• Home Page
• Asia
• Europe
• U.S.
• World
• World Business
• Technology
• Science & Space
• Entertainment
• World Sport
• Football Update
• Formula 1
• Golf
• Sailing
• Travel
• Weather
• Special Reports
• Video
• I-Reports

CNN Pipeline

 

What's On

 

Art of Life

 

Business Traveller

 

Future Summit

 

Inside the Mideast

 

Principal Voices

 

Quest

 

Revealed

 

Talk Asia

 

Services --------- E-mail Mobile Desktop Alerts RSS AvantGo Make Home Page Ad Info About Us How To Get CNN Partner Hotels

 

Languages --------- Korean Arabic Japanese Spanish Turkish

Chukwu replaced as Nigerian coach

Chukwu has lost his job as Nigerian coach over World Cup results

LAGOS, Nigeria -- Christian Chukwu was effectively sacked as coach by the Nigerian FA on Tuesday because of disappointing results in the 2006 World Cup qualifiers.

Nigeria's 1-1 draw with Angola on Saturday left their rivals in charge of Group Four and pole position to qualify for the finals in Germany.

While the official statement said he had been suspended after an emergency meeting with the NFA he has already been replaced by his assistant Christian Eguavon.

Both Angola and Nigeria have 15 points from seven matches but the Angolans are on top on the head-to-head rule after they won the first encounter between the two teams 1-0 last year.

The next round of qualifying matches will be played in September with Angola at home to Gabon.

Nigeria play away to Algeria, who also ended their coach Ali Fergani's tenure on Monday as they struggle to qualify for the African Nnations Cup finals next year.

Last September Fergani replaced Belgian Robert Waseige, who could not get Algeria into the 2006 World Cup finals, with the aim of ensuring participation in the Nations Cup.

Only the winners of the five African zone World Cup qualifying groups go to Germany but the top three teams qualify for the Nations Cup finals in Egypt.

However, Algeria lost any realistic chance of even reaching the Nations Cup after a 2-2 home draw with Zimbabwe on Sunday.

"I met today with the Football Federation members. We reached an agreement to cancel the contract," Fergani told state radio.

Sunday's draw left Algeria fifth in Group Four, with seven points from eight games, five points behind third-placed Zimbabwe with just two matches left.

Angola and Nigeria are level on 15 points at the top after a 1-1 draw on Saturday.

Fergani, a 52-year-old former international, was also Algeria coach between 1989-1992 and 1995-1996.

Story Tools

Click Here to try 4 Free Trial Issues of Time!

Home Page Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.

Home Page Get up-to-the minute news from CNN CNN.com gives you the latest stories and video from the around the world, with in-depth coverage of U.S. news, politics, entertainment, health, crime, tech and more.