1978 FIFA World Cup qualification (CAF)
Tournament details
DatesApril 1st 1976 - December 11th 1977
Teams22[1] (from 1 confederation)
Tournament statistics
Matches played41
Goals scored119 (2.9 per match)
Attendance1,197,425 (29,205 per match)
Top scorer(s)Egypt Mahmoud El Khatib (6 Goals)
← 1974
1982 →
Qualification for championships (CAF)
FIFA World Cup
Africa Cup of Nations

Listed below are the dates and results for the 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification rounds for the African zone (CAF). For an overview of the qualification rounds, see the article 1978 FIFA World Cup qualification.

A total of 26 CAF teams entered the competition. The African Zone was allocated 1 place (out of 16) in the final tournament.

Format

There would be five rounds of play:

Preliminary round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Sierra Leone  6–3  Niger 5–1 1–2
Upper Volta  3–1  Mauritania 1–1 2–0
Sierra Leone 5 – 1 Niger
Dumbuya 37', 68'
Sounomu 57', 66'
Tray 70'		 Adamou 17'
National Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Attendance: 4,250
Referee: Aguiahr Komla Barto (Togo)
Niger 2 – 1 Sierra Leone
Seydou 36'
Kanfideni 52'		 Sango 37'
Stade du 29 Juillet, Niamey, Niger
Attendance: 5,641
Referee: Thompson Shakirudeen Badru (Nigeria)

Sierra Leone won 6–3 on agg. and advanced to the first round.

Upper Volta 1 – 1 Mauritania
Kaboré 44' Coulibaly 68' (pen.)
Stade Municipal, Ouagadougou, Upper Volta
Attendance: 3,323
Referee: Adamou Mamoudou (Niger)
Mauritania 0 – 2 Upper Volta
Zoma 32'
Ouattara 52'
Stade de la Capitale, Nouakchott, Mauritania
Attendance: 1,782
Referee: Mody Ba (Mali)

Upper Volta won 3–1 on agg. and advanced to the first round.

First round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg 3rd leg
Algeria  1–0  Libya 1–0 0–0
Morocco  2–2 (2–4 p)  Tunisia 1–1 1–1
Togo  2–1  Senegal 1–0 1–1
Ghana  3–5  Guinea 2–1 1–2 0–2
Sierra Leone  2–6  Nigeria 0–0 2–6
Congo-Brazzaville  4–2  Cameroon 2–2 2–0
Upper Volta  1–3  Ivory Coast 1–1 0–2
Egypt  5–1  Ethiopia 3–0 2–1
Zambia  5–0  Malawi 4–0 1–0
Zaire  w/o  Central African Republic — —
Kenya  w/o  Sudan — —
Uganda  w/o  Tanzania — —
Algeria 1 – 0 Libya
Betrouni 83'
5 July Stadium, Algiers, Algeria
Attendance: 15,267
Referee: Jean Dubach (Switzerland)
Libya 0 – 0 Algeria
11 June Stadium, Tripoli, Libya
Attendance: 30,000
Referee: Emilio Guruceta Muro (Spain)

Algeria won 1–0 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Morocco 1 – 1 Tunisia
Lakhal 35' Dhiab 56'
Stade Père Jégo, Casablanca, Morocco
Attendance: 13,056
Referee: Franz Wöhrer (Austria)
Tunisia 1 – 1 (a.e.t.) Morocco
Labidi 34' Tahir 55'
Penalties
4 – 2
Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia
Attendance: 44,500
Referee: Walter Hungerbühler (Switzerland)

The aggregate score was tied 2–2, but Tunisia won 4–2 on penalties in the second leg to advance to the second round. This was the first penalty shootout in a World Cup match.[2]

Togo 1 – 0 Senegal
Rachidou 87'
Stade Général Eyadema, Lomé, Togo
Attendance: 5,173
Referee: Dwomoh (Ghana)
Senegal 1 – 1 Togo
Ba 63' Afanou 58'
Stade Demba Diop, Dakar, Senegal
Attendance: 7,000
Referee: Abdelali (Morocco)

Togo won 2–1 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Ghana 2 – 1 Guinea
Kassum 57'
Afriyie 83'		 Y. Camara 52'
Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Koudou (Ivory Coast)
Guinea 2 – 1 (a.e.t.) Ghana
Papa Camara 51'
Keita 56'		 Ansah 59'
Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry, Guinea
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Aouissi (Algeria)

The aggregate score was tied 3–3, and a play-off on neutral ground was played to decide who would advance to the second round.

Ghana 0 – 2 Guinea
Papa Camara 3'
S. Sylla 31'
Stade Général Eyadema, Lomé, Togo
Attendance: 13,482
Referee: N'diaye (Senegal)

Guinea advanced to the second round, via the play-off.

Sierra Leone 0 – 0 Nigeria
Reckrie Stadium, Freetown, Sierra Leone
Attendance: 5,173
Referee: Turkson (Ghana)
Nigeria 6 – 2 Sierra Leone
Odegbami 25'
Atuegbu 31', 34'
Usiyan 40'
Emeteole 63'
Awesu 77'		 Dyfan 74'
Sama 88' (pen.)
Surulere Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria
Attendance: 25,996
Referee: Matovu (Tanzania)

Nigeria won 6–2 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Congo-Brazzaville 2 – 2 Cameroon
Mounoudzi 66' (pen.)
Wamba 76'		 Milla 11'
Onguene 35'
Stade de la Revolution, Brazzaville, Congo-Brazzaville
Attendance: 17,367
Referee: Gumboh (Zambia)
Cameroon 0 – 2
Awarded[3]
(1 – 2 82')		 Congo-Brazzaville
Milla 7' Ebomoa 19'
N'Domba 52'
Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaoundé, Cameroon
Attendance: 26,050
Referee: Housainou N'Jai (Gambia)

Congo-Brazzaville won 4–2 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Upper Volta 1 – 1 Ivory Coast
Kaboré 70' Bawa 36'
Stade Municipal, Ouagadougou, Upper Volta
Attendance: 5,418
Referee: N'diaye (Senegal)
Ivory Coast 2 – 0 Upper Volta
Kouame 17'
Kouman 34'
Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
Attendance: 5,960
Referee: Diagne (Guinea)

Côte d'Ivoire won 3–1 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Egypt 3 – 0 Ethiopia
El Khatib 4', 19', 77'
Nasser Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Gianfranco Menegali (Italy)
Ethiopia 1 – 2 Egypt
Kassahun 40' El Khatib 12', 73'
Addis Ababa Stadium, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Wurtz (France)

Egypt won 5–1 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Zambia 4 – 0 Malawi
Chanda 4'
Phiri 12', 75'
Chamangwana 88' (o.g.)
7 April Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia
Attendance: 16,000
Referee: Muamba Kabwe (Zaire)
Malawi 0 – 1 Zambia
Kapita 48'
Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi
Attendance: 8,230
Referee: Charles Randrianaly (Madagascar)

Zambia won 5–0 on agg. and advanced to the second round.

Zaire w/o Central African Republic
Withdrew

Central African Republic withdrew, so Zaire advanced to the second round automatically.

Kenya w/o Sudan
Withdrew

Sudan withdrew, so Kenya advanced to the second round automatically.

Uganda w/o Tanzania
Withdrew

Tanzania withdrew, so Uganda advanced to the second round automatically.

Second round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Tunisia  3–1  Algeria 2–0 1–1
Togo  1–4  Guinea 0–2 1–2
Ivory Coast  6–3  Congo-Brazzaville 3–2 3–1
Kenya  0–1  Egypt 0–0 0–1
Uganda  3–4  Zambia 1–0 2–4 (aet)
Nigeria  w/o  Zaire — —
Tunisia 2 – 0 Algeria
Akid 56'
Kaabi 73'
Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia
Attendance: 39,987
Referee: Antoine Queudeville (Luxembourg)
Algeria 1 – 1 Tunisia
Guendouz 34' Jebali 89'
5 July stadium, Algiers, Algeria
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Paul Bonett (Malta)

Tunisia won 3–1 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Togo 0 – 2 Guinea
Bangoura 15'
Souleymane 84'
Stade Général Eyadema, Lomé, Togo
Attendance: 7,976
Referee: Felix Balloux (Ivory Coast)
Guinea 2 – 1 Togo
Papa Camara 36'
Tollo 40' (pen.)		 Ametepé 55'
Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry, Guinea
Attendance: 11,892
Referee: Tanor Dieng (Senegal)

Guinea won 4–1 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Ivory Coast 3 – 2 Congo-Brazzaville
G'Bize 10'
Mamahou 20'
Kouman 81'		 Bahamboula 36'
N'Domba 89'
Municipal Stadium, Bouaké, Ivory Coast
Attendance: 3,600
Referee: Dwomoh (Ghana)
Congo-Brazzaville 1 – 3 Ivory Coast
Lingongo 23' Kouman 10'
Miézan 38'
G'Bize 82'
Stade de la Révolution, Brazzaville, Congo-Brazzaville
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: Festus Okubule (Nigeria)

Ivory Coast won 6–3 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Kenya 0 – 0 Egypt
Nairobi City Stadium, Nairobi, Kenya
Attendance: 8,337
Referee: Ahmed Jama (Somalia)
Egypt 1 – 0 Kenya
Khalil 13'
Nasser Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Attendance: 70,000
Referee: El-Ghoul (Libya)

Egypt won 1–0 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Uganda 1 – 0 Zambia
Ouma 73'
Nakivubo Stadium, Kampala, Uganda
Attendance: 11,940
Referee: Ismael Yusuf Kemal (Ethiopia)
Zambia 4 – 2 (a.e.t.) Uganda
Chola 28'
Chanda 34'
Chitalu 85', 106'		 Nasur 14'
Obua 74'
Dag Hammarskjöld Stadium, Ndola, Zambia
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Gratian Matovu (Tanzania)

Zambia won 4–3 on agg. and advanced to the third round.

Nigeria w/o Zaire
Withdrew

Zaire withdrew, so Nigeria advanced to the third round automatically.

Third round

Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Guinea  2–3  Tunisia 1–0 1–3
Nigeria  6–2  Ivory Coast 4–0 2–2
Egypt  2–0  Zambia 2–0 0–0
Guinea 1 – 0 Tunisia
I. Sylla 77'
Stade du 28 Septembre, Conakry, Guinea
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Mohamed Larache (Morocco)
Tunisia 3 – 1 Guinea
Liman 9'
Lahzami 59'
Khouini 62'		 A. Sylla 11'
Stade El Menzah, Tunis, Tunisia
Attendance: 35,248
Referee: Hussein Fahmy Bahig (Egypt)

Tunisia won 3–2 on agg. and advanced to the Final Round.

Nigeria 4 – 0 Ivory Coast
Usiyan 7', 30'
Iwelumo 18'
Ojebode 56' (pen.)
Surulere Stadium, Lagos, Nigeria
Attendance: 29,815
Referee: Nyirenda Chayu (Zambia)
Ivory Coast 2 – 2 Nigeria
Mamahou 37', 58' Odegbami 74'
Amiesimaka 89'
Municipal Stadium, Bouaké, Ivory Coast
Attendance: 2,040
Referee: Youssou N'Diaye (Senegal)

Nigeria won 6–2 on agg. and advanced to the Final Round.

Egypt 2 – 0 Zambia
Gaafar 29'
Hammam 49'
Nasser Stadium, Cairo, Egypt
Attendance: 35,746
Referee: Alberto Michelotti (Italy)
Zambia 0 – 0 Egypt
7 April Stadium, Lusaka, Zambia
Attendance: 30,165
Referee: Gordon (Scotland)

Egypt won 2–0 on agg. and advanced to the Final Round.

Final round

Rank Team Pts Pld W D L GF GA GD
1  Tunisia 7 4 2 1 1 7 4 +3
2  Egypt 6 4 2 0 2 7 11 −4
3  Nigeria 4 4 1 1 2 5 4 +1
Tunisia 0 – 0 Nigeria
Stade El Menzah, Tunis
Attendance: 38,229
Referee: John Carpenter (Republic of Ireland)
Nigeria 4 – 0 Egypt
Chukwu 24'
Odegbami 54', 67'
N'Wadioha 74'
Surulere Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 25,932
Referee: César da Luz Dias Correia (Portugal)
Egypt 3 – 1 Nigeria
Abdou 11', 27'
Mokhtar 50'		 Iwelumo 75'
Nasser Stadium, Cairo
Attendance: 90,000
Referee: Emmanuel Platopoulos (Greece)
Nigeria 0 – 1 Tunisia
Odiye 61' (o.g.)
Surulere Stadium, Lagos
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Ernst Dörflinger (Switzerland)
Egypt 3 – 2 Tunisia
Gaafar 26' (pen.)
Abdou 53'
El Khatib 83'		 Ben Aziza 80'
Akid 87'
Nasser Stadium, Cairo
Attendance: 85,000
Referee: Hilmi Ok (Turkey)
Tunisia 4 – 1 Egypt
Akid 15'
Lahzami 42'
Ben Aziza 65'
Labidi 75'		 Abdel Baki 80'
Stade El Menzah, Tunis
Attendance: 42,850
Referee: Gianfranco Menegali (Italy)

Tunisia qualified.

Qualified teams

Team Qualified as Qualified on Previous appearances in FIFA World Cup1
 Tunisia Final Round winners 11 December 1977 0 (debut)
1 Bold indicates champions for that year. Italic indicates hosts for that year.

Goalscorers

6 goals
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Central African Republic, Sudan, Tanzania, and Zaire withdrew without playing a single match.
  2. ^ Communications Division (27 July 2007). "History of the FIFA World Cup Preliminary Competition (by year)" (PDF). Good to Know. FIFA. p. 22. Archived from the original (PDF) on 15 June 2010. Retrieved 5 May 2009.
  3. ^ The second leg was abandoned in the 82nd minute due to riots, and subsequently FIFA awarded a 2–0 victory to Congo.

External links

1978 FIFA World Cup qualification
Categories