Libya hope for happy homecoming in World Cup

Libya enjoy home advantage Friday in a competitive game for the first time since 2010 when they continue the quest for a maiden World Cup appearance.

The civil war that ended the four-decade rule of Moamer Kadhafi prevented the national team playing in the country since winning an Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zambia.

But despite having to stage ‘home’ games in Mali, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco, the ‘Mediterranean Knights’ were ranked 13 in the May FIFA Africa rankings.

Now the oil-rich North African country have their sights set on topping Group I, winning a play-off and claiming one of five places reserved for Africa at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Democratic Republic of Congo are the opponents this weekend and having forced a 0-0 draw in Kinshasa last March, Libya can be justifiably confident of securing maximum points.

“Libyans believe we can go all the way in the World Cup qualifying competition and reach the finals for the first time,” national football federation president Anwar al-Tashani told reporters.

The ‘Knights’ trail fallen giants Cameroon by one point in a four-team mini-league despite having beaten the six-time World Cup qualifiers 2-1 in Tunisia last June.

And they face the ‘Indomitable Lions’ again this September in Yaounde, hopefully as group leaders after home fixtures against DR Congo, and Togo on June 14 in Benina outside Benghazi.

While the ‘Knights’ enjoy home advantage on successive weekends, Samuel Eto’o-less Cameroon are away to Togo in Lome Sunday and DR Congo on June 16 in Kinshasa.

Libyan football authorities are taking no chances ahead of the clash with the Congolese ‘Leopards’ at the 60,000-capacity national stadium in capital Tripoli.

Police and soldiers will man checkpoints outside the match venue in a city where post-uprising armed violence and lawlessness can flare.

“There have been thorough security preparations for the DR Congo game with scanners to check for weapons,” Al-Tashani assured the local media.

Libya played a warm-up game last weekend in Tripoli, outclassing Uganda 3-0 with goals from Mahamed al-Gnadoudi, Salem Ablou and Faisal al-Badri, and it passed off without incident.

A hamstring injury rules record four-time African Footballer of the Year Eto’o out of the visit to Togo, but new German coach Volker Finke hopes the star will be back for the Kinshasa match.

Other big names missing this weekend include strikers Didier Drogba of Ivory Coast, Demba Ba of Senegal and Mohamed ‘Geddo’ Nagy of Egypt and midfielder Andre Ayew of Ghana.

Drogba is out of favour, although coach Sabri Lamouchi told the national football federation website this week that he planned to recall the Ivorian talisman this year.

Ivory Coast, one point ahead of Tanzania at the top of Group C with an anticipated strong Moroccan challenge failing to materialise, meet modest Gambia Saturday in Bakau.

Chelsea attacker Ba was axed by Senegal coach Alain Giresse for a tricky Group J test against Angola in Luanda Saturday with the Teranga Lions one point clear at the top.

“Senegal have plenty of target men and I am giving others a chance,” explained 1980s France midfield star Giresse after replacing Ba with Marseille striker Modou Sogou.

A nagging foot injury prevents leading 2010 Cup of Nations scorer ‘Geddo’ from newly promoted English Premier League outfit Hull City facing Zimbabwe Sunday in Harare.

An experimental Pharaohs side were held 1-1 by Botswana in Cairo this week, but the possible recall of veteran playmaker Mohamed Abou Trika would spell danger for the Warriors.

Differences between Ayew and coach Kwesi Appiah remain unresolved, leaving the Marseille star and younger brother Jordan sidelined Friday when Ghana tackle Sudan in sauna-like Omdurman.

No coach has been more frustrated than South African Gordon Igesund with injuries ruling out defenders Siboniso Gaxa, Tshepo Masilela and Siyanda Xulu and midfielder Kagisho Dikgacoi.

The combative qualities of Dikgacoi could be sorely missed as Bafana Bafana (The Boys) face the Central African Republic in neutral Yaounde because Bangui was deemed unsafe.

Flight problems in Cameroon mean South Africa, who trail Group A table-toppers Ethiopia by two ponits, will have only one training session before the Saturday fixture.