Nigeria climbed the FIFA Africa football rankings in August while South Africa stayed put despite defeating fellow top-10 team, Burkina Faso.
Nigeria climbed one place to fourth although a friendly against Ghana near London had to be postponed because of rioting in the English capital.
Algeria did not play on the mid-week dates officially reserved for friendlies this month, as they had just changed coaches with Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic inheriting a struggling side.
But when the monthly rankings were released yesterday (Wednesday) by Zurich-based world football governing body FIFA, Algeria had jumped three rungs on the ladder to sixth since July.
South Africa trounced Burkina Faso 3–0 yet remained seventh on rankings gaining increasing importance as they are used to determine seedings for major competitions like World Cup qualifiers.
Another hard-to-understand change on the rankings saw 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Botswana slip four places to 19 although they defeated Kenya.
Didier Drogba-skippered Ivory Coast stayed top of the table after surviving a second-half Israeli comeback to win 4–3 in neutral Geneva. Egypt, also inactive as they have not named a successor to Coach Hassan Shehata since he quit in June, after a disastrous Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, held on to second spot ahead of Ghana.
Burkina Faso dropped one place to fifth with Coach Paulo Duarte blaming South Africa for the late arrival of some squad members before a 3–0 drubbing in Johannesburg. South African officials reacted angrily to the claims of the Portuguese and provided proof that they were not responsible for Burkinabe travel or visa hitches.
The Duarte outburst demonstrated how seriously coaches are taking rankings that were once little more than a media curiosity. Seychelles made the most spectacular improvement during August, climbing seven places from the bottom of the 52-nation table, a position now occupied by tiny Horn of Africa state, Djibouti.
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Nigeria climbed one place to fourth although a friendly against Ghana near London had to be postponed because of rioting in the English capital.
Algeria did not play on the mid-week dates officially reserved for friendlies this month, as they had just changed coaches with Bosnian Vahid Halilhodzic inheriting a struggling side.
But when the monthly rankings were released yesterday (Wednesday) by Zurich-based world football governing body FIFA, Algeria had jumped three rungs on the ladder to sixth since July.
South Africa trounced Burkina Faso 3–0 yet remained seventh on rankings gaining increasing importance as they are used to determine seedings for major competitions like World Cup qualifiers.
Another hard-to-understand change on the rankings saw 2012 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Botswana slip four places to 19 although they defeated Kenya.
Didier Drogba-skippered Ivory Coast stayed top of the table after surviving a second-half Israeli comeback to win 4–3 in neutral Geneva. Egypt, also inactive as they have not named a successor to Coach Hassan Shehata since he quit in June, after a disastrous Cup of Nations qualifying campaign, held on to second spot ahead of Ghana.
Burkina Faso dropped one place to fifth with Coach Paulo Duarte blaming South Africa for the late arrival of some squad members before a 3–0 drubbing in Johannesburg. South African officials reacted angrily to the claims of the Portuguese and provided proof that they were not responsible for Burkinabe travel or visa hitches.
The Duarte outburst demonstrated how seriously coaches are taking rankings that were once little more than a media curiosity. Seychelles made the most spectacular improvement during August, climbing seven places from the bottom of the 52-nation table, a position now occupied by tiny Horn of Africa state, Djibouti.
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