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AFCON

Aubameyang departs Arsenal

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will not make his Arsenal return until after the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), if he returns to the first team picture at all.

The Gabonese striker has been left out by manager Mikel Arteta after a disciplinary breach cost him his status as captain, with Arteta’s team picking up a succession of league wins in his absence.

Arteta had remained coy about Aubameyang’s involvement in the New Year’s Day match at home to Manchester City, saying the club would “take it game by game”.

The assessment won’t begin until after AFCON concludes, though, with the 32-year-old joining up with his national side despite Premier League clubs being granted permission to keep their African players around until after the next round of fixtures.

“He wasn’t selected for today’s match, Arteta said after Arsenal’s Boxing Day victory over Norwich City, their fourth in a row without Aubameyang involved.

“We’ll take it game by game. That was the decision.”

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According to The Athletic, the striker has joined up with the Gabon squad in advance of Arsenal’s game against City, with Patrice Neveu’s national side due to play their first tournament game on January 10 against Comoros.

Aubameyang is one of two Premier League players in the Gabonese provisional squad, along with Brighton & Hove Albion youngster Ulrick Eneme Ella.

The captain of the national side is among the players to join Gabon’s training camp in Dubai in advance of the tournament.

Gabon will face Ghana in their second group game, pitting Aubameyang against club teammate Thomas Partey, while Morocco will be their third opponents on January 18.

Arsenal have scored 14 goals in four games without Aubameyang, after netting just 18 times in their previous 15 outings.

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They also reached the semi-finals of the Carabao Cup without their former captain, putting five goals past League One side Sunderland at the Emirates Stadium.

The striker is Gabon’s all-time leading goalscorer, but hasn’t found the net for his club since the October 22 victory over Aston Villa.

Aubameyang’s AFCON responsibilities mean he will miss Premier League games against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur, as well as an FA Cup clash with Nottingham Forest and both legs of the Carabao Cup semi against Liverpool.

He may be absent for further games, depending on how far Gabon progress in the tournament.

“I don’t establish my authority by being dictatorial or being ruthless,” Arteta said earlier this month.

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“I just ask for respect and commitment. At this level, if I don’t get that I pack my bags and go somewhere else because that is the minimum I can ask for.

“I am sorry but I am going to expect that from everybody who works for the club. First of all myself, and the day I don’t do that I walk through that door and go and do something else. It is as clear as that.

-Mirror

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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AFCON

VIDEO: Hostile Libyan Authorities leave Super Eagles stranded at Airport

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Ahead of Tuesday’s matchday 4 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying duel with Libya, the Nigerian football team, Super Eagles are being maltreated at the Al Abaq Airport in Libya where their flight had been diverted to on Sunday night.

According to video clips sent by the team’s media unit, the players and officials were being held hostage by the Libyan immigration authorities.

The flight was originally to land at Benina International Airport, Benghazi which is 19 kilometres from Tuesday’s match venue.

It was reported that about an hour before landing, the Nigerian aircraft approaching its destination, Benghazi was diverted to another city more than a two-hour drive from the original destination.

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AFCON

Guirassy first-half hat-trick powers Guinea past Ethiopia

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Striker Serhou Guirassy scored a hat-trick in the first half to help Guinea secure a commanding 4-1 victory over Ethiopia in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Saturday. 

The match, played at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan, saw Syli National dominate from the start, with Guirassy’s hat-trick leading the way.

The Guineans took the lead in the 18th minute when Guirassy converted a penalty after Birhanu Bekele’s foul inside the box.

The Germany-based attacker doubled his tally in the 37th minute, finishing from close range after a well-timed pass from Seydouba Cissé. 

Just before half-time, Guirassy completed his hat-trick, slotting home in stoppage time from a François Kamano assist to make it 3-0 at the break.

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Guinea continued their dominance in the second half, with Cissé adding a fourth goal in the 48th minute, finishing a through ball from Mady Camara.

Ethiopia pulled one back in the 53rd minute through Kenean Markneh, who capitalized on a rebound to score from close range, but it proved little more than a consolation.

Guinea’s victory puts them back in contention for qualification, while Ethiopia faces an uphill battle to keep their hopes alive.

The standings after Matchday Three see DR Congo topping Group H with nine points following their 1-0 win over Tanzania on Thursday.

Tanzania sit second with four points, while Guinea’s victory moves them up to third with three points. Ethiopia, with just one point from three matches, remain at the bottom of the group.

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Morocco extend Group B lead with commanding Central African Republic victory

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Morocco’s dominance of Group B in the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers continued on Saturday, 12 October as they outclassed Central African Republic to make it three out of three wins in their group.

A clinical display by the Atlas Lions concluded with a 5-0 win for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations hosts, as they build momentum to staging the biggest event on African soil.

Assedine Ounahi’s first half brace alongside Adbe Essalzouli, Achraf Hakimi and Soufiane Rahimi’s goals ensured Morocco’s third straight win of the group.

The Atlas Lions now lead the pack with a healthy five points, ahead of Gabon who played out to a goalless draw with Lesotho on Friday evening.

While the North Africans lead the pack, the race continues to be an exciting one for Group B when the fixtures resume for Match Day 04 of the qualifiers as Gabon travel down south to Lesotho for the return leg on Tuesday.

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Central African Republic will be hoping to redeem themselves and put Saturday’s misery behind them when they welcome the Atlas Lions for the return leg on the same evening.

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