CAF U23
NIGERIA’S OLYMPIC EAGLES COACH, AMAPAKABO GETS OKECHUKWU, AWONIYI BOOST FOR ZAMBIA
Coach Imama Amapakabo has received important boosts for Tuesday’s make-or-break U23 AFCON battle against Zambia with the arrivals in camp of team captain Azubuike Okechukwu and star forward Taiwo Awoniyi.
The absence of the duo was greatly felt in the opening game of Group B that the defending champions lost by the odd goal to Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday, and Amapakabo is confident their arrival will spur his squad to a better performance against the Zambians.
“I am happy we now have Awoniyi and our captain, Azubuike. They are integral to the team and were influential in our qualifying matches. We will throw everything into the game against Zambia because we have left ourselves no choice at this point.
“I believe we have the team to not only overcome Zambia but go all the way in the tournament. We stumbled against the Ivorians but we have learnt from that and we now look forward to rescuing our campaign against the Zambians and South Africans.”
Former U17 World Cup winner Awoniyi, who plays for FSV Mainz 05 in the German top division, landed in Cairo late on Sunday, while Turkey –based Okechukwu, who also captained the Class of 2015 and to the gold medal in Senegal, arrived in the early hours of Monday.
Okechukwu’s midfield partnership with Kelechi Nwakali was impactful in the handsome home wins over Libya and Sudan in the qualifying series, while Awoniyi got the important opener and also created chances in the defeat of Sudan that landed the Olympic Eagles in Egypt.
Nigeria take on Zambia at the Al Salam Stadium in Cairo on Tuesday in a game they must pick up the maximum points to return to contention for a place in the semi finals of the competition, ahead of their clash with South Africa on Tuesday.
Only the top three finishers at the U23 AFCON will qualify to fly Africa’s flag at the Men’s Olympic Football Tournament in Tokyo, Japan next year.
CAF U23
U23 Afcon 2023: King Mohammed VI investments in sports yield dividends
La Tour Hassan Palace, Rabat, Morocco
It was a battle of titanic proportion Saturday night into the early hours of Sunday as Morocco beat arch rivals, Egypt to win the CAF U23 Africa Cup of Nations by 2-1.
Morocco U23 coach Isaam Charai at the post match conference rightly credited the Moroccan monarch, King Mohammed VI, as the inspiration for the astronomic rise in Moroccan football standard.
To those who may not know, the coach’s statement could be considered an act of flattery. Bit it is not. Rabat will convinced doubters.
No country would have had such facility and will not excel in sports. It was at the complex that the Moroccan team camped. A visit to the Mohammed VI Football Complex at the Sale area of Rabat will reveal a royal state of the art facility which the monarch has given to the kingdom.
The imposing building where the players were camped
One of the items that catches attention at the vast entry lounge of the unique football complex is a huge framed picture of the reception accorded the 1976 Africa Cup of Nations winning team of Morocco.
All the players in the picture wore maroon coloured suits. In the middle of the group picture is a young boy, then 13. He wore a blue suit and a stripped tie.
That was the then Prince Mohammed who is today, King Mohammed VI. The magnificent football complex in Rabat is named after him.
The official photograph of the reception for the Africa Cup of Nations winners, Morocco. In the middle is the then Prince Mohammed who is now King Mohammed VI
Little wonder, Charai, the head coach of Morocco’s U23 team, attributed their success to King Mohammed VI. “We lifted this cup for King Mohammed VI,” Charai proudly declared.
The coach emphasized that their triumph was not a stroke of luck but a result of the team’s discipline and unwavering focus.
Information gathered reveals that there are three more of such football training complexes, though in lower scale, in Morocco while others are still being planned.
King Mohammed’s association with sports, especially football therefore pre-dated his ascension to the throne on 23 July 1999 upon the passing on of his father, King Hassan II.
Football in Morocco has blossomed under King Mohammed VI. At the moment, Moroccan clubs are holders of both the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup.
Women’s football has received a big boost as the Moroccan women’s team will debut at the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand later this summer.
Prior to King Mohammed VI reign, the Moroccan women’s team was like a punching bag in the African Women’s Championship.
For instance, the team was pummeled 8-0 by Nigeria on 17 October 1998. But only last year, Nigeria’s Super Falcons struggled in vein and were eliminated by Morocco in the semi-finals.
King Mohammed VI was born on 21 August 1963, the day the Nigeria Football Federation (Founded 1933, though they seemed not aware) clocked 30.
He is not the only royal person interested in sports. The imposing Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat is named after an uncle of King Mohammed VI, indicating the royal family’s strong obsession for sports.
Another indication could be gleaned from the picture of the trophy presentation to Real Madrid when the Spanish giants won the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup.
The trophy was presented by Prince Moulay Al Hassan, the Crown Prince of Morocco. At the time he was making the trophy presentation, he was 11 years old.
When in 2013 Raja Casablanca emerged as runners-up at the FIFA Club World Cup, following their 2-0 loss to Bayern Munich they were rewarded with a futuristic complex.
For their performance, His Majesty King Mohammed VI, the sports inclined ruler of Morocco opted to reward the club with structures instead of pecuniary which is the norm in Africa.
A football academy located on a 7.5 hectares of land in the district of Ain Jemâa, in Bouskoura area of Casablanca is the remarkable gift to Raja Casablanca. The benefits are for ever.
A visit to the site was mind blowing. No club will own such facility and not be encouraged to scale greater heights.
Entrance to the imposing Raja Casablanca Academy, another of King Mohammed VI ‘s gift to Morocco
Mohammed Marouan is the Secretary General of the academy.
Pointing at the photograph that adorned the reception of the academy, he was full of praise to the Moroccan monarch for the kind gesture.
In the photograph is Prince Moulay Rachid, the younger brother to King Mohammed VI, as he presented the Moroccan Throne Cup trophy, the Moroccan national cup competition to Raja Casablanca’s skipper after the 2017 final match.
Raja club holds their training session on the natural grass pitch of the Academy. One of such training session was held on Thursday the eve of their 5-0 defeat of Vipers of Uganda in the CAF Champions League.
According to Marouan, the Secretary General of the academy, the club comes there to train at the facility, which has a standard natural grass training pitch as well as another one that is hybrid synthetic.
Two others were under construction at the time of the visit. In addition are four other training pitches, all lush green.
Marouan explained that the academy which was opened on 22 September 2022. currently have about 30 students, although the capacity is high. The apartments housing the academy players have 45 rooms and each has two beds for the young players.
On a typical day at the academy, the students are expected to be up from bed by 7: 00am and be ready for breakfast 30 minutes later.
By 8am, they should be leaving for school where they are expected to have breakfast from 8 to 8.30 am and launch at 1pm.
They will have snacks at 5pm and dinner at 8.00 pm. By 10.30pm, they are expected in their rooms.
Expectedly, the academy is equipped with well staffed clinic and equipment that ensure the good health of the inhabitants.
“We have four buildings (A, B, C and D). Building A is reserved for first-team players”, Marouan explained.
The Raja Casablanca team have two workouts a day. “It allows them to rest during the day and avoid returning to Casablanca and coming back again.
“Buildings B, C and D are dedicated to young people: cadets, juniors and hopefuls. We have 10 single rooms for the technical and medical staff,” he explained.
One of the large rooms of the complex have a trophy shelf where diplomas and trophies won by Raja Casablanca are displayed.
Indeed, the Raja Club Athletic Academy is a model in Africa.
CAF U23
Morocco are U-23 African champions!
Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat-Morocco.
It was well after midnight as the final match of the U23 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat involving defending champions, Egypt and hosts, Morocco stretched into extra time after a 1-1 deadlock at regulation time.
But Morocco laughed last with a 2-1 victory as the skies of Rabat were illuminated with splendid fireworks.
Great thanks to Substitute player, Oussamna Targhalline who connected a free kick from Ezzalzouli, almost on the dot of half time in the extra time.
Morocco have won their first U23 title and will be at Paris 2024 Olympics as continental champions.
What a match! It was the Egyptians that drew the first blood early in the match as Mahmoud Saber unleashed a brilliant curler into the top corner, giving his team an advantage after just nine minutes of play.
But the scorer did not last long in the match as he was given a red card following a reckless tackle on Moroccan player, Abdessamad Ezzalzouli.
The defending champions had to endure a one-man shortage throughout the duration of the match.
Despite being reduced to ten men, Egypt managed to hold their ground for the remaining minutes of regular time. However, their defence faltered in the 37th minute, allowing Yanis Begraoui to score the equalizer for the host nation.
Efforts from Egypt to secure a late equalizer proved fruitless, as Morocco held on to claim victory and secure their first U-23 AFCON trophy.
Both Morocco and Egypt have earned their spots in next year’s Olympic Games, set to take place in Paris, alongside Mali, who secured their qualification after defeating Guinea in the third-place playoff game on Saturday.
Guinea can still secure a place as the fourth African side at the Olympic Games in Paris but they have to win a playoff against a yet-to-be-decided Asian opponent
CAF U23
Jay Jay Okocha shines in Rabat, Morocco
Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat-Morocco
Nigeria and African football legend, the Mercurial Austin Jay Jay Okocha was the trophy bearer of the U23 Africa Cup of Nations at the final match at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Saturday night.
Fifteen minutes to the kick off, dressed in navy blue suit, he walked majestically to the podium where he placed the cup.
Just as his name was announced, the jam packed stadium gave him a ravishing applause which he acknowledged. He was one of the African legends invited to the finals of the U23 Africa Cup of Nations.
The others were Elhadji Douf (Senegal), Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Asamaoh Gyan (Ghana) Alexandre Song (Cameroon) Arthur Boka of Cote d’Ivoire and Karim Haggui of Tunisia.
- WOMEN'S FOOTBALL7 days ago
Naira rain falls on Nigeria’s Flamingos after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria
- OBITUARY4 days ago
NFF mourns the demise of former FIFA referee, Bosede Momoh
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Financial rainfall awaits Nigeria’s Flamingos for every goal scored in Algeria
- U-17 AFCON7 days ago
Morocco crowned CAF U-17 AFCON champions after dramatic penalty shootout win over Mali
- U-20 FOOTBALL6 days ago
Nigeria begin CAF Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations title chase with Tunisian clash
- Nigerian Football6 days ago
Remo Stars maintain ‘7Up’ lead over Rivers United
- feature4 days ago
Ghana’s Cardinal, Appiah Turkson, listed as a possible Pope
- Nigerian Football2 days ago
Former WAFU President, Ogufere mourns Christian Chukwu