AFCON
African Legends Diouf, Gyan, Hassan And Okocha First To Sign Up For The CAF Ambassadors Program –
African football legends El Hadji Diouf, Asamoah Gyan, Ahmed Hassan and Augustine ‘Jay-Jay’ Okocha are the first names to be signed up in the newly-established CAF Ambassadors program.
Football Legends, community role models and other popular personalities will form part of the CAF Ambassadors Programme. Their role will include promoting CAF and African Football, as well as playing an important role in other activities including tournaments, charity initiatives, commercial and social events amongst others.
The criteria for selecting the four legends who are well-known public figures include but not limited to sporting and career achievement, social impact and commercial value.
Diouf, a two-time CAF Player of the Year is fondly remembered for his exploits with the Teranga Lions of Senegal’s golden generation of the 2000’s which reached the final of the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations and also the quarters of the FIFA World Cup in South Korea and Japan.
On the other hand, Gyan had a remarkable career rising to captain of Ghana’s Black Stars, and featuring in seven Africa Cup of Nations, reaching the final in 2010 and 2015. His six goals from three FIFA World Cups makes him the African with the most goals in the history of the Mundial.
On his part, Hassan remains one of the most decorated players in the history of African football, winning four Africa Cup of Nations titles with the Pharaohs of Egypt – 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010. He also famous for his over 170 caps with Egypt, which ranks him amongst the most capped players of all time.
Nigeria’s iconic midfielder Okocha was a delight to watch during his hey days. He won the Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles in 1994 and also Olympic gold two years later in Atlanta, USA.
The Ambassadors Program is expected to open CAF and its activities to new frontiers with the inclusion of personalities from other fields, and also commercial benefits and social impact across the continent.
Through the continuous connection with legends and celebrities, the program will open up new revenue streams for CAF and also enhance engagement with fans and other stakeholders globally.
Meanwhile, CAF will announce more names that will form part of the Ambassadors Programme in due course.
-CAF
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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