Governing Bodies
Qatar, behold the five African Kings!
The African line up for the 2022 Qatar FIFA World Cup has been concluded with the return leg matches of the play-off round completed in sensational and exciting fashion on Tuesday.
African champions Senegal headline the five African countries to proceed to the World Cup alongside Morocco, Ghana, Tunisia and Cameroon.
Here is a summary of how the exciting return leg matches concluded.
Nigeria 1-1 Ghana (1-1 aggregate)
Ghana qualified for their fourth World Cup after edging out Nigeria on the away goal rule following a 1-1 draw in Abuja. The two sides drew 0-0 in the first leg in Kumasi last week and heading into the return fixture, the Ghanaians only needed a scoring draw to progress.
And they did exactly that, qualifying for the World Cup after missing the 2018 showpiece in Russia. For Nigeria, this is the first time they will be missing the World Cup since 2006.
Thomas Partey had given Ghana an 11th minute lead before William Troost Ekong levelled for the Super Eagles in the 22nd minute.
Partey broke the deadlock with a sleek shot from the edge of the box with keeper Francis Uzoho seeing the ball sneak between his body and the ground, a dream start for the visitors.
Nigeria fought to get level and they did so in the 22nd minute from the penalty spot awarded after a lengthy VAR check. Ademola Lookman was clipped inside the box by Dennis Odoi and Ekong stepped up to score and put Nigeria firmly back in contention.
The Super Eagles thought they had grabbed the lead in the 34th minute but Victor Osimhen was flagged down for offside and the decision was confirmed by VAR.
In the second half, Ghana managed to soak in the pressure from Nigeria and saw off the result after 90 minutes.
Senegal 1-0 Egypt (1-1 on aggregate, 3-1 on penalties)
For the second time in as many months, Senegal edged out Egypt on penalties. Having beaten the Pharaohs on spot kicks to clinch their first TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations title, the Lions of Teranga repeated the same feat, this time to seal a place in the World Cup.
Once again, it was Sadio Mane who scored the decisive kick as Senegal progressed to the World Cup for the third time in their history.
In the shootout, both teams missed their first two kicks. Kalidou Koulibaly struck the crossbar for Senegal before Saliou Ciss saw his effort saved. On the other end, Mohamed Salah blazed his effort over the bar while Ahmed Mostafa ‘Zizo’ struck wide.
Ismaila Sarr however scored the third for the Senegalese with Ahmed El Solia responding for Egypt. Bamba Dieng then stepped up to score the fourth and they were handed a massive boost when Edouard Mendy saved Mostafa Mohamed’s attempt.
It was now up to Mane to score the decider, and the Liverpool forward made no mistake.
In regulation time, Senegal had scored in the fourth minute, just about the same time Egypt scored in the first leg. Boulaye Dia made the most of a defensive lapse to score and level the tie on aggregate.
The 1-0 scoreline on the night would stay till the end of 90 minutes and additional 30, prompting the game to be decided on penalties.
Morocco 4-1 DR Congo (5-2 aggregate)
The Atlas Lions were in emphatic form against the Congolese at the Stade Mohamed V in Casablanca, winning 4-1 on the night and 5-2 on aggregate to sail into their sixth World Cup appearance.
Azzedine Ounahi scored a brace with Tarik Tissoudali and Achraf Hakimi adding one each to the massive victory. Ben Malango scored DR Congo’s consolation, but it was mere statistic as the Moroccans sailed through with ease.
Ounahi broke the deadlock in the 21st minute with a sublime shot from outside the area, handing the home side a huge lift in terms of pressure.
The game had a long stoppage after a head injury on Morocco keeper Yassine Bounou but upon resumption, the home side continued dominating.
They doubled the lead in the seventh of 12 added minutes when Tissoudali collected the ball at the edge of the box, drove in and showed great composure to score one on one with the keeper.
In the second half, it took Morocco nine minutes of the restart to make it 3-0, Ounahi completing his brace after collecting Tissoudali’s pass inside the box and slamming the ball past the keeper.
Hakimi then completed the rout in the 69th minute when he reacted quickest to a spilled ball from the keeper before burying home.
On his former stomping grounds, ex Raja Club Athletic forward ben Malango scored DR Congo’s only goal with a brilliant strike, controlling Cedric Bakambu’s ball on his chest before firing an unstoppable volley from the edge of the box.
Algeria 1-2 Cameroon (2-2 on aggregate)
Karl Toko Ekambi swept home perhaps the most important goal of his career, scoring in the fourth minute of added time as Cameroon beat Algeria 2-1 in Blida to qualify for their eighth FIFA World Cup.
The two teams played to a 2-2 aggregate score, but Cameroon qualify to Qatar on the away goal rule.
Algeria had scored two minutes to the end when Ahmed Touba headed home Rachid Ghezzal’s corner, but the never say die Indomitable Lions had the last laugh, Ekambi sweeping the ball home inside the box after Michael Ngadeu headed down the ball for him.
It was massive heartbreak for Algeria with their coach Djabel Belmadi sinking to the turf after the fulltime whistle in a case of too close but too far for Les Fennecs.
The game was forced to extra time after a 1-0 score-line to Cameroon in the regulation 90 minutes.
In regulation time, skipper Maxime Choupo Moting scored the lone goal for Cameroon, slamming the ball home after keeper Rais M’Bohli dropped a corner right at his feet.
Algeria had chances to draw level and the best of them fell on Youcef Bellaili. Off a counter, Islam Silimani collected the ball and squared to Bellaili on a silver platter, but the midfielder fired wide with only the keeper to beat from 10 yards out.
In extra time, Algeria thought they had scored a vital goal when Slimani netted from a cross on the left. However, Algeria’s celebrations were cut short by the VAR, with the Algerian forward adjudged to have handled the ball as he headed the ball in.
Andre Onana made two brilliant saves denying Bellaili from close range and Youcef Attal’s thunderous strike from distance.
Elsewhere, Tunisia completed the roster of five for African teams to Qatar despite being held to a 0-0 draw by Mali at home. The 1-0 victory they picked in Bamako last week proved to be vital, as the Carthage Eagles flew to their sixth World Cup appearance.
-cafonline
Kirsty Coventry became the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the most powerful person in sport, on Monday in a handover ceremony with her predecessor Thomas Bach.
The Zimbabwean is the first woman and African to head the body, and at 41, the youngest since Baron Pierre de Coubertin, who is credited with founding the modern-day Olympics.
Coventry accepted the Olympic key from Bach, who, like her, is an Olympic champion — he won a team fencing gold in 1976 and she earned two swimming golds in 2004 and 2008.
Stepping down after a turbulent 12-year tenure, Bach expressed his confidence that the Olympic movement was “in the best of hands” and Coventry would bring “conviction, integrity and a dynamic perspective” to the role.
Coventry, who swept to a crushing first-round victory in the election in Greece in March, leans heavily on her family.
Aside from her parents, who were present at the ceremony in Lausanne, there is her husband Tyrone Seward, who was effectively her campaign manager, and two daughters, six-year-old Ella, who Bach addresses as “princess”, and Lily, just seven months old.
“Ella saw this spider web in the garden and I pointed out how it is made, and how strong and resilient it is to bad weather and little critters,” said Coventry, who takes over officially at midnight Swiss time Monday (2200 GMT).
“But if one little bit breaks it becomes weaker. That spider web is our movement, it is complex, beautiful and strong but it only works if we remain together and united.”
‘Pure passion’
Coventry said she could not believe how her life had evolved since she first dreamt of Olympic glory in 1992.
“How lucky are we creating a platform for generations to come to reach their dreams,” she said to a packed audience in a marquee in the Olympic House garden, which comprised IOC members, including those she defeated, and dignitaries.
“It is amazing and incredible, indeed I cannot believe that from my dream in 1992 of going to an Olympic Games and winning a medal I would be standing here with you to make dreams for more young children round the world.”
Coventry, who served in the Zimbabwean government as sports and arts Minister from 2019 to this year, said the Olympic movement was much more than a “multi-sport event platform.”
“We (IOC members) are guardians of this movement, which is also about inspiring and changing lives and bringing hope,” she said.
“These things are not to be taken lightly and I will be working with each and every one of you to continue to change lives and be a beacon of hope in a divided world.
“I am really honoured to walk this journey with you.”
Bach, who during his tenure had to grapple with Russian doping and their invasions of the Crimea and Ukraine as well as the Covid pandemic, said he was standing down filled with “gratitude, joy and confidence” in his successor.
“With her election it sends out a powerful message, that the IOC continues to evolve,” said the 71-year-old German, who was named honorary lifetime president in Greece in March.
“It has its first female and African to hold this position, and the youngest president since Pierre de Coubertin. She represents the truly global and youthful spirit of our community.”
Bach, who choked back tears at one point during his valedictory speech, was praised to the rafters by Coventry, who was widely seen as his preferred candidate of the seven vying for his post.
After a warm embrace, she credited him with teaching her to “listen to people and to respect them,” and praised him for leading the movement with “pure passion and purpose.”
“You have kept us united through the most turbulent times.
“You left us with many legacies and hope, thank you from the bottom of my heart for leading us with passion and never wavering from our values.”
-AFP
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Former Zimbabwean swimmer Kirsty Coventry took over the leadership of the International Olympic Committee from Thomas Bach in a ceremony on Monday with the 2028 Los Angeles Games already threatening to fill her in-tray to overflowing.
Coventry, who starts her eight-year spell officially on Tuesday as the most powerful sports administrator in the world, became the first woman and first African to be elected head of the Olympic ruling body in March.
Much of the discussion during campaigning focused on the IOC’s need for change in its marketing strategies with several top Olympic sponsors having left in the past 12 months.
However, with Los Angeles hit by protests against immigration raids, and relations tense between state and city officials, and the U.S. government, the 2028 Games have become the major talking point in the movement that would ordinarily be focusing on next year’s Milano-Cortina Winter Games.
Coventry has long-standing ties with the United States, dating back to her time as a leading swimmer at Auburn University in Alabama. That will prove useful ahead of LA 2028, and she has said she will seek to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump to discuss the Games.
Coventry will also need to find time to help secure the long-term finances of the movement. The IOC, which generates billions of dollars in revenues each year in sponsorship and broadcasting deals for the Olympics, has secured $7.3 billion for 2025-28 and $6.2 billion for 2029-2032. More contracts are expected for both periods.
COMMERCIAL OPPORTUNITIES
Coventry is also expected to continue the IOC’s plans to expand commercial opportunities for sponsors at the Olympics with the organisation’s finances in a robust state and the privately-funded LA Olympics a good place to start.
Coventry needed only one round of voting to clinch the race to succeed Bach, beating six other candidates, making history for the African continent, with the IOC having been ruled for 131 years by European or North American men.
Her background and being the first female president will be assets in a diverse IOC membership and the international makeup of Olympic stakeholders.
On Monday she was handed the golden key to the IOC by Bach, who was the organisation’s president for 12 years.
“I am really honoured I get to walk this journey with you. I cannot wait for anything that lies ahead,” Coventry said in her address to IOC members and other Olympic stakeholders.
“I know I have the best team to support me and our movement over the next eight years.”
Coventry will hold a two-day workshop this week to get feedback from members on key IOC issues.
“Working together and consistently finding ways to strengthen and keep united our movement that will ensure that we wake up daily… to continue to inspire,” she said.
A seven-time Olympic medallist, Coventry won 200m backstroke gold at the 2004 Athens Games and in Beijing four years later.
“With her election, you have also sent a powerful message to the world: the IOC continues to evolve,” Bach said in his speech. “With Kirsty Coventry, the Olympic movement will be in the best of hands.”
-Reuters
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Penalties scored when a player accidentally touches the ball twice must be retaken, world soccer’s lawmaking body IFAB has said after Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez had his spot kick disallowed in a Champions League last-16 match.
During a tense shootout with Real Madrid in March, Argentine forward Alvarez slipped and the VAR spotted that his left foot touched the ball slightly before he kicked it with his right.
Although Alvarez converted the penalty, the goal was chalked off and Atletico went on to lose the shootout and were eliminated from the Champions League.
European soccer’s governing body UEFA said the correct decision was made under the current laws but IFAB (International Football Association Board) has said that in such cases the penalty must be retaken.
Atletico Madrid v Real Valladolid – Metropolitano, Madrid, Spain – April 14, 2025 Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez scores their first goal from the penalty spot REUTERS/Susana Vera/File Photo
“(When) the penalty taker accidentally kicks the ball with both feet simultaneously or the ball touches their non-kicking foot or leg immediately after the kick: if the kick is successful, it is retaken,” IFAB said in a circular.
“If the kick is unsuccessful, an indirect free kick is awarded (unless the referee plays advantage when it clearly benefits the defending team). In the case of penalties (penalty shootout), the kick is recorded as missed.”
The decision to disallow Alvarez’s penalty left Atletico boss Diego Simeone livid and the club’s fans outraged.
IFAB added that if the penalty taker deliberately kicks the ball with both feet or deliberately touches it a second time, an indirect free kick is awarded or, in the case of shootouts, it is recorded as missed.
The new procedures are effective for competitions starting on or after July 1, but IFAB said it may be used in competitions that start this month.
-Reuters
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