AFCON
Africa Cup of Nations kicks off under COVID cloud
Africa’s showpiece Cup of Nations kicks off in Cameroon on Sunday against a backdrop of controversy over player call-ups, the tournament’s timing, the host nation’s readiness and the possibility of widespread COVID-19 infections.
Yet what is not clear is who is likely to be crowned continental champions after the final on Feb. 6, as a multitude of prospective winners make it likely that the tournament will maintain its tradition for rarely delivering on the form book.
Algeria are defending their title and go into the tournament with a lengthy unbeaten run, including their triumph at the last edition in Egypt in 2019.
Led by Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez, they have been rarely stretched over the last 24 months but the rigours of tournament competition, plus the tough conditions in Cameroon, will provide a severe examination.
Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia are the other North African countries who are perennial contenders but have disappointed in recent editions. Morocco, in particular, have gone into recent tournaments heavily fancied but have proved unable to live up to their billing.
West African giants Ghana, Ivory Coast and Nigeria are all past winners with high hopes, but have not been convincing of late.
Nigeria fired their coach Gernot Rohr last month, unhappy with their form despite the fact they won their World Cup qualifying group.
Hosts Cameroon have been even less convincing, but their home win over the Ivorians in the World Cup qualifiers in November was a massive morale boost and has now placed a burden of expectation on their shoulders.
That leaves Senegal as the team with the best credentials. They were runners-up in 2019 and have strengthened their squad since, persuading several French-born players with Senegalese roots to join their side.
Liverpool’s Sadio Mane could play a key role in helping the country to their first Cup of Nations triumph.
All contenders will be hoping to avoid any outbreaks of COVID-19, which might impact on their chances.
Preparations for most countries, over the last fortnight, have been hit by players returning positive tests and having to go into quarantine.
Senegal’s departure to the tournament on Wednesday was delayed by three positive cases and the Cape Verde Islands have had an astonishing 21 individual positive cases at their pre-tournament training camp.
RACE TO BE READY
Squad sizes for this tournament have been increased from 23 to 28 to allow for the potential impact of the novel coronavirus.
Teams will also have to contend with inferior hotel and training facilities, with Cameroon, stretched by poor infrastructure, racing to get ready before Sunday’s kickoff.
The tardy preparations prompted an emergency meeting last month of the Confederation of African Football’s executive committee, which considered cancelling the tournament.
After an emergency trip to seek assurances from the Cameroon government, CAF president Patrice Motsepe has gambled on going ahead, hoping to avoid any major calamities and that the football will claim the spotlight when the action begins.
-Reuters
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.
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.
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
CAF president Motsepe slams expanded FIFA Club World Cup
Anthony Joshua seeks world title and redemption against Dubois
Beckenbauer to have street named after him near Munich’s Allianz Arena
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
AFCON1 week agoAustin Eguavoen remains the ‘Big Boss’, says NFF
-
AFCON1 week agoRwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash
-
AFCON1 week agoPresent and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen
-
CAF Confederation Cup1 week agoEnyimba continues unbeaten run against Burkina Faso clubs
-
AFCON4 days agoLibya sacks coach ahead of AFCON qualifying back-to-back matches with Nigeria
-
CAF Champions League1 week agoEnugu Rangers in slim CAF Champions League win over Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca
-
WOMEN'S FOOTBALL1 week agoFalconets crash out from U-20 Women’s World Cup
-
Governing Bodies6 days agoStorm in CAF over proposed statutes amendments