AFCON
Sudan’s coach warns Nigeria and Egypt: “Don’t underrate my young team”
Sudan’s coach Burhan Tia said his side should not be underrated during the Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021.
Tia who took over the team from French Hubert Velud, who was sacked early last month, told Cafonline.com that although his team is young, they are very hungry and have a huge desire to perform.
Sudan is placed in Group D alongside Guinea Bissau, Nigeria and Egypt. The 33rd edition of the AFCON that will feature 24 teams will take place from January 9th to February 6th in Cameroon.
Tia, whose team has been camped in Yaounde, Cameroon and played two friendly matches against Ethiopia (lost 3-2) and Zimbabwe (drew 0-0) made it clear that with the good preparations they have had, the team has what it takes to perform well.
“Our team is young, and we are building for the future. The spirit, ambition and motivation will be our strong weapons in the tournament,” added the experienced coach who has handled teams in the Sudan Premier League for over 15 years.
Tia made it clear that although they are placed in a strong group, they are prepared to fight and take their chances to make it to the next round first.
“There is nothing impossible in football. The group might be strong, but with good preparations and concentration we will be able to make it to the knockout stage,” added Tia.
He said after missing out on the last four editions of AFCON, this is the time that Sudan should send a strong message by playing good football and getting the results.
“We need to prove a point that we have developed and belong to the top group since we have won the AFCON trophy before,” concluded Tia.
Sudan lifted the AFCON trophy in 1970 when they last hosted the continent’s biggest football tournament.
He said after missing out on the last four editions of AFCON, this is the time that Sudan should send a strong message by playing good football and getting the results.
“We need to prove a point that we have developed and belong to the top group since we have won the AFCON trophy before,” concluded Tia.
Sudan lifted the AFCON trophy in 1970 when they last hosted the continent’s biggest football tournament.
-Cafoline
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
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