AFCON
Afcon before Afcon; Morocco to host six nations’ Afcon 2023 qualifiers
Even as the continent eagerly awaits the decision of CAF on the hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations finals, Morocco is already hosting some of the qualifying matches of the penultimate edition – Afcon 2023.
If the original schedule is adhered to, CAF is exppected to name the host country for the 2025 edition this Friday. But before then, Morocco will be hosting some qualifying matches of the 2023 edition.
Six countries, namely Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Togo, Burkina Faso, Gambia and Mali will have some of their encounters in Morocco.
Information from the Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) has it that the federation has approved African football federations’ request to host AFCON 2024 qualifying matches in Morocco.
“In response to a request from a number of African football federations, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation agreed to host three matches in Morocco in March” as a part of the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the FRMF said in a statement
The matches to be hosted in Morocco will include the matches of Togo vs Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria, and Gambia vs Mali, the statement detailed.
Morocco has over the years hosted a number of continental competitions in various stadiums, strengthening the country’s bid to host the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025.
The North African is currently hosting the FIFA Club World Cup. This is the third time the North African country is hosting the global competition.
The current edition is being held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat and at Tangier’s Ibn Batouta Stadium.
Morocco has lined up six sumpteous arenas for the premier continental event and the stadiums are already well certified by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Moroccan proposal includes the use of the following stadiums: Casablanca’s Mohammed V Complex (45,000 seats), Rabat’s Moulay Abdellah Complex (53,000), Grand Stade de Marrakech (45,240), Agadir’s Stade Adrar (45,480), Grand Stade de Tanger (45,000), and Grand Stade de Fez (37,000).
Global football legend and President of Liberia, George Weah has already thrown his weight behind the Moroccan bid
AFCON
Libya sacks coach ahead of AFCON qualifying back-to-back matches with Nigeria
The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has sacked its Serbian coach, Milutin Sredojević who is popularly known as Micho.
This is coming ahead of Libya’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations clashes with Nigeria next month.
Paradoxically, Sports Village Square gathered that the coach’s contract was only recently renewed for six months before the axe fell on the Serbian.
His sack was precipitated by the results obtained in their teo matches of the AFCON qualifiers.
Libya drew 1-1 with Rwanda at home and lost 2-1 away to Benin Republic despite beig a goal up at half time.
The Libyan side, Mediterranean Knights are due to play against the Nigeria Super Eagles in Uyo on 6 October while the return leg holds on 14 October at the 11 July Stadium in Tripoli.
According to information Sports Village Square gathered from Tripoli, the Mediterranean Knights’ coach, Micho led the Libyan national team to win nine matches since taking over in October of last year, he failed to build a strong team due to his poor choices.
He also took a risk with the footballers chosen in the AFCON qualifiers, and the result was shocking to the Libyan sports audience.
According to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, there is a strong tendency to sign a national coach to lead the Libyan team during the remaining qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.
AFCON
CAF president blasts Ghana, others over stadium ban
CAF President Patrice Motsepe has lashed out at Ghana and some other African countries whose home grounds were recently banned from hosting CAF matches owing to inadequate facilities. He made the remarks in Nairobi, Kenya during a press conference,
After the MatchDay 2 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF ruled Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi as being inadequate to host international matches. Being the only approved ground in the country, Ghana will now look towards either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo for their remaining home matches of the Afcon qualifiers.
Other African countries without approved home grounds are: Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Eritrea, Gabon, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, São Tomé and Burundi.
Motsepe voiced his frustration over the recurring issue of nations being unable to host home games.
“Nothing frustrates me more than a national team or club side having to play home matches outside,” he stated.
He stressed the significance of playing in front of home fans, adding, “You can’t grow football if the national teams or club sides aren’t playing in front of their home fans.”
Motsepe reiterated CAF’s commitment to working with countries to ensure they have at least one suitable stadium to host international fixtures.
“Our conversations in every country are to make sure there is at least one stadium capable of hosting a CAF category C game,” he emphasized.
AFCON
Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen
The on-going CAF AFCON Cote d’Ivoire 2023 Coaches Symposium in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire has brought together, the last three coaches that handled the Nigeria national football team.
Gernot Rohr, Jose Peseiro and Austin Eguavoen are part of the the elite coaches currently gathered in Abidjan.
Gernot Rohr whose tenure of 5 years and 55 matches is the longest ever by any coach in Nigeria, is currently handling Nigeria’s Africa Cupof Nations and World Cup qualifying rivals, Benin Republic. He was succeeded in the interim by Austin Eguavoen who is currently having another interim stint.
Peseiro left his position after the Africa Cup of Nations
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