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Continental championship-bound Rivers Angels stumble again at Betsy Obaseki Cup

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Rivers Angels endured a TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League build-up to forget as they suffered penalty shootout heartbreak in the 2021 Betsy Obaseki Cup final 4-3 defeat on penalties to Bayelsa Queens after a goalless draw in full time.

Edwin Okon’s side are gearing up for the maiden Women’s Champions League, where they will battle Kenya’s Vihiga Queens, South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns and Morocco’s ASFAR in Group B in Egypt from November 5-19, 2021.

Smarting from the 2021 WAFU-B final defeat in Abidjan, where they lost 3-1 to Ghana’s Hasaacas Ladies in August, the Nigerian league champions were hoping for an ultimate redemption at the 12-team pre-season tournament but floundered yet again.

On Sunday, Rivers went up against their biggest domestic rivals Bayelsa Queens for a fourth time in 2021 in a bid for a third win, having won twice (1-0 and 4-0) and lost once (5-0) in their previous meetings.

Bayelsa made a fine start as Mary Anjor and Amada Mbadi forced Ghanaian goalkeeper Charlotte Adjei to fine saves, while Rivers duo of Maryann Ezenagu and Chiamaka Okwuchukwu threatened but no goal in the regulation time.

Straight to penalties, Ifeoma Ikenokwalu and Evelyn Nwabouku missed from the spot to see the Women’s Champions League hopeful missed another title celebration and no one was as disappointed as Ezenagu, despite being consoled with the Best Player of the Tournament award.

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“I’m down psychologically losing two finals (WAFU-B) in Abidjan, Cote D’Ivoire and now (Betsy Obaseki Cup) in Benin, Nigeria. I don’t feel happy although I also think we gave our best and put in a lot of work,” Ezenagu told CAFOnline.com.

“I’m very grateful to the organizers for giving us (Rivers Angels) this great opportunity to compete. It has helped us a lot and I believe we will do better when we get to Egypt. I can assure everyone that we will do the country and Rivers Angels fans proud.”

Reviewing the tournament and teams’ performances, NFF first vice president Seyi Akinwunmi lauded the organizers over the successful event, while stressing that quality preparatory games were offered to Rivers Angels.

“I’m extremely impressed with the quality of competition by the teams and standard of organization by the organizers. We hope to see more of these for the development of women’s football,” Akinwunmi, who also oversaw the Aisha Buhari Cup recently won by South Africa, told Cafonline.com.

“The final was a tough match and I don’t think they (Rivers Angels) would get a tougher opponent on the continent (in Egypt). It is a good preparation tournament for them. I’m sure they will value and learn from it in order to do the country proud in Egypt.”

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Rivers Angels were pipped by Bayelsa Queens to the coveted crown and Local Organising Committee chairperson Sabina Chikere is happy the championship gave some quality preparation for the country’s representative on the continent.

“I’m super excited that the invitational tournament was a huge success and the opportunity given to the women’s clubs. We hope to make this a yearly recent and hope to improve on the standards,” Chikere told Cafonline.com.

“This is a opportunity for Rivers Angels to assess themselves, sign new players to beef up their team and also know their lapses so as to represent the country well in Egypt.”

Sharing her excitement, wife of the Edo State governor Betsy Obaseki expressed joy of the success of the week long domestic showpiece and further backs Rivers Angels to make huge success on the continent come November.

“I’m very happy that we’re able to revive the past glory of the state in sports through women’s football and providing the platform to engage and promote the girl child and doing this in the campaign against child trafficking,” Obaseki, the initiator of the women’s club championship, told Cafonline.com.

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“We’re excited with the quality of competition and also the opportunity to support Rivers Angels in their preparation for the Champion League. We are confident that their participation in this invitational will help them excel in Egypt.”

Rivers Angels will look to wrap up their preparation at the 2021 Flying Officer Cup in Abuja, Nigeria this month ahead of their Women’s Champions League opener against Moroccan side ASFAR at Military Academy Stadium on November 6, 2021.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

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.

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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

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International Football

Soon Cisse ceases to be Senegal’s Coach

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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.

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“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.

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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.

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International Football

Why  FIFA banned Samuel Eto’o

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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 femaleacross 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.

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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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