Zebras climb to highest ever ranking

MQONDISI DUBE
Staff Writer | Thursday July 15, 2010 00:00

 

This is the team's highest ranking so far. The Zebras have made a giant leap from position 116, surpassing the previous best of 95 in September 2007 under Serbian coach, Veselin Jelusic. The Zebras are the continent's best movers, climbing 23 places. This is in sharp contrast to their form exactly 12 months ago when they slid 16 places down the rankings and were declared the worst movers.

Under coach Stanley Tshosane, the Zebras have recorded a win over continental giants, Tunisia, before felling Chad in a space of seven days to make the giant leap in the rankings. The Zebras are the only side to have won in Group K leaving them at the top with six points, four ahead of Togo. For beating Tunisia away on July 1, the Zebras were awarded 924.38 points while the Chad game netted 363.38 points.

In Africa, Botswana are now ranked 21st, 10 places above their previous ranking in May.

The Zebras are now ranked above nations such as Guinea, Kenya, DRC and Zimbabwe. Botswana is only one place behind 2002 World Cup quarterfinalists, Senegal, who are ranked 20th.

In Africa, Egypt maintained top spot, while Ghana who were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the World Cup, climbed to second ahead of Ivory Coast and Nigeria.

Algeria, who had an abysmal World Cup campaign complete Africa's best five nations. Newly-crowned world champions, Spain are top of the world rankings replacing Brazil who are now third. Runners-up, Netherlands are second while Germany, who at one stage were favoured to win the World Cup are fourth. Argentina, knocked out in the quarterfinals, are fifth.