AFCON

Football fever sweeps Cameroon capital ahead of Africa Cup of Nations

Published

3 years ago

January 9, 2022

Ambiana Samira and her sisters spent hours tracking down tickets for the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon’s capital, as growing excitement ahead of the continental competition meant many vendors had run out.

The three women cheered when they finally secured tickets at a kiosk in Yaounde’s outer suburbs on Friday, guaranteeing them seats for Sunday’s clash between Burkina Faso and first-time hosts Cameroon.

“Since this morning we’ve gone to all the booths,” the 21-year-old student said with relief, clutching her ticket.

Cameroon has had an anxious run-up to the tournament with concerns raised over incomplete building work, security issues in some regions and the threat of coronavirus outbreaks as large number of players and staff descend on the under-resourced country.

All spectators will need to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter stadiums – an incentive for some soccer fans, including Samira and her family, to get the jab in recent days.

The flag-decked streets of Yaounde were buzzing with excitement on the Friday before kick-off, as an open-top bus toured the centre with Cameroonian supporters dancing and tooting vuvuzelas.

“We are very proud to have organised this, you see we are in the streets to make the streets and the city beautiful,” said Ambassa Maurice, who was fixing flags of the 24 participating teams to lamp posts.

Traditionally one of Africa’s strongest soccer nations, Cameroon are this time viewed as more of an outside bet for a title they have won on five occasions, most recently in 2017.

At Yaounde’s brand new 60,000-capacity Olembe stadium, workers made checks ahead of Sunday’s game.

“We are very happy to welcome so many foreigners in our country, to have jewels such as our stadium here,” said its security officer Josue Sefty. “We are happy to host this event, it’s a great thing for us.”

-Reuters

AFCON

Libya sacks coach ahead of AFCON qualifying back-to-back matches with Nigeria

Published

4 days ago

September 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

Milutin Sredojević

The Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has sacked its Serbian coach, Milutin Sredojević who is popularly known as Micho.

This is coming ahead of Libya’s back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations clashes with Nigeria next month.

Paradoxically, Sports Village Square gathered that the coach’s contract was only recently renewed for six months before the axe fell on the Serbian.

His sack was precipitated by the results obtained in their teo matches of the AFCON qualifiers.

Libya drew 1-1 with Rwanda at home and lost 2-1 away to Benin Republic despite beig a goal up at half time.

The Libyan side, Mediterranean Knights are due to play against the Nigeria Super Eagles in Uyo on 6 October while the return leg holds on 14 October at the 11 July Stadium in Tripoli.

According to information Sports Village Square gathered from Tripoli, the Mediterranean Knights’ coach, Micho led the Libyan national team to win nine matches since taking over in October of last year, he failed to build a strong team due to his poor choices.

He also took a risk with the footballers chosen in the AFCON qualifiers, and the result was shocking to the Libyan sports audience.

According to sources close to the Libyan Football Federation, there is a strong tendency to sign a national coach to lead the Libyan team during the remaining qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations.

AFCON

CAF president blasts Ghana, others over stadium ban

Published

4 days ago

September 17, 2024

Kunle Solaja

CAF President Patrice Motsepe has lashed out at Ghana and some other African countries whose home grounds were recently banned from hosting CAF matches owing to inadequate facilities. He made the remarks in Nairobi, Kenya during a press conference,

After the MatchDay 2 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, CAF ruled Ghana’s Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi as being inadequate to host international matches. Being the only approved ground in the country, Ghana will now look towards either Cote d’Ivoire or Togo for their remaining home matches of the Afcon qualifiers.

Other African countries without approved home grounds are: Djibouti, Chad, Niger, Eritrea, Gabon, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Madagascar, São Tomé and Burundi.

Motsepe voiced his frustration over the recurring issue of nations being unable to host home games.

“Nothing frustrates me more than a national team or club side having to play home matches outside,” he stated.

He stressed the significance of playing in front of home fans, adding, “You can’t grow football if the national teams or club sides aren’t playing in front of their home fans.”

Motsepe reiterated CAF’s commitment to working with countries to ensure they have at least one suitable stadium to host international fixtures.

“Our conversations in every country are to make sure there is at least one stadium capable of hosting a CAF category C game,” he emphasized.

AFCON

Present and Past as CAF Coaches Symposium unites Rohr, Peseiro and Eguavoen

Published

1 week ago

September 12, 2024

Kunle Solaja

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