AFCON

Referee who prematurely stopped Nigeria-Egypt match in Kaduna also controversially end Mali -Tunisia Afcon match

Published

3 years ago

January 12, 2022

The Zambian referee, Janny Sikzwe who blew the whistle before time as a goal bound Mohamed Salah was almost scoring in an Afcon qualifying match against Nigeria in March 2016 has repeated the act in the current Africa Cup of Nations holding in Cameroon.

The referee caused chaos Wednesday by twice blowing early for the end of a game, incensing coaches on the losing team and raising the absurd possibility that the match might have to be restarted for the remaining few minutes.

Sikazwe first blew for full time after only 85 minutes of the Group F opener between Tunisia and Mali in Limbe. Mali was leading 1-0. Sikazwe appeared to realize his mistake and restarted the game soon after.

He had time to send off Mali substitute El Bilal Toure in the 87th minute for a rash challenge. But Sikazwe then blew full time again nearly a minute before the 90 minutes were up, according to the clock at the stadium and on TV broadcasts. Mali appeared to have won the game 1-0.

The early whistle infuriated Tunisia coach Mondher Kebaier and other members of the coaching staff. Kebaier ran onto the field to confront the referee while pointing angrily at his own watch and the ref had to be escorted from the field by security officials and away from the furious Tunisians.

There were then suggestions that the game would be restarted and officials gathered on the field in Limbe about 30 minutes later and were seen in discussions.

Mali players also came back out onto the field and appeared to be grumbling about the situation. Some held their hands out and shook their heads. They started to warm up, all while Tunisia’s players were still in the locker room.

But the Mali players then started applauding fans and celebrating, and walked off for a second time.

There was no official word from the Confederation of African Football on any decisions made over the game, but it appeared the 1-0 win for Mali would stand.

Ibrahima Kone scored from the penalty spot three minutes into the second half for Mali’s goal.

Tunisia was awarded a late penalty for handball and after a video review by referee Sikazwe. Tunisia captain Wahbi Khazri won and then took the penalty, but his powerful shot was saved by Ibrahim Mounkoro.

Mali held on with 10 men after Toure’s red card, although not for as long as they should have had to because of Sikazwe’s early whistle.

-AFP

AFCON

Libya sacks coach ahead of AFCON qualifying back-to-back matches with Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

September 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Milutin Sredojević

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

Published

4 days ago

September 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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