AFCON
Egypt Face Anxious Wait Over Salah Injury After Ghana Draw –
Mohammed Kudus scored a brace of goals but Ghana twice let a lead slip to draw 2-2 with Egypt in their Africa Cup of Nations Group B clash in Abidjan on Thursday, with the latter facing an anxious wait over an injury concern for Mohamed Salah.
Salah limped out of the game just before halftime with what appeared a muscle injury as he grabbed the back of his leg following a bursting run. It will have set off alarm bells at Liverpool, too.
Both teams still have work to do to qualify for the knockout rounds. Record seven-time winners Egypt, who had Omar Marmoush and Mostafa Mohamed on the scoresheet, have two points from two games and face pool leaders Cape Verde next on Monday.
Ghana have gone a team record six games without a win at the Cup of Nations and have a single point from their two matches. They will likely have to beat Mozambique in their final pool fixture to book a knockout place.
Salah’s fitness for the remainder of the tournament could be the difference between success and failure for an Egypt side that have looked a little out of sorts having arrived in the Ivory Coast in excellent form.
Ghana were shocked by Cape Verde in their pool opener and while this was a better display, coach Chris Hughton will be desperately disappointed they gave away a lead twice in five minutes.
There was plenty of hustle and bustle in the first half, but not much in the way of goalmouth action until deep into stoppage time.
Kudus picked up the ball 30-yards from goal and worked space for a shot, rifling his effort into the back of the net from the edge of the box.
The north African side turned up the pressure after the break and camped in the Ghana half, but were wayward with their finishing until they were handed a gift.
Inaki Williams’ poor back pass was straight into the path of Omar Marmoush and the forward rounded Richard Ofori in the Ghana goal to score.
Two minutes later the west Africans were back in front as an unsighted Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy could not keep out Kudus’ curling shot from 15 yards.
Egypt had conceded two goals in a game once in their previous 28 matches at the Cup of Nations before these finals but have now done it twice in as many matches.
The Pharaohs made it three goals in five minutes though as Mostafa turned in Trezeguet’s cut-back from the byline to equalise for the second time and share the spoils.
-Reuters
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
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.
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.
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