AFCON
Road to AFCON 2023 is mapped out
The draw for the Africa Cup of Nations, Côte d’Ivoire 2023 has been conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa on Tuesday evening, with exciting matches lined up towards next year’s tournament.
The draw was conducted by African football legends, former South Africa defender Lucas Radebe and ex Côte d’Ivoire forward Solomon Kalou.
Defending champions Senegal have been pooled in Group L where they will battle out with Benin, Mozambique and Rwanda.
Hosts Côte d’Ivoire are in Group H with Zambia, Comoros and Lesotho. Only one team will qualify from this group, alongside the hosts. Comoros who were one of the surprise packages at the delayed 2021 showpiece in Cameroon are seeking for a second consecutive qualification.
Losing finalists from the 2021 showpiece Egypt have meanwhile been drawn in Pool D and Mohamed Salah will fancy another battle against club teammate Naby Keita as they have been drawn with Guinea, Malawi and Ethiopia.
There will be several derbies as well with East African rivals Uganda and Tanzania drawn together again, and they will face off in Group F together with 2019 champions Algeria and Niger.
Uganda and Tanzania faced off in the qualifiers for the 2019 showpiece where they drew 0-0 in the first leg in Kampala and Tanzania winning 3-0 in Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania also faced Algeria at the subsequent tournament in Egypt, where they suffered a 3-0 defeat.
Check the complete draw of the 2023 Africa Cup of qualifiers that was conducted on Tuesday
The top two teams of each group qualify for the final tournament that will be held in Cote d’Ivoire in 2023. But in Group comprising of Cote d’Ivoire, Zambia, Comoros and Lesotho; only one team will qualify as Cote d’Ivoire are automatic qualifiers.
Group A
Nigeria
Sierra Leone
Guinea Bissau
Sao Tome / Mauritius
Group B
Burkina Faso
Cape Verde
Togo
Eswatini
Group C
Cameroon
Kenya
Namibia
Burundi
Group D
Egypt
Guinea
Malawi
Ethiopia
Group E
Ghana
Madagascar
Angola
Central African Republic
Group F
Algeria
Uganda
Niger
Tanzania
Group G
Mali
Congo
Gambia
South Sudan
Group H
Cote d’Ivoire
Zambia
Comoros
Lesotho
Group I
DR Congo
Gabon
Mauritania
Sudan
Group J
Tunisia
Equatorial Guinea
Libya
Botswana
Group K
Morocco
South Africa
Zimbabwe
Liberia
Group L
Senegal
Benin
Mozambique
Rwanda
AFCON
Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen
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
AFCON
Rwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash
The goalless outing of Rwanda and Nigeria in Tuesday’s Africa Cup of Nations’ qualifying match has thrown up some lessons, according to New Times, the leading newspaper in Rwanda.
New Times reckons that both teams put up a great show as Amavubi showed their pedigree against one of the giants in African football. It then pointed out the five elements that shaped the game.
Amavubi played with total confidence
No African country comes close to Nigeria in terms of “big players” country. Almost all their players are playing for top clubs in Europe’s top leagues but that did not deter Frank Spittler’s men.
They played with total confidence and self-belief. At a point in the game, Rwanda and APR FC left-back Claude Niyomugabo was mesmerizing former Chelsea and Lazio player Ola Aina who is now with Nottingham forest to the point that he was booked his jersey when he couldn’t match his pace.
Confidence among Rwandan players was high and it helped them to get goalless draw results.
Bizimana, the midfield controller
The Amavubi skipper pocketed Nigerian midfield led by Wilfred Ndidi. He run a one-man show in the middle of the pitch as he was unplayable.
His passes and tackles were superb. He track-backed several times as deep as his own penalty box to win balls.
Lookman’s danger left Rwandan defense shaking
Victor Osimhen is arguably Nigeria’s star man but it is clear that Ademola Lookman is the most dangerous player in the team.
He could hold on the ball, dribble, shoot and pass. The Atalanta winger was the best player for the visitors as he gave Amavubi a tough time before being substituted in the 89th minute for Taiwo Awoniyi.
Amavubi’s attacking problem
“The only problem with my team is in attack. You could see the difference between my attackers and the Nigerian attackers but that is what we have now. Maybe it is the Nigerian attackers who should have played against the Nigerian defenders. We created some chances but couldn’t score.”
These were some of the comments made by Amavubi head coach Torsten Spittler in the post-match press conference.
Rwanda looked solid both at the back and in midfield but the likes of Innocent Nshuti and Gilbert Mugisha weren’t up to the task in attack.
They wasted three good chances that could have resulted in goals.
Goal scoring is a problem for Amavubi and Spittler is ready to find an antidote. The German gaffer was, however, happy that his team was able to create chances which is a sign of improvement.
Fiacre Ntwari’s heroics
The Amavubi shot stopper was the hero of the day for Rwanda, and he has showed why he is among the best goalkeepers in Africa now.
Against a rampaging Nigerian attack of Victor Boniface, Osimhen, Lookman, Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze among others, Ntwari pulled as many as nine superb saves to keep his side in the game.
The Kaizer Chiefs shot stopper was very cool in the posts as he prevented the Nigerian attackers from scoring.
Ntwari, is gradually carving a niche for himself and he is proving to be a key component of the Amavubi set up.
AFCON
Austin Eguavoen remains the ‘Big Boss’, says NFF
BY KUNLE SOLAJA
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has clarified the position of interim manager of the Super Eagles, Austin Eguavoen. “He is still in charge”, the NFF Head of Communications, Ademola Olajire told Sports Village Square, this Wednesday.
Austin Eguavoen who is the Technical Director at the NFF was drafted to handle the Super Eagles when the negotiation with Germany’s Bruno Labbadia broke down. Eguavoen, a former Super Eagles player and later coach was drafted to rescue the situation.
It was claimed that having executed the Super Eagles’ immediate assignments, his job was done. But the NFF spokesman has clarified that nothing has changed from the initial announcement concerning Eguavoen.
“He remains with the team and his is an employee of the NFF which has drafted him to the Super Eagles. He remains there until the federation takes another decision.
“He was surprised when we landed from our Kigali trip and I showed the trending news on the social media.”
The Super Eagles’ next assignment will be on MatchDay 3 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers next month when the team hosts Libya in Uyo.
-
AFCON6 days ago
Super Eagles lead Afcon Group D qualifiers despite Benin’s defeat of Libya
-
AFCON5 days ago
Austin Eguavoen remains the ‘Big Boss’, says NFF
-
AFCON6 days ago
Why I benched Osimhen again – Eguavoen
-
AFCON4 days ago
Rwanda newspaper gives 5 lessons gleaned from Rwanda-Nigeria clash
-
Nigerian Football5 days ago
Westerhof recommends Siasia for Super Eagles’ job
-
AFCON6 days ago
Nigeria’s managerial crisis resumes as Eguavoen reportedly declines to continue
-
AFCON1 week ago
Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!
-
AFCON4 days ago
Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen