Jacobs O. Seaman Saturday Poland 0-3 Germany The world champions dominated Scotland in their opening qualifier but struggled to break the stubborn visitors. Germany have always faced Poland with their Polish machines in Lucas Podolski and Miroslav Klose. The two neighbouring countries have a history but this is a derby the Germans now take for granted. Klose is retired and Podolski is injured, as if Mesut Ozil and Marco Reus. But even without the firepower they used in Brazil, Germany still has enough ammunition to tear the side that cruised to 7-0 in Gibraltar apart. Saturday Uganda 1-2 Togo The last time Togo played in Kampala, they overran Cranes 3-0. Now the team captained by Adebayor returns in conflicting style. The times have so changed that the Cranes sit on top of the group, albeit on goal difference, while Togo are rooted at the bottom without a win. But that is also what makes this fixture crucial. It is all or nothing for Togo. Lose and they out of the run for the Nations Cup, win and their campaign kicks off. Uganda Cranes have only won two of their last third match fixtures, while the other ‘fate’ up against the side is that they struggle in games played in October. Although Cranes have not lost at Namboole since Beni McCarthy’s penalty sealed victory for Bafana Bafana in April ten years ago, nothing can be taken for granted in football. Saturday Mozambique 0-2 Cape Verde Cape Verde, the Nations Cup 2013 surprise package that threatened to the big boys until Nigeria suffocated them. They went on to hit the nerves of every team en route to qualifying for World Cup. But fate would have none of it, and Cape Verde were disqualified for fielding ineligible player. However, the side that shone in the last Nations Cup is still good to go. Win or lose, the Cape Verdeans will stay top of the group in which the other three sides have a maximum of four points in total. Another win will put Cape Verde on the clear. Saturday Congo 2-2 South Africa Bafana Bafana have it rough away coming up against group leaders Congo Republic. Congo opened their account by shocking World Cup round of 16 finalists and African champions Nigeria in Abuja before showing Sudan some fine game of football to take the group lead with maximum points. But Bafana Bafana, after putting Sudan to the sword, could only fire blanks at home to Nigeria and the team will rue the chances they missed it Congo turn out to be a side on a mission. Saturday DR Congo 2-4 Ivory Coast What is not happening with Ivory Coast now? The World Cup finalists are yet to know what hit them so hard. After a belaboured 2-1 comeback home win against Sierra Leone, The Elephants found themselves on the receiving end of Cameroonian side that flopped badly at the World Cup. Losing 4-1 is not something anyone would have foreseen in a side the caliber of Ivory Coast. But it is not easy to just flop back up after falling so hard to the ground and this could be true when the 4-1 mauling continues to haunt the Elephants in Kinshasa. Saturday Sudan 2-3 Nigeria Nigeria are risking the ignominy of being that defending champion that does not even get to defend their title in tournament proper. They have to start grinding results now to avoid the burden of finding themselves following the tournament in Morocco on television. The trip to Sudan is one of the best chances for the Super Eagles as they come up against a side that has lost both their opening fixtures. A loss in Khartoum could all but seal Nigeria’s fate. Saturday Gabon 0-1 Burkina Faso It was in this country that Burkina Faso rediscovered the 1998 mojo that saw them finish third on home soil. During the last tournament, the Burkinabe were the other surprise package and went all the way to the final before falling to Nigeria. They would also later put up a good run for the World Cup in the qualifiers but fell short. And on the evidence of their first two games, the team is not about to lift their feet off the gas pedal. After comprehensive wins against Lesotho and Angola, the Burkinabe travel to Gabon to face a familiar side knowing a win will send them five points clear at the top. Any manager with a player like Pitriopa will dream of such a point gap when coming against a side that has struggled for results in their two fixtures. Saturday Guinea 1-1 Ghana Two West African sides meeting for a game of their lives. Ghana is facing post-World Cup lag while Guinea have nothing to lose, although at home, they will want to prove they have it in them to qualify for the Nations Cup. Both sides are struggling and will play six hours after Uganda and Togo have tussled it out. The result in Kampala will give either side the needed impetus. A win for Togo means the winner in Conakry will top the group. This will end up in an intense fixture neither side should have expected. But for Ghana’s indifferent performance as they are still without a manager, a win will come hard. Sunday Estonia 1-1 England The Three Lions have been coasting. It is a dream qualifier for Roy Hodgson’s men. With 7-0 goal difference and maximum points from their opening two games. But Estonia, who went down 1-0 at second place Lithuania, could be the hard test for England tonight. Hodgson has been trying to make England play the German way and it has worked in the last two games to clinical effect, although they had to toil for the 2-0 win in Zurich in September. This is another away trip where Hodgson will be cautious to avoid a defeat than to dare dream and lose all three points.
