Former Gor Mahia coach Steven Polack has backed Nigeria to secure qualification to the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar at the expense of Ghana.
This high stakes first leg qualifying clash pitting these West African giants at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi is one of the five contests lined up across the continent Friday evening to determine five of Africa’s representatives at the global sporting showpiece come November.
The other pairings include Mohammed Salah’s Egypt playing host to Sadio Mane’s Senegal in Cairo in a repeat of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations finale, plus Cameroon, handled by former Harambee Stars trainer Sebastian Migne, squaring it out with a Riyard Mahrez-inspired Algeria in Douala.
Also, favourites Morocco will have to be wary of a potential banana skin in the frame of DR Congo, as Mali, who thrashed Kenya 6-0 on aggregate at home and away to make it to this phase of the competition, standing in the way of Tunisia.
Polack, 61, managed Gor Mahia to their last league title in 2020.
Prior to that, he led Ghana’s Berekum Chelsea to the Glo Cup title and repeated the trick with Asante Kotoko, a team he helped win the MTN FA Cup in 2018.
“Ghana will be up for it and their clash versus Nigeria is a close call. These games are usually very tight,” explained the Finnish coach.
“The Black Stars (Ghana) have shuffled coaches in the past few months and didn’t look good at the Nations Cup in Cameroon. My heart thinks they will win but my head says Nigeria.”
Nigeria will miss Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi through injury, while Ghana, led by Arsenal star Thomas Partey, are without forwards Andre and Jordan Ayew for the same reasons.
Polack has also backed Senegal to defeat Egypt for the second time in three months following the Nations Cup showdown, and secure a ticket to the World Cup while also tipping Cameroon to edge past an out-of-form Algeria.
“Senegal surprised me at the Nations Cup. They’re transformed into an organised team, that is also effective and ruthless.
“Then I read they’ve had the same coach for seven years. Kenya needs to pick notes from such a structure. Egypt struggles whenever Salah struggles. That’s their main undoing.”
Despite cruising to the top spot in the group stage matches against Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, Mali, gunning for a first appearance ever at the World Cup, are still underdogs against seasoned Tunisia while DR Congo, managed by Argentine Hector Cuper, are eyeing their first World Cup appearance since 1974.
The second leg ties will be played on Tuesday, with the aggregate winners booking a ticket to play at the World Cup.
The tournament, which is eagerly anticipated, will be staged across eight stadiums in Doha, Al Rayyan, Al Wakrah, Al Khor, and Lusail, cities across the Asian country, between November 21 and December 18.
Fixtures (all times EAT)
DR Congo v Morocco (6pm)
Cameroon v Algeria (8pm)
Egypt v Senegal (10:30pm)
Mali v Tunisia (8pm)
Ghana v Nigeria (10pm)
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