Salah-Mane duel continues

By Mark Gleeson

Algeria and Tunisia won away from home in the first legs of their African World Cup playoffs last Friday and with an aggregate lead and home advantage for tonight’s return games, have to be fancied to secure their places in the World Cup line-up.

But for TAB soccer players, there is no guarantee that either will win tonight or even manage to draw, which would of course book a place at the Qatar finals.

The two North African neighbours hold slender 1-0 leads and their opponents will believe that they still have every chance of coming out tops overall, although in reality to win away in Blida and Tunis will require Herculean feats.

The match between Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah now moves onto a third chapter in just two months in Dakar.

Mane converted the winning penalty that handed Senegal the Africa Cup of Nations trophy after a goalless final against Egypt in Yaoundé in February. And it was Salah who made the goal in Cairo last Friday that saw the Pharaohs win the first leg of the playoff tie 1-0.

Senegal should have got much more out of the game, but Egypt defended like tigers and must do so again in Senegal’s new stadium if they are to hold onto their slender advantage.

Morocco are probably the best bet for a home win. They take on the Democratic Republic of Congo in Casablanca with the tie poised at 1-1. Morocco rarely slips up at home in these situations, but do not have a particularly impressive side. And Hakim Ziyech, their best player, is at loggerheads with the coach and refusing to play.

But the Congolese are not any better and perhaps fortunate to still be involved in the final stages of the qualifiers.

Nigeria and Ghana are goalless after the first leg in Kumasi, where both sides delivered a scramble of mistakes and aimless football. Ghana were at home and played more on front foot, but with the annoying Jordan Ayew leading the line, botched almost all of their approach play.

Nigeria had Victor Osimhen back as their lead attacker after he missed the Africa Cup of Nations tournament, but he offered little either. Tonight’s return in Abuja could hinge on a single moment of magic, or, more likely, a mistake.

* TAB soccer punters can look forward to a bumper weekend. Saturday’s Soccer 13 starts with a R7-million carryover and the pool should total some R28 million, so here’s a real chance to win a life-changing amount. Plus there are R100,000 carryovers to each of two Soccer 6 pools on Saturday and R250,000 add-ins to two Soccer 10 pools, one on Saturday and the other on Sunday. Thrilling stuff - Soccer 13 pool details will be published in the TAB Sports Express Update on Friday.