International Football
SUPER FALCON’S ONOME EBI GUNS FOR OMAGBEMI’S RECORD FOR MULTIPLE MATCHES AT WORLD CUP
BY FOLAKE OKEGBENLE.
If Onome Ebi is fielded tonight by Super Falcons’ handlers in the destiny-shaping match with France, she will, with 13 games, become the joint-leading African player in the Women’s World Cup appearance ranking, the same number as compatriot Florence Omagbemi (1991-2003).
Vastly experienced defender Ebi, this is her fifth World Cup appearance. Her first came in 2003 as part of a Nigeria team that consisted of national legends Perpetua Nkwocha, Precious Dede and Mercy Akide.
The 36-year-old centre-back plays for China PR club Henan Huishang and was named Nigeria’s Player of the Year 2018.
When France and Nigeria meet this Monday night in their last Group A match, it will be the third time both teams ever clashed.
The two previous matches were in favour of France. The first took place in the Women’s World Cup 2011, when Les Bleues prevailed 1-0 thanks to Marie-Laure Delie’s 56th-minute winner. The second match was last year in a friendly match in France. The hosts not only spelt Nigeria with 8-0 win, they added an extra.
France with two matches in the group stage, already qualified for the next round and could be tempted to rest some key players.
The Super Falcons have reached the second round only once, in 1999. France have ventured beyond the group stage three times in four editions, including this one.
Thomas Dennerby is facing France for the third time in the finals of a FIFA competition, having done so twice before as coach of Sweden.
The first meeting was in the Play-Off for Third Place at the Women’s World Cup 2011, which the Scandinavians won 2-1. Sweden lost by the same scoreline in the quarter-finals of the Olympic Football Tournament 2012.
Dennerby is overseeing his 12th Women’s World Cup game and climbs to joint-fifth position in the all- time coaches’ appearance table, alongside Ma Yuanan (China PR), Gero Bisanz (Germany) and Tony Di Cicco (USA).
If his Nigerian charges qualify for the second round, the Swede will join Japanese tactician Norio Sasaki in fourth place.
If picked, Eugenie Le Sommer and Gaetane Thiney will play their 14th match in the competition and equal Laura Georges’ record as the highest-ranking Frenchwoman in the World Cup appearance table.
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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