Remembering the African nations to succeed in the World Cup knockout phases this century
England will tackle Senegal within the World Cup’s final 16 this weekend, with the African nation having adopted up their AFCON success earlier this yr with progress to the knockout phases in Qatar.
Aliou Cissé’s aspect secured wins over Qatar and Ecuador to complete as runners-up in Group A, within the course of turning into simply the sixth African aspect to succeed in the World Cup’s final 16 because the flip of the millennium.
We keep in mind the earlier 5 African nations to have achieved the feat this century.
Senegal – 2002
Senegal grew to become the primary African crew to succeed in the knockout rounds following the flip of the millennium, because the nation loved a World Cup debut to recollect in Japan and South Korea.
The opening fixture of the event noticed Senegal upset holders France in Seoul, with Papa Bouba Diop bundling in a well-known winner towards the world champions.
In 2002, Senegal grew to become solely the second ever African crew to succeed in a World Cup quarter-final
Which of those objectives from their unimaginable run is the very best?
#KoreaJapan02 | @FootballSenegal
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 18, 2022
El Hadji Diouf was the star identify within the aspect and was named within the World Cup’s All-Star crew after serving to Senegal to the quarter-finals. After an unbeaten group stage marketing campaign that noticed France overwhelmed and each Denmark and Uruguay held to attracts, the Senegalese edged previous Sweden within the last-16 earlier than an extra-time defeat to fellow shock package deal Turkey within the quarter-finals.
It was simply the second time an African nation had reached the final eight, after Cameroon had first achieved the feat in 1990.
Ghana – 2006
Ghana reached the knockout rounds on their World Cup debut in 2006, bouncing again from a gap defeat to eventual champions Italy with back-to-back wins over the Czech Republic and United States.
Asamoah Gyan opened the scoring towards the Czech Republic – semi-finalists at Euro 2004 – after simply 70 seconds, earlier than Sully Muntari secured a primary World Cup win for the Black Stars. A controversial penalty then helped Ghana to a 2-1 win over the USA, a consequence which booked a last-16 assembly with Brazil.
'Child Jet' is
Ghana's document goalscorer and bagged 6⃣ objectives at three #WorldCup tournaments – a document for an African participant @ghanafaofficial | @CAF_Online pic.twitter.com/1WGPRbghTw
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) November 22, 2019
Ghana's document goalscorer and bagged 6⃣ objectives at three It proved a step too far towards the holders, as Ghana – who had Gyan despatched off – fell to a 3-0 defeat in a fixture that noticed Ronaldo change into the best scorer in World Cup historical past along with his fifteenth objective on the finals. Adriano and Ze Roberto had been additionally on the scoresheet as Brazil ended Ghana’s marketing campaign and eased into the final eight.
Ghana – 2010
Ghana made it back-to-back appearances within the knockout rounds throughout a memorable event in South Africa in 2010.
Expectations had been excessive forward of the primary World Cup ever staged in Africa and Ghana grew to become the flag-bearers for African soccer with a run to the quarter-finals.
Asamoah Gyan led the cost with three objectives, with efforts from the penalty spot towards Serbia and Australia guaranteeing Ghana progressed as runners-up to Germany in Group D.
@ghanafaofficial, 2010 #WorldCup quarter-final
The very definition of late, late drama!
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) Could 12, 2018
Gyan then scored the winner as Ghana beat the US 2-1 in extra-time within the final 16, after the USA had topped a gaggle containing England. Their bid to change into the primary ever African crew to succeed in the semi-finals ended towards Uruguay nonetheless, following an extraorindary conclusion in Johannesburg.
Ghana had been set to change into the primary African aspect to succeed in the final 4 when Luis Suarez was despatched off after dealing with a goal-bound effort on the road within the closing seconds of extra-time. Nonetheless, Gyan blazed the spot-kick onto the crossbar with the final kick of the sport and the Black Stars had been overwhelmed on penalties within the ensuing shootout.
It was heartbreak for Ghana, with the photographs of Suarez celebrating wildly from the tunnel space making him public enemy primary.
Alergia – 2014
Algeria booked their place within the final 16 for the primary time in 2014, recovering from a gap defeat to Belgium to succeed in the knockout rounds.
Vahid Halilhodžić’s aspect beat South Korea 4-2 in an entertaining group stage conflict, earlier than coming from behind to earn a draw with Fabio Capello’s Russia and a spot within the final 16.
Algeria took on Germany within the final 16 and pushed the eventual champions arduous in an extra-time defeat, with the African aspect losing quite a few good goalscoring alternatives in an entertaining encounter.
Algeria made historical past on the 2014 @FIFAWorldCup by qualifying for the knockout phases
After @slimaniislam opened the scoring @LesVerts ran riot towards South Korea successful the sport 4-2
Within the Spherical of 16 they proved to be an actual check for Germany taking them to additional time
— FIFA Museum (@FIFAMuseum) November 7, 2022
Further-time objectives from Andre Schurrle and Mesut Ozil ultimately noticed Germany by means of, however Abdelmoumene Djabou’s late volley arrange a nervous end. It was a powerful efficiency from Algeria, towards a Germany crew who went on to beat France, Brazil and Argentina on path to being topped world champions.
Nigeria – 2014
The 2014 event stays the one time that two African nations have reached the World Cup’s knockout rounds.
Nigeria joined Algeria within the final 16, securing progress from the group as runners-up to Argentina. A goalless draw with Iran and a 1-0 win over Bosnia put the Tremendous Eagles in pole place to qualify and outcomes elsewhere noticed Nigeria by means of regardless of a 3-2 defeat to Argentina of their closing fixture.
Preparations for the knockout rounds had been thrown into chaos nonetheless, because the Nigerian squad boycotted coaching within the build-up resulting from a row over bonuses.
Stephen Keshi’s aspect met France within the final 16, however fell to a 2-0 defeat as two objectives within the closing 11 minutes noticed Les Bleus by means of. Paul Pogba broke the impasse as he headed in France’s first, earlier than Joseph Yobo diverted Mathieu Valbuena’s cross into his personal objective to place the consequence past doubt.
It was the primary time Nigeria had reached the final 16 since back-to-back appearances within the knockout rounds in 1994 and 1998.
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The publish Remembering the African nations to succeed in the World Cup knockout phases this century first appeared on The Soccer Trustworthy. Supply – thefootballfaithful.com