierra Leone
10-12/10/08: Eq Guinea v South Africa

Sierra Leone already has 4 points. A draw with Nigeria in the final match would be enough to take them through with 5 points.

GROUP 5
P W D L GF GA Pts
Libya 5 4 0 1 7 3 12
Gabon 5 3 0 2 7 3 9
Ghana 5 3 0 2 8 5 9
Lesotho 5 0 0 5 2 13 0

01-02/06/08: Ghana 3-0 Libya
06-08/06/08: Lesotho 2-3 Ghana
06-08/06/08: Libya 1-0 Gabon
13-15/06/08: Gabon 2-0 Ghana
13-15/06/08: Lesotho 0-1 Libya
20-22/06/08: Ghana 2-0 Gabon
20-22/06/08: Libya 4-0 Lesotho
28/06/08: Gabon 2-0 Lesotho
05-07/09/08: Lesotho 0-3 Gabon
05-07/09/08: Libya 1-0 Ghana
10-12/10/08: Gabon v Libya
10-12/10/08: Ghana v Lesotho

Gabon currently has 3 points. However, if Ghana overtakes their position, Ghana will go straight through as they have 6 points.

GROUP 6
P W D L GF GA Pts
Algeria 5 3 0 2 7 4 9
Gambia 5 2 2 1 5 2 8
Senegal 5 2 2 1 8 6 8
Liberia 5 0 2 3 4 12 2

01-02/06/08: Senegal 1-0 Algeria
01-02/06/08: Liberia 1-1 Gambia
06-08/06/08: Gambia 0-0 Senegal
06-08/06/08: Algeria 3-0 Liberia
13-15/06/08: Liberia 2-2 Senegal
13-15/06/08: Gambia 1-0 Algeria
20-22/06/08: Senegal 3-1 Liberia
20-22/06/08: Algeria 1-0 Gambia
05-07/09/08: Gambia 3-0 Liberia
05-07/09/08: Algeria 3-2 Senegal
10-12/10/08: Liberia v Algeria
10-12/10/08: Senegal v Gambia

If Algeria finishes the group as runners-up, they would still go through as they have 6 points. Gambia currently has 4 points. A draw against Senegal would see them through with 5 points. Senegal also has 4 points and they would have to beat Gambia to qualify. Whatever happens in this group, the top two teams are guaranteed a spot in the next round.

GROUP 7
P W D L GF GA Pts
Ivory Coast 5 2 3 0 7 2 9
Madagascar 5 1 3 1 2 4 6
Mozambique 5 1 2 2 6 5 5
Botswana 5 1 2 2 3 7 5

01-02/06/08: Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique
01-02/06/08: Botswana 0-0 Madagascar
06-08/06/08: Mozambique 1-2 Botswana
06-08/06/08: Madagascar 0-0 Ivory Coast
13-15/06/08: Botswana 1-1 Ivory Coast
13-15/06/08: Madagascar 1-1 Mozambique
20-22/06/08: Ivory Coast 4-0 Botswana
20-22/06/08: Mozambique 3-0 Madagascar
05-07/09/08: Madagascar 1-0 Botswana
05-07/09/08: Mozambique 1-1 Ivory Coast
10-12/10/08: Botswana v Mozambique
10-12/10/08: Ivory Coast v Madagascar

Teams in this group are guaranteed a spot in the next round.

GROUP 8
P W D L GF GA Pts
Rwanda 5 4 0 1 9 4 12
Morocco 4 3 0 1 10 4 9
Ethiopia 4 2 0 2 8 6 6
Mauritania5 0 0 5 2 15 0

01-02/06/08: Rwanda 3-0 Mauritania
01-02/06/08: Morocco 3-0 Ethiopia
06-08/06/08: Ethiopia 1-2 Rwanda
06-08/06/08: Mauritania 1-4 Morocco
13-15/06/08: Mauritania 0-1 Ethiopia
13-15/06/08: Rwanda 3-1 Morocco
20-22/06/08: Ethiopia 6-0 Mauritania
20-22/06/08: Morocco 2-0 Rwanda
05-07/09/08: Mauritania 0-1 Rwanda
05-07/09/08: Ethiopia v Morocco
Match cancelled by Fifa
10-12/10/08: Morocco v Mauritania
10-12/10/08: Rwanda v Ethiopia

Fifa has suspended Ethiopia from the qualification process. This means that both Rwanda and Morocco are through.

GROUP 9
P W D L GF GA Pts
Burkina F 5 4 1 0 11 4 13
Tunisia 5 3 1 1 6 3 10
Burundi 5 2 0 3 4 6 6
Seychelles5 0 0 5 4 12 0

01-02/06/08: Burundi 1-0 Seychelles
01-02/06/08: Tunisia 1-2 Burkina Faso
06-08/06/08: Seychelles 0-2 Tunisia
06-08/06/08: Burkina Faso 2-0 Burundi
13-15/06/08: Seychelles 2-3 Burkina Faso
13-15/06/08: Burundi 0-1 Tunisia
20-22/06/08: Tunisia 2-1 Burundi
20-22/06/08: Burkina Faso 4-1 Seychelles
05-07/09/08: Seychelles 1-2 Burundi
05-07/09/08: Burkina Faso 0-0 Tunisia
10-12/10/08: Burundi v Burkina Faso
10-12/10/08: Tunisia v Seychelles

Teams here are through already.

GROUP 10
P W D L GF GA Pts
Mali 5 3 0 2 11 7 9
Congo 5 3 0 2 7 6 9
Sudan 5 2 0 3 7 9 6
Chad 5 2 0 3 6 9 6

01-02/06/08: Mali 4-2 Congo
06-08/06/08: Chad 1-2 Mali
06-08/06/08: Congo 1-0 Sudan
13-15/06/08: Sudan 3-2 Mali
13-15/06/08: Chad 2-1 Congo
20-22/06/08: Mali 3-0 Sudan
20-22/06/08: Congo 2-0 Chad
05-07/09/08: Chad 2-1 Sudan (in Cairo)
05-07/09/08: Congo 1-0 Mali
10/09/08: Sudan 3-1 Chad (in Cairo)
10-12/10/08: Mali v Chad
10-12/10/08: Sudan v Congo

It is difficult to say which team would finish last in this group. An attempt to calculate would result in a terrible headache (thanks CAF).

GROUP 11
P W D L GF GA Pts
Zambia 4 2 1 1 2 1 7
Swaziland3 1 1 1 2 2 4
Togo 3 1 0 2 2 3 3

NB: Eritrea withdrew from the qualifiers due to problems within the country’s football association.
01-02/06/08: Togo 1-0 Zambia
06-08/06/08: Swaziland 2-1 Togo
13-15/06/08: Swaziland 0-0 Zambia
20-22/06/08: Zambia 1-0 Swaziland
10/09/08: Zambia 1-0 Togo
10-12/10/08: Togo v Swaziland

The two teams will go through as there is no bottom team.

GROUP 12
P W D L GF GA Pts
Egypt 5 4 0 1 9 2 12
DR Congo5 3 0 2 13 4 9
Malawi 5 3 0 2 12 4 9
Djibouti 5 0 0 5 2 26 0

01-02/06/08: Egypt 2-1 DR Congo
01-02/06/08: Malawi 8-1 Djibouti
06-08/06/08: Djibouti 0-4 Egypt
06-08/06/08: DR Congo 1-0 Malawi
13-15/06/08: Djibouti 0-6 DR Congo
13-15/06/08: Malawi 1-0 Egypt
20-22/06/08: Egypt 2-0 Malawi
20-22/06/08: DR Congo 5-1 Djibouti
05-07/09/08: Djibouti 0-3 Malawi
05-07/09/08: DR Congo 0-1 Egypt
10-12/10/08: Egypt v Djibouti
10-12/10/08: Malawi v DR Congo

Both Malawi and DR Congo have 3 points and will both face one another in Malawi.

There are not many qualification spots left. The situation still looks desperate for Angola, but it is still mathematically possible for the Palancas to qualify.