Senegal must beat Nigeria and then hope

PORT SAID – Senegal need to beat Nigeria and hope that Zimbabwe can pull off a surprise and take at least a point off Ghana to qualify for the African Nations Cup quarter-finals.

Nigeria, meanwhile, still need a point to make sure of their place as the so-called Group of Death draws to a dramatic close today. Nigeria go into the game with six points after beating both Ghana and Zimbabwe in Group D without conceding a goal.Senegal are level on three points with Ghana, while Zimbabwe are bottom without a point Both teams are determined to put on a good performance at the Nations Cup after missing out on the World Cup in Germany.Senegal coach Abdoulaye Barr will be looking for more effort from his players after criticising their performance against Ghana.”We just weren’t aggressive enough and Ghana won a lot of balls,” he said.Nigeria captain Jay-Jay Okocha, who has yet to start a game at the tournament, trained for the first time since arriving in Egypt on Saturday but is still doubtful.His immediate replacement Wilson Oruma may also have to miss the match after suffering a knee injury in the win against Zimbabwe.Meanwhile, Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins will be looking to break his duck in the competition.The Inter Milan 21-year-old was billed as one of the tournament’s top attractions alongside Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o.But while Eto’o has already struck five goals, Martins – who had scored nine goals in 10 internationals before the tournament – has yet to hit the target.* Meanwhile, Mark Gleeson reports that Ghana captain Stephen Appiah faces a battle to get fit for today’s vital match with Zimbabwe in Ismailia.A foot injury suffered in his side’s 1-0 victory over Senegal, a result that catapulted the World Cup finalists back into contention in Group D, has left the inspiration midfielder doubtful for the game and indeed the rest of the tournament.But coach Ratomir Dujkovic has confirmed that Samuel Osei Kuffour will be back after missing the match against Senegal in Port said on Friday with a thigh injury.Roma defender Osei Kuffour himself told reporters that he was fit for the game, which Ghana must win to ensure they get through to the quarter-finals.Ghana clawed themselves back into contention with their hard-fought win over the Senegalese after losing their opening game to long-standing rivals Nigeria when they conceded the winner in the last five minutes.Against Zimbabwe, Osei Kuffour said Ghana needed to show some patience and respect for gritty opponents who have been competitive despite losing both of their two games in the group.Coach Charles Mhlauri said Zimbabwe were determined to leave the Nations Cup with points and were treating the game against Ghana as a “personal cup final”.”We are now going to try and get one win and therefore we are taking the game against Ghana most seriously,” he told Reuters.All four teams in group D are still in contention for a place in the last eight, including Zimbabwe whose two matches have both been lost by 2-0 scorelines.Nigeria and Senegal play in the other match at the same time in Port Said.The match between Ghana and Zimbabwe in Ismailia will be the only one played in the town’s stadium during the tournament.-Nampa-ReutersNigeria go into the game with six points after beating both Ghana and Zimbabwe in Group D without conceding a goal.Senegal are level on three points with Ghana, while Zimbabwe are bottom without a point Both teams are determined to put on a good performance at the Nations Cup after missing out on the World Cup in Germany.Senegal coach Abdoulaye Barr will be looking for more effort from his players after criticising their performance against Ghana.”We just weren’t aggressive enough and Ghana won a lot of balls,” he said.Nigeria captain Jay-Jay Okocha, who has yet to start a game at the tournament, trained for the first time since arriving in Egypt on Saturday but is still doubtful.His immediate replacement Wilson Oruma may also have to miss the match after suffering a knee injury in the win against Zimbabwe.Meanwhile, Nigeria striker Obafemi Martins will be looking to break his duck in the competition.The Inter Milan 21-year-old was billed as one of the tournament’s top attractions alongside Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o.But while Eto’o has already struck five goals, Martins – who had scored nine goals in 10 internationals before the tournament – has yet to hit the target.* Meanwhile, Mark Gleeson reports that Ghana captain Stephen Appiah faces a battle to get fit for today’s vital match with Zimbabwe in Ismailia.A foot injury suffered in his side’s 1-0 victory over Senegal, a result that catapulted the World Cup finalists back into contention in Group D, has left the inspiration midfielder doubtful for the game and indeed the rest of the tournament.But coach Ratomir Dujkovic has confirmed that Samuel Osei Kuffour will be back after missing the match against Senegal in Port said on Friday with a thigh injury.Roma defender Osei Kuffour himself told reporters that he was fit for the game, which Ghana must win to ensure they get through to the quarter-finals.Ghana clawed themselves back into contention with their hard-fought win over the Senegalese after losing their opening game to long-standing rivals Nigeria when they conceded the winner in the last five minutes.Against Zimbabwe, Osei Kuffour said Ghana needed to show some patience and respect for gritty opponents who have been competitive despite losing both of their two games in the group.Coach Charles Mhlauri said Zimbabwe were determined to leave the Nations Cup with points and were treating the game against Ghana as a “personal cup final”.”We are now going to try and get one win and therefore we are taking the game against Ghana most seriously,” he told Reuters.All four teams in group D are still in contention for a place in the last eight, including Zimbabwe whose two matches have both been lost by 2-0 scorelines.Nigeria and Senegal play in the other match at the same time in Port Said.The match between Ghana and Zimbabwe in Ismailia will be the only one played in the town’s stadium during the tournament.-Nampa-Reuters