Patrice Motsepe, February 2021Backpagepix

2022 World Cup: Motsepe confident African team will be champions in near future

Caf President Dr Patrice Motsepe has expressed his confidence an African team will lift the Fifa World Cup.

Representatives from the continent have struggled to go beyond the quarter-finals in the past.

Article continues below

Cameroon was the first to make it into the last eight in 1990, followed by Senegal in 2002, and Ghana in 2010.

In his congratulatory message to the nations that qualified for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, to be held from November 21 to December 18, the South African underlined Caf's commitment to helping them.

"The President of Caf Dr Patrice Motsepe congratulates Cameroon, Ghana, Morocco, Senegal, and Tunisia for qualifying for the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022," the administrator stated as communicated by Caf official website.

"President Motsepe is also confident that these national teams will represent their countries and the African continent with distinction at the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022.

"The President of Caf is also confident that in the not so distant future an African nation will win the Fifa World Cup.

"Caf is ready and committed to assisting and supporting, as best as it can, all the African Nations that have qualified for the Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022."

Ghana secured their chance to feature in the tournament after eliminating Nigeria. After a goalless first leg, the Black Stars forced a 1-1 draw in the second leg in Abuja to qualify on away goals.

North African heavyweights Tunisia qualified for the sixth time in their history after a 1-0 aggregate win over Mali. In Bamako, the Carthage Eagles won by a solitary goal before settling for a goalless draw at home.

They were joined by Morocco who comfortably beat the Democratic Republic of Congo. After a 1-1 draw in the first leg, the Atlas Lions won the second meeting 4-1 to qualify 5-2 on aggregate.

Senegal and Egypt played to an aggregate 1-1 score before the former won 3-1 on penalties to seal their third appearance in a World Cup.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon defied the odds by beating Algeria to get to Qatar. They lost 1-0 at home in the first meeting before needing extra time to claim a 2-1 win in the second leg and qualify on the away goals rule.

Advertisement