Super Eagles of Nigeria
2022 FIFA World Cup: All 10 countries emerge for playoffs, as Nigeria seeded in Pot 1
Nigeria’s Super Eagles have been seeded in Pot 1 of the Third Round of qualification matches, also known as the final playoffs, following their emergence as Group C toppers, having held secured a 1-1 draw against the Cape Verde in Lagos.
The Super Eagles drew with Cape Verde in the final match of Group C play on Tuesday, at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos, to emerge with the highest points of 13, enough to top the table.
With the victory, Nigeria now enters the final phase of qualification along with 9 other African teams who now face-off in pairs for the five slots allotted to Africa in the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, billed for between November and December 2022.
The 10 teams will be allotted to Pot 1 and Pot 2 based on the FIFA ranking in the continent. Nigeria has been seeded in Pot 1 as the country is third highest in Africa.
What it means is that the country will now be paired to play against any of the five countries seeded in Pot 2.
Teams seeded in Pot 1 include; Nigeria, Senegal, Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia. Those in Pot 2 are; Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon and DR Congo.
By this seeding system, the Super Eagles may play any of Egypt, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon or DR Congo.
The final playoffs will hold in March, 2022, on a home and away fixture.
Ghana could be paired against any of the five countries in pot 1 in December ahead of playoffs in March.
The draws will hold in December, this year, ahead of the playoffs proper, next March.
Ghana’s qualification, however, is still on hold, as FIFA has now accepted to look into the appeal lodged by South Africa over poor officiating in their last game of the group.
South Africa claims that the Senegalese match officials aside from awarding a ‘soft penalty’ against them, were generally questionable all through the match in their officiating.
Ghana beat Bafana Bafana of South Africa 1-0 at the Cape Coast stadium last Sunday evening to make it to the playoffs stage based on goals scored after tying on points with the South Africans.
