AFCON
NIGERIA’S FEMI KUTI TO STAR AT AFCON OPENING CEREMONY
Femi Kuti the pop king and son of legendary Fela Anikulapo Kuti is expected to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Friday at Cairo Stadium.
He is performing along with Egyptian pop singer Hakim and Ivorian Dobet Gnahoré who will perform the tournament’s official anthem.
The trio will be performing their new song Metgamaeen (Together), whose lyrics are in Arabic, English and French.
The celebration will host many VIPs and high-profile diplomatic representation alongside with football officials headed by FIFA boss Gianni Infantino.
The championship’s first game, between Egypt and Zimbabwe, will kick-off at 10pm, shortly after the opening ceremony.
AFCON
Pressure mounts on Libya ahead of Super Eagles clash
According to Libya’s news outlets, there are palpable fears in the Libya national team which faces successive crises and trying to avoid early elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The team which faces the Super Eagles this week has been plagued with players’ absences occasioned by injuries and boycotts.
The coach recently appointed has revealed the names of players refusing to represent the national team.
In a press conference held on Saturday, Coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri remarked that the absence of several players were due to real injuries.
In that class are Ahmed Al-Tarbi, a defender of Ahli Tripoli; Mohammed Al-Tabbal of Al-Nasr club and Ali Youssef who also suffered the injury while playing with Tunisia’s Club Africaine.
AFCON
Libya’s new coach, Al-Hadhir faces difficult time ahead of Super Eagles match
If the Libyan national team sticks to plans, the players are expected to have arrived in Nigeria ahead of their Thursday’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel in Uyo.
With most players drawn from the domestic league, the national team had daily training sessions in Tripoli under coach Nasser Al-Hadhiri and his assistants Akram Al-Hammami and Abu Bakr Al-Hark.
However, according to media sources in Libya, the team faces injury worries even though the absence of Victor Osimhen in the Nigerian squad is being celebrated.
Even though it did not mention the injured Libyan players, Libya Al-Ahrar Channel reports that replacements were found in Al-Tahadi FC defender, Mohammed Khalil and Al-Nasr midfielder, Abdullah Abdul Rahim as well as Al-Akhdar winger, Faraj Ghaidhan. They take the places of the absent regular players.
AFCON
Remo Stars’ Franck Mawuena gets Togo’s call-up for AFCON
Franck Mawuena who recently renewed his contract with Remo Stars has received a call-up to the Togolese squad for this week’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match. He had previously featured in the Belgian League.
He was part of the Remo Stars squad that finished second in the Nigeria Premier league last season. He scored six goals.
Togo will be away to Algeria on Thursday before hosting the reversed fixture on 14 October.
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