2010 W-Cup: Eagles, Bafana clash - England, Croatia fight again

26.11.2007

South African President Thabo Mbeki (L) and
FIFA President Sepp Blatter give a speech at
the start of the 2010 football World Cup qualifying
draws ceremony in Durban on Sunday.
(AFP Photo)

NIGERIA’s Super Eagles were handed an easy draw on Sunday in Durban, South Africa, where the preliminary draw for the 2010 World Cup was held.

Placed in Group Four of the African zone preliminaries, the Eagles will tackle South Africa, host of the next Mundial, as well as Equatoria Guinea and Sierra Leone.

South Africa would be involved in the race due to the fact that the World Cup tickets would be used to gain qualification for the 2010 African Cup of Nations.

Boardmember of the Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Chief Taiwo Ogunjobi said the preliminary matches would not be treated with kid gloves. In the European zone, the involvement of England and Croatia in the same group attracted attention during the ceremony as England failed to qualify for Euro 2008 having lost 2-3 at home to the Croatia last Wednesday.

Both sides are in Group six alongside Ukraine, Belarus, Khazastan and Andorra. “Sure, it is a relatively easy group, but then we would not be careless with it, we have to qualify for the World Cup in 2010 and we see it as a birthright,” stated Ogunjobi.

The draw was a glittering affair with a host of local and international dignitaries, including South African president Thabo Mbeki. The winners of each of the 12 groups advances to the second round of qualifying, where they will be joined by the eight best runners-up.

These 20 teams will then be drawn in five groups of four teams, with the winners advancing to the 2010 World Cup finals and the top three teams in each group qualifying for the 2010 African Nations Cup finals in Angola.