Group 1
NIGERIA clinched Group 1 with a four-point lead over Guinea and one game remaining.
Past appearances: 1994 (second round).
’98 Qualifying: Africa first round ù bye. Africa Group 1 ù Burkina Faso 2-0, 2-1, Kenya 1-1, 3-0, Guinea 2-1.
Goalkeepers: Ike Shorunmu, Abiodun Baruwa.
Defenders: Celestine Babayaro, Uche Okechukwu, Godwin Okpara, Taribo West, Uche Okafor, Augustine Eguavon.
Midfielders: Finidi George, Garba Lawal, Mutiu Adepoju, Augustine Okocha, Sunday Oliseh, Wilson Oruma.
Strikers: Daniel Amokachi, Emmanuel Amunike, Jonathan Akpoborie, Victor Ikpeba.
Coach: Philippe Troussier (France).
Group 2
TUNISIA clinched Group 2 with six-point lead over Egypt and one game remaining.
Past appearances: 1978 (first round).
’98 Qualifying: Africa first round ù Rwanda 3-1, 2-0. Africa Group 2 ù Liberia 1-0, 2-0, Egypt 1-0, 0-0, Namibia 2-1.
Goalkeepers: Chokri El Ouaer, Boubaker Zitouni.
Defenders: Sami Trabelsi, Taoufik Hichri, Ferid Chouchane, Hakim Nouira, Khaled Badra, Mounir Boukadida.
Midfielders: Kaies Ghodbame, Sirajeddine Chichi, Zoubeir Beya, Riadh Bouazizi, Skander Souayah, Ben Saod Soufiane Fekih.
Strikers: Adel Sellimi, Jameleddine Limane, Mehdi Ben Slimane, Riadh Jelassi.
Coach: Henri Kasperczak (Poland).
Group 3
SOUTH AFRICA and
CONGO are tied with 10 points. South Africa has the edge on goal difference (6-3 to 5-4). South Africa hosts Congo Aug. 17. South Africa wins group if: It beats Congo or ties. Congo wins group if: It beats South Africa.
Group 4
CAMEROON has a two-point lead over
ANGOLA (11 points to 9) with one game left. Cameroon has the edge in goal difference (8-3 to 6-3). Cameroon meets Zimbabwe and Angola faces Togo, both away, in their final matches Aug. 17. Cameroon wins the group if: It beats Zimbabwe; It ties Zimbabwe and Angola ties or loses to Togo (or Angola wins by one goal); It loses to Zimbabwe and Angola ties or loses to Togo. Angola wins the group if: It beats Togo and Cameroon loses to Zimbabwe. It beats Togo by three or more goals and Cameroon ties Zimbabwe. (If Angola wins by two goals and Cameroon ties, the two teams will be tied on points and goal difference. The tiebreakers are, in order: 1. most goals scored, 2. head-to-head goal difference, 3. playoff. Cameroon and Angola are tied on head-to-head goal difference at 1-1).
Group 5
MOROCCO clinched Group 5 with seven-point lead over Ghana and one game remaining.
Past appearances: 1970 (first round), 1986 (second round), 1994 (first round).
’98 Qualifying: Africa first round ù bye. Africa Group 5 ù Sierra Leone 4-0, 1-0, Ghana 2-2, 1-0, Gabon 4-0.
Goalkeepers: Abdelkader El Brazi, Abdellatif Araki.
Defenders: Abdelilah Saber, Youssef Rossi, Nourredine Naybet, Lahcen Abrami, Smahi Triki, Abdelkrim El Hadrioui.
Midfielders: Rachid Azzouzi, Youssef Chippo, Mustapha Khalif, Moustafa Hadji, Jamal Sellami.
Strikers: Salaheddine Basr, Ahmed Bahja, Youssef Fertout, Khalid Raghib.
Coach: Henri Michel (France).
