The draw for the final round of African World Cup qualifying was held on Thursday, and several MLS players were handed a brutal road to Russia 2018.
The CAF drew 20 teams into five groups of four teams. Every group will be contested in a round-robin, home and away format, with the five group winners advancing to the 2018 World Cup.
Nigerian hopeful Fanendo Adi (Portland Timbers) and Cameroonian internationals Ambroise Oyongo (Montreal Impact), Tony Tchani (Columbus Crew SC) and Anatole Abang (New York Red Bulls) were drawn into the CAF “Group of Death” with Algeria and Zambia.
The league’s sizable Ghanaian contingent – which includes Crew SC’s Harrison Afful and fringe internationals David Accam (Chicago Fire) and Kwadwo Poku (New York City FC), among others – was dealt a somewhat easier path. They’ll face Colorado Rapids midfielder Micheal Azira and Uganda, Egypt and the Republic of the Congo in Group E.
Columbus midfielder Cedrick Mabwati and the Democratic Republic of the Congo were drawn into Group A with Tunisia, Guinea and Libya.
The final round of CAF qualifying will begin in October and will run until November 2017.
