Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa have brought great pride to the African continent with their exceptional performance in the recent Online Qualifiers of the FIFAe Nations Series, which took place from April 14 to 16.
In the competition’s draw, the trio found themselves placed in Group A, alongside Bahrain, Palestine, and fellow African representatives Ghana. Morocco and Egypt effortlessly sailed through the group stage, with only one loss each, securing the top two spots. South Africa managed to edge out Palestine by a narrow two-point margin, securing the final qualification slot.
However, their African counterparts from Ghana and Kenya were unable to perform well in the group stage. Ghana suffered defeat in all their games except for a single draw against group leaders Morocco. On the other hand, Kenya, drawn in Group B, faced tough opponents such as Kuwait, Qatar, Lebanon, and Oman, but failed to secure a single victory in the 10 games played. They only managed to score 5 goals while conceding a staggering 50 goals.
After showcasing their impressive performance in the group stage, Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa advanced to the Winners Bracket of the Online Qualifiers. There, they were drawn to face tough opponents such as Oman, Lebanon, and Kuwait respectively.
In an intense showdown, the Moroccan team, consisting of Adam “Adam_Hatake01” Haberraih and Youssef “xcharifx” Charif, narrowly defeated the Oman team with a score of 3-2 in Game 1. They followed up with a decisive 2-1 win in Game 2, courtesy of Marwan “MarwanMC9” Chahhou and Aymane “AymaneSGE” Mokallik, securing a well-deserved victory for the North Africans.
Mohamed “MoWaelJr” Wael, a 20-year-old gamer, and Anas “AnasBadr” Badr, an 18-year-old gamer, continued the trend of North African dominance as they faced off against Lebanon. In Game 1, they showcased their skill and expertise, easing past the Lebanon team with a convincing 3-0 victory. Despite an improved performance from the Lebanon team in Game 2, MoWaelJr and AnasBadr proved to be too formidable, securing a 2-1 win in the second game and ultimately claiming victory.
In the Winners Bracket, the African continent faced a setback as the South African team, comprised of Thabo “Bingo_Rick5” Moloi and Zaid “ZaidApril” April, was eliminated by Kuwait. In Game 1, the South African team suffered a narrow 2-1 defeat against the Kuwaiti team led by Abdullah “AbdullahAlraish” Alraish and Ali “alikwtx” Alenezi. Despite the loss, there was still hope for a comeback in Game 2. However, the teams played out a lacklustre draw, resulting in a disappointing outcome for the South Africans.
Despite their earlier elimination in the Winners Bracket, the South African team was given a second chance in the Second Chance Bracket, where they squared off against Lebanon. In an attempt to turn their fortunes around, the team made a change, with Kaylan “Kaylan” Moodley and Julio “Beast” Bianchi stepping in for Bingo_Rick5 and ZaidApril. However, in Game 1 of the tie, the South Africans were unable to secure a win, settling for a 0-0 draw. Nevertheless, Kaylan and Beast showed resilience in Game 2, putting on a stellar performance and clinching a convincing 2-0 victory.
Thanks to their outstanding performances at the Online Qualifiers, Morocco, Egypt, and South Africa have earned their place in the FIFAe Nations Series Playoffs, which are scheduled to take place from May 20 to 21. These three African nations have showcased their talent and skill, and now they will have the opportunity to compete for a slot in the main event of the FIFAe Nations Series.