International Football

Big Names Stumble in CHAN Qualifiers’ First Leg

Published

7 years ago

August 14, 2017

Nigeria’s home based Super Eagles are not the only side to fail to secure a win in matches against relatively weaker teams at the weekend’s fist leg matches of the African Nations Championship.
The Super Eagles had held grimly and appeared would be able to scrape a point from the duel until barely three minutes to end the match when a penalty kick was conceded and Benin’s skipper, Mama Seibou converted it to give Nigeria’s western neighbours their first victory in 58 years since both first clashed.
The Nigerian side will be looking forward to avoid a repeat of what Northern neighbours, Niger Republic did seven years ago by denying the Super Eagles a place in CHAN after having lost the first leg in Niamey. Benin will be looking forward to the decider in Kano this weekend to realise their dream of qualifying for CHAN for the first time as Nigeria will need a two goal margin win in Kano as escape route.
Just as it happened to Nigeria, so also it was for another African giant, Cote d’Ivoire. It was about the same time Benin scored from the penalty spot against Nigeria that Halidou Idrissa scored for Niger Republic to earn the side a 2-1 win over visiting Cote d’Ivoire.
Seyni Imrana had shot the home side ahead in the 41st minute before Fabius Dosso leveled for the visiting Cote d’Ivoire two minutes before break.
In North Africa, Morocco came from behind to hold debutants Egypt to a 1-1 draw in Alexandria. The Pharaohs depleted by the absence of key players from notables clubs such as Al Ahly, Zamalek and El Masry survived several onslaughts from the Moroccans who missed a second half penalty after Abdelilah Hafidi was denied Mohamed Awad.
Makassa midfielder Ahmed Sayed powered the Pharaohs into the lead from the spot after only three minutes, with Badr Benoun drawing parity seven minutes after the break with a header.
In the South Zone, Comoros accounted for Namibia 2-1 in Moroni. ‘Les Coelecantes’ led by two goals at the interval courtesy strikes from Faouz Ali Attoumane and Ali Simba, but Hendrik Somaeb pulled one back for Namibia on 71 minutes.
In Antananarivo, surprise packets Madagascar were held to a barren draw by visiting Angola. Comoros took a 2-1 lead over Namibia in a clash of countries seeking a first appearance at the Nations Championship, which is scheduled for Kenya next January and February.
A Chadouli Mradabi tap-in and a Mohamed Youssef header gave the east coast islanders a two-goal half-time advantage in Moroni that was halved when Hendrik Somaeb converted a penalty.
Ethiopia came from behind to draw 1-1 with Sudan in Hawassa and Madagascar extended an unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches after a 0-0 stalemate with visiting Angola.

Results
Central Zone
• Friday: Brazzaville Congo 0-0 DR Congo
• Saturday: Malabo Equatorial Guinea vs Gabon
• Saturday: Sao Tome Sao Tome 0-2 Cameroon

Central-East Zone
• Saturday: Kampala Uganda 3-0 Rwanda
• Sunday: Hawassa Ethiopia 1-1 Sudan

North Zone
• Saturday: Constantine Algeria 1-2 Libya
• Sunday: Alexandria Egypt 1-1 Morocco

South Zone
• Saturday: East London South Africa 2-2 Zambia
• Sunday: Antananarivo Madagascar 0-0 Angola
• Sunday: Moroni Comoros 2-1 Namibia

West A Zone
• Saturday: Nouakchott Mauritania 2-2 Mali
• Tuesday: Pikine Senegal vs Guinea

West B Zone
Saturday: Ouagadougou Burkina Faso 2-2 Ghana
• Sunday: Cotonou Benin 1-0 Nigeria
• Sunday: Niamey Niger 2-1 Cote d’Ivoire

International Football

Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official

Published

3 weeks ago

July 8, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Abdellatif Akhrif, IRT player reported missing off the coast of M'diq this Saturday, July 6, 2024. © COPYRIGHT: IRT

Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.

They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.

“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.

The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.

While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.

Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.

-Reuters

International Football

FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money

Published

4 weeks ago

June 27, 2024

Kunle Solaja

FIFA's Chief of Global Football Development and former soccer manager Arsene Wenger speaks during the 74th FIFA Congress at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, in Bangkok, Thailand, May 17, 2024. REUTERS/Athit Perawongmetha/File Photo

FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.

FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.

Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.

“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.

“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”

FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.

Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.

-Reuters

International Football

Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint

Published

1 month ago

June 21, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.

Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.

“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.

Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.

After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.

Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.

-Reuters