EL GOUNA, Egypt: Egypt’s football team did its best to ignore the deadly violence sweeping across the country to beat Uganda 3-0 in a friendly on Wednesday, a victory that may help its quest to return to the World Cup for the first time in nearly 25 years.
African champion Nigeria won 2-0 in South Africa with a powerful second-half performance in the first of two rounds of international friendlies this week, where world rankings points may boost the chances of some of Africa’s World Cup hopefuls.
The five highest-ranked teams in FIFA’s world rankings that make Africa’s decisive World Cup playoffs will be seeded and are likely to get an easier draw in the ties in October and November that will decide the continent’s final five teams at Brazil 2014.
Egypt, which has already qualified for those playoffs and last played at a World Cup in 1990, beat Uganda at the Red Sea resort of El Gouna as hundreds of people were killed in street clashes on a day of spiraling violence in Cairo and other cities.
Despite the troubles, former US coach Bob Bradley’s team continued its strong form with goals from Ahmed Hassan in the 22nd minute, and Basel winger Mohamed Salah and Ibrahim Salah in the second half.
The victory will likely have gone unnoticed, however, amid the violence. Wednesday’s game ultimately went ahead after the Egyptian Football Association had considered canceling it because of the clashes, where riot police backed by armored vehicles stormed protesters’ camps and nearly 300 people died.
Nigeria also wins
In South Africa, Nigeria striker Uche Nwafor came off the bench to score a second-half double and lead the African Cup champion to victory on its return to the country where it claimed a third continental title in February.
Nwafor hit a clever backheel past goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune in the 49th minute and then slotted in from in front after a pinpoint pullback by fellow substitute Ahmed Musa in the 68th.
Cup of Nations-winning coach Stephen Keshi will now begin preparations for a crucial final group qualifier with Malawi next month that will decide if Nigeria stays in contention for a place at Brazil.
“I’m not very satisfied with what we did today because we can do much better,” Keshi said after Nigeria eventually lifted itself to beat South Africa. “We’re building a team and bringing everybody back gradually. We’re getting the confidence level and getting everybody ready for the game against Malawi.”
Nigeria couldn’t breach South Africa’s defense until Keshi introduced Europe-based forward Nwafor and Musa, and Chelsea’s Victor Moses.
South Africa, which is also in contention for the World Cup playoffs, faces this year’s losing African Cup finalist Burkina Faso in another friendly Saturday. Egypt and Nigeria wait for their final qualifying group games next month.
Also Wednesday, Algeria drew 2-2 with Guinea after leading 2-0 at halftime, Malawi was boosted for that Nigeria meeting by a 1-0 away win at Rwanda, and Libya and Central African Republic finished 0-0 in Tripoli. Former African champion Zambia and Senegal drew 1-1 in France, and Gabon and Cape Verde Islands also ended 1-1. Tunisia powered past Congo 3-0.
Top-ranked African team Ivory Coast, No. 2-ranked Ghana, No. 4 Algeria and No. 5 Nigeria look set to be four of the seeded teams for the two-legged World Cup playoffs, with Egypt, four-time African champion Cameroon and the likes of Cape Verde, Burkina Faso and Tunisia likely left to tussle for the all-important fifth seeded place.
Egypt football team ignores violence, beats Uganda
