FIFA believes the fact that Egypt are on the wane, and Zimbabwe steadily rising up the world rankings has put the Southern African in good stead of making a debut at the World Cup.
Zimbabwe can also draw inspiration from 1993 when they famously knocked the Egyptians out of the tournament ahead of the finals in the USA.
A quick glance at Group G, which also includes Guinea and Mozambique or Comoros, suggests Egypt have an easy task ahead, but the Pharaohs’ failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup finals since Italy 1990 leaves the door open for the other teams, particularly Zimbabwe.
“Currently 86 in the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, Zimbabwe would seem to be the outsiders, but they cannot be written off altogether. In the 1994 FIFA World Cup qualifiers, for example, they sprang a surprise by knocking the mighty Egyptians out,” said FIFA in its first analysis of the draw since it was conducted a fortnight ago.
When the two teams met in Group C of the second round of qualifiers for the 1994 FIFA World Cup in Cairo, the match ended with a 2-1 win for Egypt that would have seen them go through, but following crowd disturbances the decision was taken to replay the game at a neutral venue. That match was held in Lyon, and Zimbabwe held the Pharaohs to a scoreless draw that sent the Warriors to the top of the group and a disconsolate Egypt crashing out.
FIFA cited Warriors players Quincy, Vusa Nyoni and Knowledge Musona among the players to watch in Group G.
Zimbabwe also has a score to settle with Egypt. In the last meeting between the two, albeit at the African Nations Cup in 2004, Egypt came from behind to beat The Warriors 2-1 in Tunisia.
Post published in: Football