New York [US], June 28 (ANI): Africa has rewritten FIFA World Cup historical past after an unprecedented 9 of its 10 groups from the continent secured locations within the Round of 32 within the 2026 event, smashing the earlier document of simply two African groups reaching the knockout stage in a single version.
Historically, solely six African international locations have certified for the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup, with a number of groups making a number of appearances. The document for probably the most African groups qualifying in the identical event occurred in 2014, when each Algeria and Nigeria superior to the knockout stage through the World Cup held in Brazil.
After 17 days of competitors, Morocco, South Africa, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Egypt, Algeria, Congo and Cabo Verde all booked their locations within the knockout rounds. Tunisia is the one nation from the continent which did not qualify for the knockouts from Africa.
The newest qualifiers got here on Sunday in dramatic trend as Algeria performed out a 3-3 draw with Austria. Locked at 2-2 deep into stoppage time, captain Riyad Mahrez appeared to have received the match with a late strike earlier than Austria equalised on the ultimate play. The end result was sufficient for each groups to progress from the group.
Democratic Republic of Congo earned a landmark 3-1 comeback victory over Uzbekistan to register the nation’s first-ever World Cup win and seal a maiden look within the knockout section. Their reward is a frightening Round of 32 conflict towards England, however the Central African nation is already celebrating a historic breakthrough.
Cabo Verde continued its exceptional fairy-tale marketing campaign with one other goalless draw towards Saudi Arabia and have become the primary nation since Chile on the 1998 World Cup to advance from the group stage with out profitable a match.
The Blue Sharks progressed after successive attracts, having earlier impressed by holding European champions Spain earlier than sharing factors with Uruguay and Saudi Arabia.
Veteran goalkeeper Vozinha additionally entered the World Cup document books. At 40, he turned solely the third goalkeeper in event historical past, after England’s Peter Shilton and Italy’s Dino Zoff, to register a number of clear sheets at a World Cup after turning 40.
Morocco, the primary African nation to succeed in a World Cup semifinal at Qatar 2022, has once more seemed among the many event’s strongest sides after holding Brazil to a 1-1 draw within the group stage.
While Africa celebrates an unprecedented 9 knockout qualifiers, Asia might be represented within the Round of 32 by simply two groups – Japan and Australia. The Socceroos had certified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 from the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) qualifiers. (ANI)