AFCON
SOUTH AFRICA PUT ALL HOPES ON PERCY TAU
The responsibility to repeat what was Bafana Bafana’s first ever victory over bogey side Nigeria in June last year now probably falls on the tiny shoulders of striker Percy Tau when the two sides clash yet again on Saturday.
According to Pretoria News, Tokelo Rantie, Sibusiso Vilakazi and Keagan Dolly – who all started up front for South Africa in that famous win in Uyo during the opening round of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers – are all unavailable and Themba Zwane, although in the team, has just recently recovered from injury.
Tau had come off the bench in Nigeria to score and add to Rantie’s opener in that 2-0 win, which meant it was a perfect start for Coach Stuart Baxter as national team coach.
More than a year later, the Super Eagles have returned looking for payback at FNB Stadium this weekend and eager to cement their spot at the top of Group E.
A win for either side will confirm their participation at next year’s Afcon in Cameroon.
“I believe everyone in the team has a huge responsibility,” Tau, now on loan in Belgium from English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion, said this week.
“I am personally one of the players that always tries their best to win all the games. I share that responsibility with the rest of my team-mates. Yes, we don’t have those other players here, but the guys who are here share a common responsibility, which is to win against Nigeria and go to the Afcon.”
Lebo Mothiba has emerged as a potential goal getter for Bafana after managing three goals in his first four national team appearances, and that maybe takes off some load from Tau.
Zwane has made a comeback to the team after missing the embarrassing goalless draw at home to Libya as well as the back-to-back qualifiers between Bafana and lowly Seychelles in which South Africa won the first leg 6-0 and then were held to a shocking goalless stalemate in the return match away three days later.
Nigeria’s youthful squad is more mature now and has the experience of being at the World Cup in Russia together about five months ago.
What will be a concern, however, is the fact that they are missing goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and top goal scorer Odion Ighalo. But Bafana have several more of their key players from last year’s fixture in Nigeria missing, like Dean Furman and Bongani Zungu, to add to the list already mentioned above.
Can Tau, who is likely to play just behind focal point Mothiba, carry the mantle?
Cote d’Ivoire head coach Emerse Fae has overhauled his backroom team following the Elephants’ Africa Cup of Nations, Cote d’Ivoire 2023, success earlier this year.
Fae, who took over from Frenchman Jean-Louis Gasset during the tournament in January, has brought in three new faces as he builds towards qualifying for the 2025 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations and 2026 World Cup.
Former Cote d’Ivoire goalkeeper Gerard Gnahouan, 45, joins as goalkeeping coach after working in this role with French Ligue 2 side Sochaux.
Gnahouan, capped 10 times by the Elephants between 2002 and 2011, takes over as goalkeeping coach and will be tasked with getting the best out of first-choice Yahia Fofana.
Moroccan Samir Anba, previously with French club Nice and Morocco’s Under-17s, takes over as fitness coach, while Jeremy Antonio arrives as video analyst after working with Fae at French side Clermont.
“This new composition of the technical staff marks the start of a new era for the Cote d’Ivoire national team, and expectations are high,” said Fae.
Fae kept faith with assistant Guy Demel while former international Alain Gouamene joins as the second assistant coach of the AFCON-winning team.
The 40-year-old led an all-local setup to a surprise African title in March after being promoted from Gasset’s number two following their near exit at the group stage.
The new backroom additions have a huge challenge ahead, with Cote d’Ivoire facing crunch matches in June as they bid to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
The Elephants top their qualifying group after beating Gambia and Seychelles in the opening two matches in Group F of the qualifiers under caretaker Gasset.
-CAF
After commanding victories in the first leg matches of the Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, qualifiers, Chad, Liberia, and Eswatini find themselves in advantageous positions as they gear up for the return fixtures scheduled for Tuesday.
As the second leg of the preliminary fixtures approach, all eyes will be on these teams as they vie for their coveted spots in the group phase of the qualifiers, with the hopes of making their mark on the continental stage.
Chad emerged victorious with a narrow 1-0 win over Mauritius, joining Liberia and Eswatini in the lead after their impressive triumphs earlier last week.
Liberia secured a 2-0 victory against Djibouti, while Eswatini displayed their dominance with a 3-0 win over Somalia.
The second leg promises to be fiercely contested, particularly for Chad, who will face a challenging encounter against Mauritius on the latter’s home turf.
Coach Kevin Nicaise’s players are keen to defend their slender lead and secure their spot in the next phase of the qualifiers but the trainer admits they have an arduous task.
“We are far from perfect, far from being a top team in the world. We are in the construction phase. There are still things to work on and improve,” coach Nicaise said after their first-leg win.
“It is not overnight that we will be a top team in the world, we are aware of that, however we are working hard with the group and the staff to achieve this goal.”
Meanwhile, Liberia will host Djibouti, aiming to build on their first-leg success and seal their progression to the next round.
Eswatini will host Somalia with confidence, seeking to maintain their winning momentum and secure passage to the next stage of the tournament.
South Sudan and Sao Tome and Principe will also face off in what is expected to be a closely contested encounter, following their goalless draw in the first leg.
With both teams eager for victory, the match promises to be a thrilling battle for supremacy.
-CAF
Liberia and Eswatini took commanding leads in their respective Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025, preliminary round ties after claiming impressive away victories on Wednesday.
Liberia captain Murphy Dorley scored one of two first-half goals as the Lone Stars defeated hosts Djibouti 2-0 in the opening leg in Marrakech.
Mohammed Sangare broke the deadlock from the penalty spot on 23 minutes before Dorley coolly slotted home Sebastian Teclar’s cross 12 minutes later.
Djibouti struggled to lay a glove on their more illustrious opponents as the Lone Star side kept them at bay to take two away goals into next week’s second leg in Monrovia.
Eswatini were also celebrating after demolishing Somalia 3-0 in the Moroccoan city of El Jadida to put one foot in the group stage qualifiers.
Striker Sabelo Ndzinisa was the hero, netting twice either side of Felicio Figuareido’s 40th minute opener for the visitors.
Somalia now face an uphill battle to qualify when they travel to the Mbombela Stadium in the South African city of Nelspruit for the return on March 26th.
The opening leg victories give Liberia and Eswatini a huge advantage heading into the second legs as they target a place in the group stage on the road to next year’s finals in Morocco.
Back from the locker room, Somalia still couldn’t play its game.
Worse, Eswatini widened the gap with Ginindza who scored his double of the evening in the 56th minute. 3-0, the score remained unchanged on the scoreboard until the final whistle.
Victory for Eswatini which will still have to perform in the return leg to ensure its qualification for the qualifiers.
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