International Football
NIGERIA TEAM’S NAMESAKE, GREEN EAGLES HOPE TO CONFIRM NEXT ROUND BERTH
A Zambian clubside with the former nickname of Nigeria’s national team, Green Eagles along with tough opponents of Nigeria’s Enugu Rangers in the 1970s, Green Buffaloes, on Wednesday hope to successfully wrap-up their respective first round assignments in the CAF Confederation Cup.
Until March 28, 1988, the Nigerian national team was called Green Eagles until the Late Admiral Augustus Aikhomu rechristened the team as “Super Eagles”.
The two Zambian sides, Green Eagles and Green Buffaloes made bright starts as they seek better fortunes in this edition following Buffaloes and Nkana’s elimination on the first hurdle of the Confederation Cup.
Green Eagles and Buffaloes are both away this week and armed with similar 2-0 home wins from match –day-one last week.
Continental debutants Eagles are in eSwatini to face Young Buffaloes while Buffaloes visit South Sudan to play El Merriekh Juba.
Eagles have quietly settled in eSwatini for the last four days to plot their passage to the second round and coach Aggrey Chiyangi has kept faith in the same side that won on November 27 in Choma.
But Eagles’ 2018 league season top scorer on 19 goals, Tapson Kaseba, is absent for a second successive match and is a subject of interest from South Africa PSL club and fellow CAF Confederation Cup campaigners Free State Stars.
A successful outing in eSwatini for Green Eagles will see them book first leg away date on December 15 to face either Hussein Dyey of Algeria or Diables Noirs of Congo Brazzaville with the North Africans enjoying a 2-0 home win from the first leg on November 27.
Meanwhile, Buffaloes are looking to complete the job in Juba against El Merrikeh on their debut visit to South Sudan.
“It is really important that when you play a game like that and you get the result, a lot of players get excited but we are talking to them and we are telling them that the game is not yet over until after the second leg which is here in South Sudan,” Buffaloes coach Bilton Musonda said.
“We are doing a lot to also tell them that football is not all about home advantage because even away, you can surprise people and win it if you have the right mentality and good attitude towards the game.”
Buffaloes second round date should they successfully navigate their way in Juba will be a big second round test against the tournaments record three-time champions CS Sfaxien away in Tunisia on December 15.
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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