Teams who ostensibly had nothing to play for were some of the best performers on WED 21 JUN 2006. more...

Several goals scored on FRI 16 JUN 2006 will make it into the highlight reel at the end of the tournament. more...

Two Men's World Cup newcomers held their own against world powers on SAT 10 JUN 2006. more...

Cameroon's Samuel ETO'O won't be headed to the 2006 Men's World Cup [except as a spectator], but he has consolation of a sort with the 2005 African Player of the Year award. The prolific forward, who has already scored 18 goals this season for Barcelona, won the closest vote in the award's history. Eto'o totalled 108 points, with Didier DROGBA of Côte d’Ivoire second at 106 and Michael ESSIEN of Ghana third at 50. Other CAF awards included the Young Player of the Year [John Obi MICHEL, Nigeria], Female Player of the Year [Perpetua NKWOCHA, Nigeria], Coach of the Year [Stephen KESHI, Togo], and National Team of the Year [Côte d'Ivoire].

The final draw for the 2006 Men's World Cup paired up several well known opponents, starting in Group B, where for the second straight World Cup, England will face Sweden in the first round. In Group G, qualifying rivals France and Switzerland, who battled in UEFA Group 4, meet again. Brazil, Australia, and Japan, who regularly meet at Confederations Cup tournaments, are together again in Group F. But the consensus Group of Death is likely to be Group C, made up of Argentina, Côte d’Ivoire, Serbia-Montenegro, and the Netherlands. The tournament's opening match will be Germany-Costa Rica, FRI 09 JUN 2006 in München. more...

All five CAF second round groups were decided on SAT 08 OCT 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 02-SUN 04 SEP 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of SAT 18-SUN 19 JUN 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 03-SUN 05 JUN 2005. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of SAT 26-SUN 27 MAR 2005. more...

Samuel ETO'O, Cameroon forward, won the 2004 African Player of the Year award, making it his second straight year receiving Africa's top honour. So far this season, he has scored 17 goals for his club, Spain's Barcelona, leading them to the top of the Primera Liga. Eto'o led the voting of CAF member nations with Didier DROGBA of Côte d’Ivoire in second and Jay-Jay OKOCHA of Nigeria in third. Tunisia's Ali BOUMNIJEL was selected as the Goalkeeper of the Year, with his nation's African Cup of Nations title earning them Team of the Year status. Nigeria's Obafemi MARTINS was the Young Player of the Year.

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 08-SUN 10 OCT 2004. more...

A quick summary of action around the CAF second round on the weekend of FRI 03-SUN 05 SEP 2004. more...