South Africa manager Pitso Mosimane is wondering how Egypt are still ranked among FIFA's top 40 despite their dismal CAN 2012 qualifiers campaign. Egypt are assured of finishing bottom of their qualifying group, which includes Bafana Bafana, after failing to make it to the Gabon/Equatorial Guinea finals for the first time. Nonetheless, the African champions' FIFA ranking (36) witnessed no significant drop, while South Africa have slipped to 51st this month. The drop could see Mosimane's team, who lost 2-1 in Niger earlier in September, influenced ahead of the CAN 2012 draw next month in terms of the seeding system. How?! "Somebody must explain to me just how is this possible. Honestly!" Mosimane was quoted as saying by South African media. "How can a team not win a match in over a year and not drop down the rankings like the rest of us? "This is very difficult to understand and it is quite baffling. I can understand why Ivory Coast are the top-ranked African team on both the FIFA and the CAF tables.
"They have won all their five matches in their qualifying campaign for the 2012 African Nations Cup and they are yet to lose a game. That I can understand. "But how is Egypt then ranked as the No2 team on the continent when they have not won anything for over a year? How?" Quite good Meanwhile, Mosimane seems confident that Egypt can overcome Niger in Cairo next month after watching the Pharaohs lose marginally in Sierra Leone with a second-string team. "I have to say I was skeptical at first when I heard that they would be fielding the U-23s after realizing they would not qualify," he added. "But after seeing their game against Sierra Leone, I am now convinced that they will put up a fight and compete, especially at home. "They are quite good and they were actually unlucky to lose 2-1 to Sierra Leone. Now I know that we simply have to keep our end of the bargain and not worry too much about what happens in Cairo." Niger will qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time ever if they managed to beat seven-time champions Egypt in the final group game on October 8. South Africa, currently one point behind Niger, will host Sierra Leone on the same day.
