Angola 2010 : GHANA VS NIGERIA IN SEMI-FINALS CLASH

By Stephen Amos, sheggs.blogspot.com

Ghana will face West African rivals Nigeria in Thursday's Africa Cup of Nations semi-final clash at the Estadio de 11 Novembro in Luanda.
Nigeria progressed to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals by beating Zambia 5-4 on penalties and will meet Ghana in the semi-finals on Thursday.

It took 120 minutes and a penalty shoot out for the Eagles of Nigeria to fly past the Chipolopolo of Zambia and qualify for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Angola. Nigeria got the advantage after Nyirenda missed the third spot kick for Zambia. Super Eagles' goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeam secured a win by for Nigeria by scoring the last spot kick to make the shoot 5-4 in favour of the Eagles.

Everton FC's striker, Yakubu Aiyegbeni is the stand-in captain of the super eagles after injury ruled out substantive captain Joseph Yobo earlier in their group match against Benin. In an interview with Boss Fm's(in Ghana) sports desk, Yakubu spoke of the rivalry between the two big football nations on the continent and expectations of Thursday's titanic encounter.

"We are not going on a revenge mission. It is no revenge. Ghanaians are like our brothers. We are very close and whenever Nigeria plays against Ghana, it is a big rivalry. They did so well the last time in 2008 as the host country, we got beaten by them and hopefully now that we have got the opportunity to play them, we hope to beat them and do them the same."

He went on to make a statement of intent on the ongoing tournament as to wanting to play in the finals.

"Of late, we find it difficult in the nations cup and we just were unlucky the last time we went out when Ghana beat us but hopefully, i hope it is not going to be the same. We want to play in the finals."

"We want to win the cup and we have teaams like Ghana, they are a good team and even Egypt too. They are are all good teams and it is not going to be easy but for us, we are going to win. Our mentality is going there to win and fight for each other, hopefully we get to the finals and there, we will see how it goes."

Egypt will meet north African rivals Algeria, in a repeat of their tense and controversial World Cup play-off match in November, which saw Algeria progress to South Africa.

NO CHANGE IN AFCON FORMAT

Europe's big clubs who regularly criticize the staging of the Africa Cup of Nations will have to live with the current format.

The continental competition is held every two years and is regularly criticized as European clubs are forced to let their players go in the middle of the season.

CAF President Issa Hayatou said that there was no possibility of staging the competition on a four-year cycle and but that plans to stage it on odd years was being examined.

Such a move would allow CAF to hold its showcase event on years that don't feature other major tournaments, like the World Cup or the European Championship.

"The decision is actually pending," Hayatou said in an Associated Press report.

"No decision has been taken yet. This requires a great reflection on the feasibility, particularly in terms of qualifying for major competitions."

Hayatou added that the tournament was an opportunity for all African countries to develop their infrastructures.

In Angola, where this year's Afcon is currently being played, new stadiums were built in Luanda and three other cities.

"We need sports infrastructure in our countries," Hayatou said. "Four stadiums were built in Ghana 2008, another four this year in Angola. These would not have happened without the Afcon. Afcon is a development tool not only in the football area."

The next Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in 2012.

Source: Kickoffghana

Paraguay soccer star shot in Mexico Citybar

By Stephen Wade, Ap Sports Writer

MEXICO CITY – Salvador Cabanas, the top player on Paraguay's World Cup team, was shot in the head before dawn Monday in the bathroom of a bar in a well-off neighborhood in Mexico City.

The 29-year-old striker underwent surgery in which doctors failed to remove a bullet lodged in his skull. Dr. Ernesto Martinez, who was part of the surgical team, said "we cannot guarantee that his life is out of danger." He called the player's condition stable.

"Injuries like this are unpredictable," Martinez added. "We don't know what kind aftereffects he might have — perhaps none, or perhaps there will be many. We don't know right now."

Mexico City Attorney General Miguel Angel Mancera visited the popular nightspot "Bar Bar" and said from the crime scene robbery did not appear a motive "because nothing was taken."

Mancera later said a suspect had been identified from surveillance videos as a man with an accent from the northern state of Sinaloa — long considered the cradle of Mexico's drug lords — who traveled with at least one bodyguard.

However, Mancera said that as of yet "there is no indication of organized crime," a term Mexican officials use to refer to drug cartels.

Mancera said the suspect was known by the nickname "J.J." or "El Modelo" ("The Model") and was being sought. He said one of the suspect's associates was seen talking to a Cuban woman who worked at the club, and one possible motive was "there could have been some kind of trouble" over the woman. Cabanas was in the bar with his wife.

He said a cleaning employee said there had been "an argument, a strong exchange of words" between two men in the bathroom before a shot was fired.

The videos showed that club employees did not attempt to stop the suspects as they hurriedly left the bar and got in a car.

"Nobody did anything to stop them," Mancera said.

Cabanas plays for the Mexico City team America. Club president Michel Bauer said Cabanas was conscious when he arrived at the hospital and was speaking as he awaited surgery.

"He was a bit confused and didn't know what had happened and he was asking where they were taking him and why they were taking him there," Bauer told Mexico television Televisa.

Bauer said Cabanas' wife told him the two were preparing to leave the bar when the shooting took place in a bathroom. His wife said she found her husband on the bathroom floor.

Mancera said four people were being questioned — two security guards, the bar manager and Cabanas' brother-in-law. He said the brother-in-law volunteered to testify.

Authorities in the city's leafy Alvaro Obregon borough ordered the bar closed Monday, saying it had failed to provide adequate security for its customers based on the shooting.

Cabanas has played in the Mexico league since 2003 and is the highest-profile player on his national team. Paraguay will face Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia in the group stage of the World Cup in South Africa in June.

Cabanas has 125 goals in 218 games in Mexico and played last weekend in America's 2-0 loss to Morelia. This month he drew attention from Sunderland manager Steve Bruce, who expressed interest in adding Cabanas to his club in England's Premier League.

"Club America is deeply sorry for what happened to our beloved Salvador Cabanas and shows its total support for his family and loved ones," the Mexican team said in a statement.

Paraguayan Football Association president Juan Angel Napout said a doctor would travel to Mexico to assist Cabanas.

"We are praying for him," Napout said.

Cabanas was honored as South America's soccer player of the year in 2007 by Uruguay's El Pais newspaper, the only time a player in Mexico has won the award.

There is a long history of violence involving Latin American soccer players. Most prominently, Colombia defender Andres Escobar was shot and killed in his home country days after his own-goal helped the United States defeat the Colombians 2-1 in a major upset at the 1994 World Cup.

AFRICA TO RECEIVE $150m

African soccer will receive $150m in television and marketing income over the next eight years in a significant increase in revenue for the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Up to two years ago CAF were paid $5m annually for African Champions League rights and $5.5m every two years for the African Nations Cup.

CAF’s financial report, released ahead of their congress in Luanda on Friday, said the organisation had an operating profit of $939 000 over the last financial year and a cash balance of $18.8m.

It said CAF were spending almost $25m on three training centres in Cameroon, Ethiopia and Senegal.

French company SportFive have the exclusive rights to all African competitions at national, youth and club level.

Angola 2010 : KALUSHA BWALYA SEEKS REVENGE AS ZAMBIA CLASH WITH NIGERIA

Memories of the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations finals are likely to be replayed this evening when Nigeria’s Super Eagles face Chipolopolo of Zambia in the 2010 AFCON quarter-finals in Lubango, Angola.

President of the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ), Kalusha Bwalya, was captain when Zambia last clashed with Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations. Speaking to MTNFootball.com, Kalusha Bwalya, said that the current squad has shown their mettle against top teams in the continent and can claim the Super Eagles' scalp on the way to the final.

“We are very delighted to be through to the quarter-final after 14 years. We feel liberated, extremely pleased, with a lot of confidence that this team can show what they are capable of,” Bwalya said.

“The target was to get to the quarter-final, which has not been achieved for a long time. Every other thing on the way would be a bonus, but we feel confident that anything can happen now.”

Asked about the Nigeria quarter-final challenge, Bwalya observed: “We will look at Nigeria now; we did not concentrate on them before now. We have time to look at them in more details. We played against them in Durban in a friendly. The stakes were different then and we are very conscious of that. It was important for us to play against a team like Nigeria at the time we did in South Africa. We did not know that we would meet at this stage of the tournament. Everything put together, we do not expect anything less than a cup final. When we started, every game was a cup final for us and this will be an even more daunting cup final for us.

“We all said before the friendly in Durban that this was the first time Zambia were meeting Nigeria since that game in 1994. We all understand how important it is to meet a team like the Super Eagles, who have a good coach and exceptionally talented players. We hope we can play as well as we have played to stand a chance of going through to the next round.”

Zambia will be facing Nigeria at 19.30GMT in Lubango. Nigeria's coach, Amodu Shaibu is set to field the same squad that spanked Mozambique 3-0 in the third round of the group mathces to book a place in the quarter-finals of the African cup of nations.

NIGERIAN STEPHEN WORGU DENIED AL AHLY MOVE

By Stephen Amos, sheggs.blogspot.com


El Merreikh striker Stephen Worgu who was close to signing with Egyptian giants Al Ahly recently is set to stay for one more season with the Sudanese club after the deal fell through due to his club's reluctance in releasing him.

It would be recalled that few weeks ago, the striker was on the verge of signing for Ahly but officials of the club persuaded him to stay for one more season. Certainly some arm twisting did take place behind closed doors and the striker did confirm this to a radio station in Ghana.

"It is true i was negotiating with Ahly and a team in Switzerland and my team refused to let me move but it is not clear if i would like to stay for one year", the Nigerian International told Boss Fm's Stephen Amos.

The youngstar added that now his fate lies in the hand of the man upstairs, but expressed his strong desire to live the borders of Sudan and return to Africa.

"I have been looking forward in a move on but God has plans for me. His decisions are ok with me because i was not expecting to be back here (Sudan) due to things that came my way".

"Merreikh has done well for me, the fans, players, officials and particularly, the club president so i owe him my stay and i will put my best this season for my club El Merreikh".

The 20 year old former Eyimba Fc of Aba striker who joined El Merreikh in 2008 on a record $2.6million deal had agreed to join Al Ahly of Egypt in a loan deal but was persuaded by club president to stay for one more season due to consistent pressure from supporters of the club calling for his stay. However, Stephen Worgu could decide to move out in the next summer. Watch this space.

Angola 2010 : Oh Drogba, Pourquoii?

Didier Drogba's Ivory Coast are heading home after the substitute Hameur Bouazza earned Algeria a 3-2 extra-time win in Cabinda tonight and a place in the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals.

The France-born Blackpool midfielder Bouazza headed home two minutes into extra-time after Algeria twice came from behind in the quarter-final between two World Cup-bound teams. The Algerians will now play either the defending champions, Egypt, or Cameroon, who meet in Benguela tomorrow.

Karim Matmour cancelled out Salomon Kalou's fourth-minute opener for Ivory Coast, one of the pre-tournament favourites, just before the break. No sooner had Abdulkader Keita fired into the top corner one minute from time to restore the lead than Algeria's Madjid Bougherra headed home to force the game into the extra 30 minutes.

Speaking to BBC, Hameur Bouazza said,
"I am really happy. We came up with what we wanted," said Algeria coach Rabah Saadane.

"I wasn't surprised by my team, but more by the decline of the Ivory Coast side. The critics said after we beat Mali (1-0) that we only scored goals from dead ball situations, well here we scored three goals from open play!"


Drogba failed to impose himself on the Algerian defence and missed a couple of clear chances. Kolo Touré, the Manchester City defender, had had the ball in the net in the dying seconds but was flagged offside.

Ivorian fans back home where very disappointed by the result of the game. Here are some snapshots from fans back home. They were left asking 'pourquoi'?...

Angola 2010 : GHANA EDGES PAST HOST TO REACH SEMI FINALS

Ghana’s Black Stars reached the last four of the Orange Africa Cup of Nations with a lone goal victory over hosts Angola on Sunday in Luanda.

Striker Asamoah Gyan scored the only goal of the match in the first half as the Ghanaians cut short the campaign of the host nation.

The Palancas Negras unsettled the Black Stars with dominance in possession in response to the loud cheers and chants from their teeming fans, who flooded almost every seat at the stadia.

The Ghanaians weathered the storm but lateral defenders Samuel Inkoom at the right and Hans Adu Sarpei appeared jittery allowing petit midfielder Djalma Campos threats at goal.

On the quarter-hour mark, the roaring stadium went dead as the Black Stars, four-time winners of the biennial competition struck the opener. Playmaker Kwadwo Asamoah laid a perfect long pass towards the Angolan goal area which located Asamoah Gyan, who outpaced captain Alonso Carlos “Kali” in a close chase before firing into the right corner of the net, with Angola goalie Fernandes Carlos’ elastic-limit stretch not enough to stop the ball.

Gyan, scorer of the fastest goal at the Germany 2006 FIFA World Cup celebrated with finger plastered on his lip, signifying silence.

The crowd roared on and the Palancas Negras responded with several attacks led by Djalma who proved a tough customer for his markers, leaving them with no option than fouling him.

On 29 minutes, Manucho was robbed off the equalizer by the Black Stars veteran goalkeeper Richard Kingson, as the Wigan goalie saved his goalbound header. Djalma’s surging runs on the right proved positive but they lacked the cutting edge upfront.

Five minutes on, Ghana goalie Kingson surprisingly dropped his vast experience to the cleaners for a basic offence of holding unto the ball for a long time, leading to an indirect free-kick, which Flavio blasted wide to his relief.

The Black Stars maintained hold of their thin lead at half time thanks Manucho’s wide kick from close range through an ensuing goalmouth scramble.

Angola coach Jose Manuel introduced local hero Ricardo Job in the second half, and the Petro Atletico midfielder returned the confidence with surging runs from the left, as the hosts continued their search for the equalizer.

The Angolans resorted to circuit passes after the long balls to Flavio and Manucho were curtailed by the Ghanaian defense.

As the clock ticked on, the Angolan fans never lost hope cheering on but their players failed to give them what they were expecting – the equalizer.

Burly defender shattered the hopes of the home fans by scooping Kali’s kick which was zooming into the net, completing ending the campaign of the hosts.

Ghana midfielder Asamoah was named the Orange man-of-the-match whilst Angolan midfielder Fernando Costa “Chara” the Samsung Fair Play award.

ESSIEN STAYS UPBEAT DESPITE INJURY SETBACK

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien is staying upbeat despite missing the next four to six weeks after he suffered a meniscus injury while training with Ghana in Angola for the African Cup of Nations.

"Injuries are part of what we do and I am not going to let this affect me at all."

"It's a shame because I hate sitting in the stands watching my team mates both at Chelsea and in the Ghanaian team," Essien told his personal website.

"Those who know me know that I love being on the pitch and that is what I will be working towards. I want to be back playing as soon as possible'
"I am on first name terms with all the medical team now," he joked, "so it will be business as usual with them and I have no doubt I am in the best hands at the moment."

"I have already started dreaming about coming back and carrying on where I left off and I hope it will be soon.

"Hopefully I can come back and help the team achieve our aims of the season."

Essien thanked those who showed their support while he was in Africa with Ghana.

"I will like to say a big thank you to all the fans who read my CAN 2010 blogs and sent me lovely messages and comments. Sorry I had to leave early but I enjoyed reading your encouraging words and funny comments," he said.

"Finally a massive good luck to the Black Stars at CAN 2010. Keep fighting hard as usual and I am sure we can make it all the way," he concluded.