International Football
ZAMBIA DENIES PLANNING APPEAL OVER NIGERIA’S VICTORY
BY CHINWE EDOGA.
Following pressures from citizens over a disallowed first half goal that Zambia scored in Saturday’s World Cup qualifying match with Nigeria in Uyo, the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) president Andrew Kamanga has asserted that his association does not have intention of filing a complaint to FIFA.
Most Zambians were urging the association to file complaint against the Botswana referee, Joshua Bondo who ruled Zambia’s Augustine Mulenga offside when he shot into the net.
They were acting on the fact that FIFA had earlier annulled a result of South Africa-Senegal match on claims of match manipulation by Ghanaian referee.
But Sports Village Square gathered from a Zambian publication, Zambiafootball that the FAZ president, Kamanga said that FAZ found itself in a difficult position as FIFA deemed a referee’s decision final unless there is evidence of external influence on the whistle man.
The FAZ president said that although Zambia was denied a ‘clear goal’ by the referee there had been no indication of external influence for the decision.
“According to article 15 of the FIFA regulation, which clearly states 15 (6) that the referees decision is final.
“That is where football comes from. Where there is reason to believe that the referee has probably made a mistake, I think there are enough safeguards within the system that address those kinds of concerns. So that is where we are starting from,” he said.
“I think all games have got referee assessors, I think they will equally file in their reports, the match commissioner will file in the report. But the rules are very clear, you cannot overturn a referee’s decision, the only decision that is overturned and I think this should be very clear and this is the basis on which we find ourselves constrained.”
He added: “Those of us who were in the stadium saw it within a split second that it was not an offside but the referee made a decision and like I said the referee’s decision is final. But the only consolation is that FIFA will overturn the result of a game if they have reason to believe that there was external influence.”
Kamanga said that Zambia had been down the appeal road as was the case in 2016 against Guinea Bissau who were suspected of having used a foreign player.
“We have spoken to the match commissioner, we did speak to the referee assessor I equally made frantic efforts to speak to officials in FIFA…I had the opportunity to consult widely but the conclusion was that we were denied a clear goal, but the rules being what they are, you cannot overturn the decision of the referee. The only basis is when there is suspicion that there was evidence of external interference,” he said.
“The referee may be carpeted for making a wrong decision but the decision still stands, unfortunately that is the way football is and that is where we find ourselves.”
Kamanga said that introduction of Video Assistance Referees as experimented during the FIFA u-20 World Cup was meant to cure erroneous decisions by referees.
“This is why FIFA has tried now to come up with Video Assistance Referees where they are trying to make sure that the decision can be overturned whilst the game is going on.
“I think we did see that at the World Cup at U-20,” he remarked. He said that VAR offers immediate remedy for football injustices on the pitch.
International Football
Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad
Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.
Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.
Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.
He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.
With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.
Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.
While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.
-Reuters
International Football
Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach
After 107 matches spanning nine years, Aliou Cisse will not have his contract renewed as Senegal coach, officials confirmed on Wednesday. Of the 107 matches, Cisse’s team won 70, drew 24 and lost 13.
But the impressive scorecard is not enough to impress his employers.
Thus, the end beckons for Cisse’s successful nine-year spell in charge of the side that included a first Africa Cup of Nations title and two World Cup qualifications.
He had been under increasing pressure after Senegal’s surprise last 16 exit at the 2023 Cup of Nations when they lost on penalties to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.
Senegal are unbeaten in six matches since then, but home draws with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso, and criticism from certain quarters over their style of play, made up the mind of the country’s sports ministry, who fund the salary of the national team coach, that a change was needed.
“The FSF would like to thank Aliou Cisse for his good collaboration and his brilliant results at the head of the various national selections that he has managed since his arrival in 2011 and wish him every success for the future,” the Senegalese Football Federation (FSF) said in a statement.
FSF added Cisse’s exit stemmed from a failure to fulfil the targets in his last contract, which expired at the end of August, which included victory at the 2023 Cup of Nations and reaching the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup.
They also said the “regression of our national team in the FIFA rankings and the risk of disaffection between our national team and the Senegalese (public)” had played a role.
The FSF will appoint an interim technical team to lead the side in Cup of Nations qualifiers against Malawi at home on Oct. 11 and away four days later.
Cisse, 48, was captain of Senegal when they reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup with what is heralded as a golden generation of players.
He briefly had a spell as caretaker coach of the national team in 2012, but took over full time three years later.
He led Senegal to 2018 and 2022 World Cup qualification, making the last 16 in the latter before losing to England. They were beaten in the final of the 2019 Cup of Nations by Algeria.
The side made up for that disappointment when they beat Egypt in the final two years later to be crowned African champions for the first time.
International Football
Why FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o
Always in the news for bad reasons, Samuel Eto’o has again made global headlines. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee has banned the former striker and the current president of the Cameroon Football Federation.
He is banned from attending Cameroon’s matches for the next six months for violating conduct rules during the recent U-20 Women’s World Cup, where his national team faced Brazil in the round of 16.
According to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee, Eto’o was found to have breached articles 13 (“Offensive behaviour and violations of fair play principles”) and 14 (“Misconduct of players and officials”) of FIFA’s Disciplinary Code.
The sanction stems specifically from the match between Brazil and Cameroon, held on September 11 in Bogotá, Colombia. As a result, Eto’o will be prohibited from attending any matches involving Cameroon’s national teams, both male and female, across all age groups.
“Mr Eto’o has been notified today, the date on which the sanction comes into force,” stated the FIFA press release.
This is not the first time Eto’o has faced controversy. He previously drew attention for his behavior towards players and national team coach Marc Brys, whom he allegedly threatened in front of cameras if his directives were not followed.
During the Qatar World Cup, the former Real Madrid, Mallorca, and Barcelona player made headlines again after assaulting a fan who filmed him outside a stadium after a match.
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