Germany’s 1990 World Cup winning center forward Rudi Voller is to pit his wits against his French counterpart, Didier Deschamps, in a high profile international build up match on Tuesday. Voller has been put in interim charge of Diemanschaft following Sunday’s dismissal of Hans Deiter Flick from his position as Germany boss. The former Bayern Munich coach was fired in the aftermath of the four time world champions’ 1-4 humiliation at the hands of Japan. Flick had won just four out of his last seventeen matches as Germany boss.
An equally mouth watering epic takes place in Glasgow where Steven Clarke’s red-hot Scotland confront ‘Auld Enemies’ England. The Scots are on the cusp of qualifying for next year’s Euro 2024 tournament after winning five consecutive qualifiers. The match up at Hampden Park will have the feel of a Premier League confrontation as the Tartan Army has warmed up to a side that’s won eleven consecutive competitive rubbers. Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions are to use the game as a tonic after they failed to get out of second gear while drawing with Ukraine 1-1 in Saturday’s Euro qualifier.
In the South America zone qualifiers, world champions Argentina can move to the summit of the standings if they overcome Bolivia in La Paz on Tuesday morning. The World Cup winners needed a 78th minute free kick from Qatar 2022 Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi to see off Ecuador 1-0 in their opening qualifier. Brazil lead the standings thanks to a 5-1 evisceration of Bolivia in a game in which Neymar da Silva Santos Jr’s brace saw him become the nation’s all time leading scorer with 79 goals, two more than the legendary Edson Arantes do Nascimento, better known as Pele. Brazil are away to Peru on Wednesday morning.
Elsewhere, Cameroon can become the latest nation to book a berth in next January’s Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast if they can overcome Burundi on home soil. The five time African champions are the continent’s second most successful team after Egypt but they have stuttered throughout the qualifiers. Anything other than victory will open the door for Namibia to steal the march on Rigobert Song’s Indomitable Lions who are also Africa’s second most successful team at the World Cup.
Mauritania, Mozambique, Gambia, Ghana and Democratic Republic of Congo are the latest teams to book berths at the biennial event slated for January 13 to February 11 in Ivory Coast. Gambia’s 2-2 draw with Congo Brazzaville on Sunday evening ensured they joined Mali are qualifiers from group G. Mauritania had ensured qualification from group I a day earlier by outlasting Gabon 2-1. They were joined by 1968 and 1974 African champions Democratic Republic of Congo who overcame Sudan (Khartoum) 2-0 in Kinshasa. Mozambique’s Mambas made it as group L runners up to Senegal by toppling Benin 3-2 in Maputo.