AFCON
AHEAD OF SUPER EAGLES’ CLASH, LESOTHO STRIKER QUITS TEAM IN ANGER
A striker of the already eliminated Lesotho, Luciano Matsoso has called it a quit from the national team. With no hope of getting into the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon, Lesotho will be facing Group L run-away leaders, Nigeria this Tuesday in Lagos.
Matsoso who plays for South Africa’s WITS University team announced his quit after being dropped from the squad that is executing the last matches of their AFCON qualifiers.
The Lesotho national team nicknamed Likuena has been in camp for three weeks preparing for Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Sierra Leone and Nigeria.
Matsoso was part of the provisional team and was expected to join the camp along with the rest of the foreign-based contingent. However, on Saturday morning he received a message that he was no longer part of the team.
The former Lioli winger said he was disappointed by the technical team’s decision and was therefore leaving the team forever.
“I received the message today from the coach (Senong) that I will not be part of the team that will play Sierra Leone and Nigeria,” Matsoso said.
“I was looking forward to the games but unfortunately, the technical team had its own plans. While I understand that we can’t all be part of the team, I am disappointed. On the brighter side, this will also give me enough time to focus on my new team.”
Matsoso said he has been getting playing weekly at Wits and was therefore expecting to be part of the final team.
“I have been playing competitive football here week in and week out, so I believe I deserve to be part of the team not be a backup like the coach is saying.
“I however, wish the team all the best in its coming matches.”
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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