AFCON
SOUTH AFRICA’S SCORER, LORCH, WAS GRIEVING BEFORE EGYPT’S MATCH
Thembinkosi Lorch, the scorer of the South Africa’s goal that eliminated Egypt was reportedly in grief, going into Saturday’s match.
South African publication, Sowetan reveals that the family of Bafana Bafana star buried his “closest” uncle just hours before he scored a goal that put South Africa into the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations on Saturday.
Lorch’s father Teboho Mokoena, reportedly told Sowetan that the family laid to rest Lebohang Mokoena who, a few years ago, accompanied his son to sign a contract at Orlando Pirates.
“I told people at the funeral that I had a feeling that he may even score a goal and that goal could be the most important for the country,” said Mokoena.
He said even though they didn’t want to negatively impact on Lorch’s preparations for the big last-16 match against Egypt in Cairo, they still told him of his uncle’s passing. Lebohang was involved in a car fatal accident more than a week ago.
“According to our culture, we must tell a person [if such occurs in the family]. I told him via WhatsApp, he even reminded me that it was his uncle that went with him to Orlando Pirates to sign his contract,” said Mokoena.
Mokoena said his son told him last week that he might play on Saturday in the crucial encounter against hosts Egypt.
“I was worried when he was not playing because I know his potential and capabilities,” he said.
Mokoena added: “What he said to me was that he was not happy to be benched, but felt that it made him stronger mentally.”
Mokeona was happy that his son has brought a smile to soccer-loving South Africans.
Nicknamed, Nyoso, the speedy player started playing for his father’s team Mountain Eagles in Ficksburg, in the Free State, before moving to teams such as Maluti FET College FC, a former ABC Motsepe League team from Phutaditjhaba, which once shocked Pirates with a 4-0 win in the Nedbank Cup. Lorch was on the bench for that match.
His coach at Maluti, Morena Ramorebodi, described Lorch as a “very humble hard worker who takes instructions very well”.
“If you want to get the best out of him, put him under pressure, he’s very brave and always wants to perform at his best,” said Ramorebodi.
“Even when faced with opponents that are very aggressive, Thembinkosi wouldn’t be intimidated easily,” he said.
Ramorebodi said Lorch wanted to be a main force in any team for which he plays.
He told Sowetan about six years ago ahead of a crucial tough playoff game, Lorch sent him a text message at 3am on match day, saying: “Coach, if you play me today, you will get the best of me.”
The reigning PSL Player’s Player of the Season and Footballer of the Season was also named the man of the match on Saturday evening after his 85th minute goal ousted the hosts and one of the tournament’s favourites.
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
With CAF referring the case of the botched Libya-Nigeria match to its
Disciplinary Board, a nine-man panel has the task of deciding which party was at fault.
Possible decision could be forfeiture of the match by the offending party or rescheduling of the fixture. The latter seems unlikely considering the already congested international calendar.
Even if that were to be the decision, the match would likely be taken to a neutral ground.
On the other hand, the board may also take it that it was Nigeria that refused to play the match after having hosted the first leg.
In that case, Article 62 of the competition’s regulations will be enforced. It reads: “Any team that withdraws or refuses to play the return match after having played the first leg on its territory must refund the association of the visiting team a minimum sum of fifteen thousand (15,000) U.S. dollars in reparation for the damage suffered by the host country.”
If the NFF is adjudged as the culprit, the body will be fined $15,000. Chapter 19 of the regulations gives a window to appeal the fine. But judging from the CAF statement of the situation, and the condemnation of the treatment meted out to the Super Eagles, the fine is very unlikely as the weight of evidence tilts against the Libyans who in the x-handle admitted keeping the Super Eagles in captivity with an explanation that episode was largely due to an airport protocol mishap.
A decision lies firstly on the nine-man panel. With the possibility of the losing side not satisfied, another nine-man panel, the Appeals Board will take a possible final decision which can only be contested at the Switzerland-based Court of Arbitration in Sport (CAS)
Here are the decision-makers:
Disciplinary Board
- Ousmane Kane, Senegal. – President.
- Jane Njeri Onyango, Kenya – Vice President.
- Norman Arendse, South Africa – member
- Mohamed Mostafa El-Mashta, Egypt. – member
- Djonfoune Golbassia Felix, Chad. – member
- Patrick Shale, Lesotho – member
- Douma Ibrahim Issaka – Niger. -member
- Ruth Kisaakye, Uganda. -member
- Drucil Taylor, Sierra Leone. – member
Appeal Board
Justice Roli Daibo Harriman, Nigeria
Faustino Varela Monteiro, Cape Verde
Moez Ben Tahar Nasri, Tunisia
Moses Ikanqa, Namibia
Hamoud T’feil Bowbe, Mauritania
Mohamed Robleh Djama, Djibouti
Asogbavi Komlan, Togo
Justice Masauko Timothy Msungama, Malawi
Lubamba Ngimbi Hector, DR Congo
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The Libya-Nigeria Group D tie of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers scheduled for this Tuesday has been put off owing to the refusal of the Libyan authorities to allow the Nigerian team to enter their territory for the match.
As a result, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has referred the case to its Disciplinary Board to make an appropriate decision. The immediate consequence of this is the delay of the Nigerian team picking an early qualification as has been done by Burkina Faso, Cameroon and Algeria who have all qualified after four matches.
A win by Nigeria on Tuesday would have taken their point haul to 10 while a draw would take their total to eight. That way, irrespective of the result of the Rwanda-Benin Republic corresponding match would have qualified the Super Eagles for Morocco 2025 as they would not have ended below second position in Group D.
They now await the decision of the CAF body. A possible outcome could be Libya’s forfeiture of the match. A case in point is that of USM Alger of Algeria versus Morocco’s RS Berkane in last year’s Confederation Cup semi-final duel when the Moroccans were unjustly delayed at the airport by the Algerians.
In the case of the Super Eagles, it was worse as theirs was not just delayed, they were locked up in a desolate airport in what was a psychologically draining and energy sapping tactics.
Five-time winners Cameroon and 2019 champions Algeria both booked their places at next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco after victories in qualifying on Monday, bringing the number of qualified teams to four.
Cameroon defeated Kenya 1-0 when Boris Enow scored the only goal of the game in neutral Kampala, while Ramy Bensebaini netted a first-half spot-kick winner for Algeria against Togo in Lome.
Enow drilled a low free-kick into the goal from just outside the box as Cameroon dominated the contest and did enough to win in the absence of their federation president Samuel Eto’o, who is serving a six-month stadium ban by world governing body FIFA.
The victory takes Cameroon to 10 points from four games in the pool and ensured they cannot finish outside of the top two, which is enough to secure a place at the 24-team finals.
Algeria have a full haul of 12 points from four games after Bensebaini converted a penalty on 18 minutes to give them lead, but they had to weather heavy pressure from their hosts, who created enough chances to get something from the game.
Cameroon and Algeria join the hosts and Burkina Faso as the four teams so far confirmed for the finals.
Zimbabwe moved into a strong position in their pool with a 3-1 win over Namibia in neutral Johannesburg that leaves them on eight points, four ahead of third-placed Kenya with two rounds to play. One of those fixtures is at home to Kenya next month.
Walter Musona scored a brace, one a penalty, to go with a strike from Prince Dube.
Equatorial Guinea are five points clear in second place in their pool after a 2-1 win over Liberia in Monrovia.
Luis Asue had them in front early, but William Gibson equalised for the hosts. Just as it appeared the game would end in a draw, Dorian Hanza netted a 94th minute winner.
Musa Barrow scored the decisive goal for Gambia in their 1-0 victory over Madagascar, making up for a penalty miss earlier in the game
Gambia move into second place in their pool, ahead of Comoros on head-to-head record, but having played a game more.
Mozambique moved to the top of their pool with a 3-0 win over Eswatini in Nelspruit, their first goal scored by 40-year-old winger Domingues.
They are five points clear of third-placed Guinea Bissau, who host Mali on Tuesday.
-Reuters
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