International Football
Remo Stars’ loss to Enugu Rangers headlines CAF’s African Club Round-up
In this Monday’s review of the domestic leagues in African countries, CAF’s website focused on the duel between Enugu Rangers and Remo Stars as the major event in the continent. Remo Stars’ unbeaten streak was suddenly terminated as the team had hoped to strengthen their hold on the top position in the Nigeria Premier Football League.
Remo Stars had gone on a 77-day winning streak and inflicted home and away defeats on some of Nigeria’s legacy clubs.
Their Sunday encounter with Enugu Rangers ended in a 2-1 loss. CAF website captured it thus:
African football is alive every weekend with exciting league action around the continent and our weekly round-up of league action highlights a selection of the most important results.
NIGERIA
Remo Stars lost to Enugu Rangers in the Professional Football League on Sunday but still have a comfortable eight-point lead at the top of the table.
Rangers beat them 2-1 in Enugu on Sunday allowing them to move into third spot and to within two points of second-placed Shooting Stars, who lost 2-1 to Heartland in Owerri on Sunday.
Remo Stars had been unbeaten in their last eight league games but were undone through goals in the first 50 minutes from Isaac Saviour and Kingsley Maduforo, before a late consolation from Hadi Haruna set up a nervy conclusion to the contest.
Two of the three goals in Shooting Stars’ loss at Heartland came from the penalty spot after Chukwuma Agor had the hosts ahead with a deflected effort.
Stars equalised from the spot through Mustapha Adams, who had been fouled and got up off the grass to convert.
Four minutes later, the home side was awarded a penalty and although Stars goalkeeper Mustapha Lawal saved John Bassey’s kick, the referee ordered a retake with Bassey making no mistake the second time around.
Rivers United slipped to fourth after a 1-0 loss to Enyimba in Aba where Imo Odot scored the game’s only goal.
ALGERIA
A five-goal thriller saw Mouloudia Alger edge JS Kabylie 3-2 in Algiers on Thursday and restore a two-point advantage at the top of the standings as Ligue 1 returned to regular action after a six-week break.
The club competing in the CAF club competition have played catch-up games throughout January and MCA were, therefore, a touch sharper than their visitors in the ‘classico’ with Tayeb Meziani’s 78th minute goal proving decisive.
MCA were 2-0 up after 65 minutes through Akram Bouras’ deflected effort and Zakaria Naidji’s tuck away.
New Russian signing Ivan Ignatjev came off the bench to score JSK’s first with a headed goal in the 72nd minute and a late consolation came from Redouane Berkane.
Chabab Belouizdad had gone top the previous evening with their 3-0 home win over Khenchela in Algiers in a dream start for new coach Sead Ramovic, who joined from Tanzania’s Young Africans. MC Alger sit on 31 points from 16 games and Belouizdad on 29.
In third place are USM Alger on 26, having dropped points in a goalless draw at bottom of the log US Biskra on Friday.
More key games are ahead in midweek with MC Alger at Paradou and Belouizdad away against Entente Setif on Thursday.
ZAMBIA
The top five teams in the Super League all won at the weekend, but defending champions Red Arrows were the big losers as they fell seven points behind after losing 1-0 to leaders ZESCO United as Pasco Phiri scored the only goal of the game in Ndola on Saturday.
ZESCO have 46 points from 24 games, two more than Kabwe Warriors in second place, and a further two ahead of third-placed Power Dynamos. Nkana and Nkwazi both have 40 points.
Warriors were 1-0 winners in Kabwe on Saturday as they edged Zanaco thanks to a strike seven minutes from full-time by Simon Tonga.
Power Dynamos claimed a 2-0 victory at Atletico Lusaka on Saturday to keep their title chances alive as Fredrick Mulambia and a penalty from Brian Masanyinga gave them the points while Nkana defeated 10-man Green Eagles 1-0 as Clement Mwape’s goal on the stroke of halftime in Kitwe on Sunday proved the difference.
UGANDA
Vipers extended their lead in the Premier League after two successive wins after the campaign’s restart last week.
They beat Marrons 1-0 in Kitende last Monday and followed that up with a 2-0 away triumph over Kampala Capital City Authority on Sunday.
It was a fifth successive league win for Vipers, who are now three clear of National Enterprise Corporation, who dropped points in a 1-1 away draw against Police in Wakiso on Sunday.
The two have a major points advantage over the rest of the pack with Vipers 10 points ahead of third-placed Uganda Revenue Authority.
MADAGASCAR
AS Fanalamanga, with seven points, lead after three rounds of the national championship despite being held at home in Ambatondrazaka by Elgeco Plus on Saturday.
The 0-0 draw moved Elgeco to five points. Fosa Juniors are third with four points but were held 0-0 by Disciples on Sunday in Mahajanga.
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Esperance de Jerjis of Tunisia has announced the reinforcement of its ranks with two Nigerian players, Chigozie Erochukwu and Success Item.
The two reportedly signed contracts with the team for a year and a half.
They become replacements for another player, Senegalese central defender Fallo Mendy who left to join AS FAR of Morocco.
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Former Cameroon captain and coach Rigobert Song has been appointed to take over the Central African Republic’s national team, the country’s sports ministry said on Tuesday without disclosing any terms.
The 48-year-old Song, who played as a central defender for his country at four World Cups and then coached the Indomitable Lions at the finals in Qatar in 2022, takes over from the Swiss coach Raoul Savoy, who was fired in October during their unsuccessful Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign.
They are, however, still involved in World Cup qualification and resume their campaign in March with home matches against Madagascar and Mali.
The Central African Republic sit in fifth place in Group I with four points from four matches, five behind co-leaders Comoros and Ghana.
Song, whose club career took in spells at Liverpool, West Ham United, Racing Lens and Galatasaray, had a confrontation with Andre Onana during the last World Cup that led to the goalkeeper leaving the tournament in Qatar.
-Reuters
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U.S. Soccer said on Friday that the U.S. women’s national team’s training camp has been moved from Los Angeles to Miami due to the wildfires that have devastated Southern California.
The camp for the Paris Olympic champions will start three days later than planned and run from Jan. 17-23 at Inter Miami’s Florida Blue Training Center in Ft. Lauderdale instead of Dignity Health Sports Park in Carson.
U.S. Women’s National Team starting XI before the match against Ireland at Q2 Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Scott Wachter-Imagn Images/File Photo
“The safety of our players and staff is always our top priority, and with the fires still burning, many areas in a state of emergency, and the air quality next week an unknown, we made the decision to move the camps,” said Matt Crocker, U.S. Soccer’s sporting director.
Firefighters finally started gaining control over two major wildfires on the eastern and western flanks of Los Angeles on Friday as fierce winds that supercharged the fires for days finally eased.
Six simultaneous wildfires have devastated Los Angeles County neighborhoods since Tuesday, killed at least 11 people and damaging or destroyed 10,000 structures.
The U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team offered words of encouragement to Los Angeles on Friday.
“Team USA holds the city of Los Angeles, our future summer Games host, in our hearts and thanks all those who are lending their support to those affected.”
Olympic organizers LA28 said they had gathered resources, opens new tab for those in need of support amid what is among the worst natural disasters in California history.
“We are eternally grateful to the firefighters, first responders, and everyday Angelenos working around the clock to keep us safe from the devastating wildfires,” LA28 said in a statement.
-Reuters
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