Olympics
It’s a do-or-die match, says bullish Banyana coach ahead of clash with Nigeria
Banyana Banyana have all to do as they look to overturn a 0-1 defeat they suffered to Nigeria in the Paris Olympic qualifier on Friday when they meet in the return leg at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tonight (7.30pm).
A 2-0 victory for Banyana will be enough to book them a place in Paris later this year, while the Super Falcons just need to avoid a defeat in Tshwane this evening to progress.
Banyana coach Desiree Ellis said they will leave everything on the pitch to make sure they are victorious.
“We always knew it was a two-legged match and we wanted to get a positive result in Nigeria and that didn’t happen, but I thought we played better in the second half,” Ellis told Safa media yesterday.
“We are a ball-playing team and we created some of the opportunities in Nigeria. We all know it is a big match, we all know that the winner of the two legs ultimately goes to the Olympics and we want to be there.
“For us, it’s a game where we have to put in everything and there is no second-guessing, there are no second chances, it’s a game where we have to score and try to get a goal as early as we can.”
Ellis also highlighted that they will need to be cautious about their approach as they still come up against a formidable side in the Super Falcons.
“We know we are coming up against a team that is leading 1-0 and we have to be ready for any eventuality in the way we think they might play. It’s a do-or-die match, there is no second chance and we have to go for it,” she said.
“We want to make sure we leave everything out on that pitch, we want to make sure we get the result and we have shown playing at home that we can score goals.
“But we are coming up against a formidable opponent, so we still have to show caution, but go for it.”
Banyana will have striker Sinoxolo Cesane available for this match after missing the first leg in Nigeria due to visa issues.
The winner tonight will join Group C in Paris alongside Spain, Japan and Brazil.
-Sowetan
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
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