2018 World Cup Qualification African Section

[StevieDay1983]

These odds have been late going up. The 3rd Round of the CAF section is starting this weekend. A few tough fixtures to bet on. Gabon versus Morocco, Burkina Faso versus South Africa, and Congo versus Egypt are three games that are likely to end in a draw. Odds of 33.60 with bet365. On the flip side, just punting for outright wins for Ghana, Congo DR, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria, and Nigeria could bring in a healthy profit with all of those sides firm favourites at 29.39 with the same bookmaker.

[Misa]

First round, many close games. Only five group winners will qualify for Russia 2018, home games will be vital.

DR Congo host Libya in Kinshasa, despite Libya's FA effort to move the game out of DRC, due post election political instability . DRC played really well in Nations Cup qualifiers, have some top players, like Bolasie, Mbokani, Afobe, Bakambu from Villareal, many solid local players from Vita Club and Mazembe. Visitors didn't qualify for Nations Cup, but managed to beat Cape Verde away, last month. They don't have some big names in the squad, but they are a hard nut to crack. Javier Clemente will leave Libyan bench next month, what's a strange move. DR Congo should bag all three points, but it won't be easy, nor pretty.

Senegal is imo banker of the round. Very strong team, some class players, like Mane, Kouyaté, Sow, Kalidou Koulibaly. Visitors are in poor form, failed to qualify for Nations Cup, don't think that Cape Verde can match Senegal, should be an easy home win.

Algeria have probably the best team in their history. Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City), Islam Slimani (Leicester City), Hillal El Arabi Soudani (Dinamo Zagreb), Yacine Brahimi (FC Porto), Sofiane Feghouli (West Ham United) etc. Rajevac made a great success with Ghana, he knows African football. Cameroon with great past, but not so good nowadays, odds on Algeria should drop even more.

Tunisia will not lose at home, so 1x should be considered as a banker. Also, I think that bookies to much favor Ivory Coast, they struggled against Sudan and Sierra Leone in the Nations Cup qualifiers, Drogba's generation is gone, Mali very solid team, with good coach Alain Giresse. So, I like + 1 ah on Mali, or + 1,5 for combo material.

[StevieDay1983]

Quality breakdown last round @Misa. What are you thinking for this round of matches?

[Misa]

Very tricky round. I missed to back Tunisia due very low prematch odds. The game was played in Blida, Algeria. Tunisia did control the game and had possession, but Libyans were very dangerous on the break and had a clear goal disallowed in the first half.

It's not easy to find some value, but I would go with Morocco DNB and Egypt DNB. Home advantage is crucial, teams from north Africa are very strong at home. Morocco finally managed to build a strong squad, they got a valuable point away in Gabon and should go out for all three points at home. Ivory Coast beat Mali at home 3:1, but they were extremely lucky not to be down by two-three goals in the first half. Gervinho is injured and ruled out.

Egypt have again very talented generation and they can dream about World Cup (they reached WC last time in 1990.). It's difficult to explain how golden generation of Aboutrika, Barakat,Hassan and Gomaa never reached it. Mohamed Salah is in top form, El Nenny plays for Arsenal, El Mohamadi has a great Premier league experience, Sobhi from Stoke City is very talented winger. They have also a great base of quality local players, mainly from Zamalek and Al Ahly and in front of home crowd, Egypt is unbeatable in Africa. Ghana with many problems, Avram Grant has no support from the fans, Asamoah Gyan is injured, Andre Ayew is not fully fit. In the first round, Ghana struggled against Uganda at home and failed to create more that 2-3 half chances during all game. On other side, Egypt won away, against Congo. Home win for me.

 

[StevieDay1983]

The latest set of odds for the African section are up. Two games into the final round and it's very tense. A few teams are positioning themselves well for qualification with two wins from their opening two games such as DR Congo, Tunisia, Nigeria, and Egypt. Group D is particularly exciting with 1 point separating Burkina Faso, South Africa, and Senegal. Ivory Coast looking good in Group C as well.

@Misa, you've given us your tips in this section already. Do you have any for this round?

[Middle East Leagues Expert]

In Africa I like some bets here

Morroco should win , -0.75 I like here as this mali team lost many power and Morroco play very serious and do or die game for them , they will put carzy pressure on Mali defense all 90 mintues , they must win at the end

Senegal -0.75 as well I like , best team in Africa I saw so far , many chances and score goals and very attractive side , this Faso team nothing special for me 

Ivory Cost DNB worth bet here too , I saw Gabon many times , you feel they dont care at all even they play at home 

South Africa DNB , despite they boring side to watch but they know at the end how to NOT lose and win maybe even and they have big chances here away from home

[StevieDay1983]

It's the penultimate round of the CAF section for 2018 World Cup qualification. No team has confirmed their spot in Russia yet so it is all to play for.

In Group A, Tunisia and DR Congo are likely to take their battle to the final game. Group B will see Nigeria qualify if they can beat Zambia. A draw will also put Nigeria on the verge of qualification going into the last games. Group C is wide open with all four teams still technically in with a shout of qualifying. Ivory Coast could all but confirm their place in Russia if they beat Mali and Morocco and Gabon draw. Group D is also wide open. South Africa are all but eliminated with just 1 point from 4 games. However, just one point separates Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, and Senegal. This round will go a long way to ruling one of those three sides out of the mix going into the last games. Finally, Group E has Egypt in pole position. They will take a huge step to qualification with a win over an already eliminated Congo. If they win and Ghana beat Uganda then that will also book their place in the finals.

So yes, a lot to decide but it's going to be very exciting. There's a bit of a shift in African football right now with the likes of Cameroon, Algeria, and South Africa all already eliminated or on the brink of elimination. Other nations who are less-fancied to progress at the start of qualifying such as DR Congo, Zambia, Gabon, Burkina Faso, and Cape Verde are all still in with a great chance of qualifying. Brilliant to see.

@Ameer13 and @Misa, what are you tipping here? It's very tough to call.

[Middle East Leagues Expert]

Mali -- : -- Ivory Coast :   myself from what I saw I like more Ivory Coast -0.25 , i know hard to bet against home teams in africa but from what I saw Ivory Coast will be closer to win 

 

Morocco -- : -- Gabon : Gabon +1 worth small bet here , Morroco still NOT dream team and  Gabon called good players for this game so tiny value on Gabon

 

Cameroon -- : -- Algeria : game mean nothing for both teams here so no reason to bet , maybe Cameroon closer but not -0.5 for me

 

Uganda -- : -- Ghana : Uganda DNB worth for me after I saw them in this Group ! very good team and can defend and attack and at home will be hard to stop them , beside that I feel Ghana maybe give them the points to hurt Egypt Chances

 

Nigeria - Zambia : Over 2 can be easy from how both teams play very open , sure Nigeria should win but no bet -1 , over the best bet here

 

 

Cape Verde -- : -- Senegal : Senegal -0.25 for me , Senegal best team in this Group and away from home they play better 

 

Guinea -- : -- Tunisia : Tunisia -0.5 very very easy !!! Tunisia beside they stronger , and Guinea play for nothing , but Tunisia one of most powerfull teams in African football who can easy buy games from those African teams , should be easy win here