AFCON
Early AFCON exit looms for Ghana
Four-time Africa Cup winners, Black Stars of Ghana will have to be at their best elements as they play their last group match, facing debutants, Comoros in Nigeria’s ‘home’ Garoua.
In a tournament that has featured a flurry of upsets, Ghana cannot take things for granted.
This is more so because they are yet to win a single match and risks being the first among the nine World Cup play-off teams to be eliminated from the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations.
Ghana who last won the tournament 40 years ago in Libya have not been impressive in the ongoing tournament as they conceded damaging late minute goals that have put their aspirations in jeopardy.
In the obtainable six points, Ghana have just one after their last match was drawn with Gabon.
Late goal in their opening match with Morocco saw them losing all three points.
Ghana’s coach, Milovan Rajevac knows the importance of the match and possible upsets from minnows like Comoros.
“It’s a very important game for us. We need to finish the group with a win and will do everything to guarantee this happening. Our team develops well but we need time and patience”, said the coach.
Defender, Jonathan Mensah spoke in similar vein. “We will give our best because this is a must win for us. We have no internal problems. All the games are difficult. As a veteran player my role is to help the new faces. We will fight for our national jersey.”
Despite losing their two opening games, 1-0 to Gabon and 2-0 to Morocco, Comoros had gained the respect of everyone at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.
Showing passion and determination at their very first AFCON appearance, Comoros had a lot to gain even if they haven’t won or scored to the moment. Against Ghana, they will fight for more and why not record their maiden points and goals in the history of the tournament.
According to their coach, Amir Abdou “the game is very important for us. We had two good games against Gabon and Morocco, but luck was not on our side. I told the players to consider this as if it was the final.
“Ghana is a very good team, but we will do our best. We have nothing to lose, and we must be strong and brave.”
The optimism of the coach is shared by Said Bakari, a striker.
“We will give our all. We need to play more competitions like this and increase our experience. This is the greatest event we have been to. We will show the good side of Comoros.
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.
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