The Nation Newspaper

Tag: AFCON

  • AFCON: Ghanaians in Lagos confident of Black Stars’ victory

    AFCON: Ghanaians in Lagos confident of Black Stars’ victory

    Ghanaians in Lagos on Monday expressed confidence that the Black Stars of Ghana would win the ongoing 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Gabon.

    The Black Stars of Ghana were drawn in group D alongside Mali, Uganda and Egypt.

    Ghana has already won two of their group matches against Mali and Uganda with 1-0 goal margin respectively, while the team will lock horns with Egypt in their last group match on January 25.

    With the victory in the group matches so far, the Black Stars have qualified for the quarter-finals of the competition in Gabon.

    Peter Agbasi, a Ghanaian who resides and works in Lagos, told newsmen that the Black Stars possessed the qualities needed to lift the trophy in Gabon.

    “I have watched virtually all the teams in the competition play, none of them can withstand my country’s team.

    “This is the right time for Ghana to lift the cup again and I strongly believe the players will not disappoint,’’ he said.

    Also, Bright Amedume, a Ghanian who lives in Ikotun, a suburb of Lagos, said it was long overdue for the Ghana to lift the cup again.

    Amedume said their performance so far in the competition showed that the players were determined to win.

    “It may be too early to say this because we still have a match to play in the group stages but I know we have the right players who can win the tournament,’’ he said.

    Similarly, Bernard Kuffour, a Ghanian trader in Lagos said if the players maintained their method of play, the team would be victorious at the end.

    “The only obstacle to the Black Stars is the North Africa countries but I believe we can humble any of them,’’ he said.

    Recall that Ghana won the competition last in 1982 in Libya, making it the fourth time the Black Stars lifted the trophy having won it in 1963, 1965 and 1978.

    The tournament will end on February 5, 2017.

  • 2017 AFCON: Burkina Faso, Cameroon reach quarter-finals

    2017 AFCON: Burkina Faso, Cameroon reach quarter-finals

    Burkina Faso and Cameroon on Sunday qualified for the quarter-finals of the ongoing 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournament in Gabon after the final group A matches.

    Burkina Faso beat Guinea Bissau 2-0 in their match at the Stade de l’Amitié in Libreville, while a 0-0 draw between Cameroon and Gabon at Stade de Franceville in Franceville was enough to give Cameroon the quarter-finals ticket at the expense of hosts.

    The results meant Burkina Faso topped Group A with 5 points, the same as Cameroon but with a better goal aggregate.

    Gabon came third with 3 points, while Guinea Bissau ended their debut tournament with 1 point.

    In the match between Burkina Faso and Guinea Bissau, an own goal by Guinea Bissau defender Rudinilson Silva in the 11th minute gave Burkina Faso the lead, while Bertrand Traore scored the second in the 57th minutes. (PANA/NAN)

  • Ivory Coast fight back to hold DR Congo

    Ivory Coast fight back to hold DR Congo

     

     

    Ivory Coast were forced to fight back to hold the Democratic Republic of Congo to a 2-2 draw in their 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) clash at the Stade d’Oyem on Friday evening.

    As a result DR Congo remain at the top of Group C standings with four points, while the defending champions Ivory Coast move up to second with two points.

    The Leopards dominated the opening exchanges of the encounter and they deservedly took the lead just 10 minutes into the game.

    Junior Kabananga set-up his Congolese teammate Neeskens Kebano, who rifled the ball low into the far corner; beating Ivory Coast goalkeeper Sylvain Gbohouo.

    Ivory Coast then stepped up the tempo and they won a corner-kick in the 26th minute following a good move by the Elephants.

    Max Gradel then whipped in a good cross from the resulting set-piece which found his Elephants teammate Wilfried Bony, who headed home to level matters.

    But the lead only lasted for four minutes as Kabananga also scored with a good header to restore DR Congo’s lead – exposing Ivory Coast’s poor marking in the process.

    DR Congo keeper Ley Matampi then denied Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier on the stroke of halftime as the Leopards held onto their 2-1 lead heading into the break.

    Unsurprisingly, Ivory Coast played really high up the pitch, pressing the DR Congo in the opening stages of the second-half in search of the equalising goal.

    Cheick Doukoure unleashed a powerful strike in the 62nd minute, but Matampi was equal to the task as he punched away the Ivorian midfielder’s effort.

    Ivory Coast’s pressure paid off five minutes later as Serey Die’s long range effort deflected slightly off Marcel Tisserand and into the back of the net.

    Unmarked, Aurier, should have snatched the winning goal for the Elephants in the 87th minute, but somehow the full-back mistimed his header across goal.

    Despite late attacks by both sides, they were unable to find the back of the net and the game ended in a 2-2 draw – with Ivory Coast recording another stalemate. Congo on matchday three.

  • AFCON: Gabon faces elimination after Burkina draw

    AFCON: Gabon faces elimination after Burkina draw

    Hosts Gabon was on the brink of elimination from the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) after a second successive draw on Wednesday left them needing a result from their last game against Cameroon.

    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored again for Gabon but his first-half penalty only equalised against Burkina Faso in another 1-1 draw for the home team.

    Cameroon went top as they fought back from a halftime deficit to dampen Guinea Bissau’s hopes of continuing their fairytale run in the competition with a 2-1 victory.

    Cameroon made three bold substitutions after Piquiti had scored a glorious individual goal to give the small West African nation an early lead.

    The Guinea-Bissau winger picked up the ball in his own half, burst down the wing and cut inside to hammer home in the 13th minute and set his side potentially on the way to the biggest upset in tournament history.

    “I didn’t recognise my team in the first half. They weren’t the Indomitable Lions, rather the dominated lions. We had no spirit, no collective,’’ Cameroon coach Hugo Broos said.

    Wednesday Result and Thursday feature:

    AFCON Score sheet

    Sebastien Siani equalised in the 61st minute and Michael Ngadeu Ngadjui thrashed home the winner 12 minutes from time as Cameroon effectively moved to within one point of a quarter-final place.

    “It’s not over, we still feel we can do something in the last game,’’ said former Liverpool reserve Toni Silva of Guinea Bissau’s last match against Burkina Faso in Franceville on Sunday.

    Gabon must avoid defeat against Cameroon in Libreville, where home supporters seemed sceptical of their team’s chances and only 29,000 turned up for Wednesday’s game at the 40,000-capacity Stade l’Amitie.

    Burkina Faso went ahead through a solo effort from Prejuce Nakoulma before Aubameyang earned a penalty to level matters at halftime.

    “We have no complaints about the penalty but we also had enough chances to win the game,’’ said Burkinabe coach Paulo Duarte, whose side also have two points.

    Thursday’s matches are in Franceville where Senegal will become the first side to advance to the last eight if they beat Zimbabwe.

    Algeria plays Senegal in the other Group B game.

  • AFCON: Mahrez targets more goals against Tunisia

    AFCON: Mahrez targets more goals against Tunisia

    Reigning African footballer of the year Riyad Mahrez will be looking to continue his goal scoring form as The Fennecs take on Carthage Eagles of Tunisia in their second match of the ongoing Afcon 2017 in Gabon.

    Mahrez who is topping the scorer’s chat after the first round of matches was impressive in the first match with clinical finishes, grabbing a brace in the 2-2 draw against Warriors of Zimbabwe.

    His goals were breath taking especially the opening goal where he had to get the ball past a battery of defenders, who probably have been told to checkmate the African number one who is likely to go the extra mile to prove that he is indeed the best within the season under review.

    The Leicester city ace and BBC African footballer of the year leads Gabon international and Borussia Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has a goal in the kitty. Others who contributed to the 12 goals scored after opening matches include Andre Ayew (Ghana) Issoufou Dayo (Burkin Faso) Junior Kabananga (DR Congo) Kudakwashe Mahachi (Zimbabwe) Sadio Mané (Senegal) Juary (Guinea Bissau) Kara Mbodj (Senegal) Benjamin Moukandjo and Nyasha Mushekwi (Zimbabwe).

    Algeria are banking on Mahrez not only to fire the team to greater height in Gabon but also in the Post Nations cup campaign where the team will be facing Nigeria in continuation of  World Cup qualifiers.

    Algeria take on their North African neighbors Tunisia Thursday at the Stade de Franceville, just as Taranga Lions with an edge after winning against Tunisia will be hoping to consolidate against hard fighting Zimbabwe

  • AFCON 2017: Ghana defeats Uganda to top group D

    AFCON 2017: Ghana defeats Uganda to top group D

    The Black Star of Ghana on Tuesday evening defeated their Ugandan counterparts in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group D match at Stade de Port-Gentil in Gabon.

    The Black Stars got in the lead through a first-half penalty by Andre Ayew and thereby bagged the full three points as they beat Uganda 1-0.

    The victory for Ghana puts the 2015 AFCON losing finalists at No 1 in the group with three points and one goal so far.

     

  • Gabon Guinea-Bissau share points

    Gabon Guinea-Bissau share points

     

    Indications that earning points at the on going Afcon will not be a tea party emerged in the opening match as new comers Guinea Bissau held hosts Gabon to a 1-1 draw.
    The African minnows scored a 91st minute equaliser through Juary Soares to claim a point in the Group A clash.
    Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang looked to have secured all three points for the Panthers, but a reduction in tempo on the part of the hosts in the last 10 minutes of the match gave Guinea Bissau and edge and the much needed break to level.
    Gabon’s first chance of the match fell to Malick Evouna on 20 minutes, but the China-based forward was unable to direct Aubameyang’s pin-point cross past the Guinea-Bissau goal-minder.
    Zezinho then fired the visitors first shot in anger over the crossbar in the 31st minute before Mario Lemina saw his header attempt just wide of goal at the other end of the park.
    The home side came out firing after the break with Denis Bouanga forcing Jonas Mendes into a good save in the 49th minute of the clash, and it would be the Strasbourg man to play a key role in the first goal of the showpiece.
    Aubameyang popping up at the far post to poke home a precise cross by Bouanga three minutes later, 1-0 to Gabon.
    The Borussia Dortmund forward squandered a glorious chance to double the lead in the 69th minute. Lemina doing excellent work to keep the ball in play before supplying the Panthers captain, who sent his volley attempt over the crossbar.

  • AFCON: Congo DR players boycott training over match bonus

    AFCON: Congo DR players boycott training over match bonus

    Democratic Republic of Congo players have refused to train ahead of the team opening Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) match against Morocco in a dispute over pay.

    The team captain, Yousuf Mulumbu, said the squad boycotted Friday’s training over non-payment of match bonus.

    “It has been the same for years and years. We prepare well for our matches and in the end there is always a problem over bonuses,” supersport.com quoted the Norwich City midfielder as saying on Twitter.

    “Having said that, we will fiercely defend our flag in the team’s opening match against Morocco on January 16.”

     

  • Can the Elephants defend their title in Gabon?

    Can the Elephants defend their title in Gabon?

    The realities of missing the African Cup of Nations otherwise for the second consecutive times, will finally dawn on Nigerians Saturday 14th January, when the championship kicks off in Gabon.
    Just like the Super Eagles and indeed Nigerians watched from the sidelines as qualified countries including eventual champions Elephants of Cote d Ivoire  battled for honours in Equatorial Guinea in 2015 that is how they will also watch from the sidelines as Ivorians attempt to defend their title in Gabon.
    The battle for supremacy among the 16 countries that qualified will be fought in four Gabonese cities of Libreville, PortGentil, Oyem and Franceville. Despite the absence of three time winners Nigeria, the championship will not be lacking infireworks. Formidable teams abound to give soccer fans on the continent a run for their time and attention.
    The pressure perhaps may be on defending champions Ivory Coast who have been pitched against Congo DR, Morocco and Togo
    In 2015 when they clinched the title they had with them French coach Herve Renard who has now taken over Morocco. Recall that he won the title with Zambia in 2012. The question is can he replicate the magic with Morocco who are eyeing the second

    trophy in 16 appearances and with a title won in 1976 in the kitty? If the chances are to be based on number of appearances,

    the title will go to the Pharaohs of Egypt who have featured a record 23 times and have won seven times while chasing their 8th title. Although some will say making the last appearance seven years ago could be a disadvantage. The presence of Black Stars of Ghana making their 21st appearance with four titles in the kitty, Indomitable Lions of Cameroon with four titles in the kitty and 18 appearances there is no doubt that a lot is at stake for virtually all the contenders. Debutants Guinea

    Bissau will equally be looking to have valuable experience while the Ugandans who last appeared 39 years ago may not just be interested in a return but a remarkable return. It is safe there to say for those who made it to Gabon, the stage is set and the battle can begin.
    Saturday 14 January 2017
    Gabon v Guinea-Bissau Stade d’Angondje 18:00
    Burkina Faso v Cameroon Stade d’Angondje 21:00
    Group A: Gabon, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau
    Group B: Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Zimbabwe
    Group C: Côte d’Ivoire, Congo DR, Morocco, Togo
    Group D: Ghana, Mali, Egypt, Uganda

  • 2019 AFCON: Sofoluwe cautions against focusing on SA

    2019 AFCON: Sofoluwe cautions against focusing on SA

    Following the draw for the 2019 AFCON billed to hold in Cameroon, former international Yisa Sofoluwe has cautioned Super Eagles against concentrating all attention on South Africa while underrating Libya and Seychelles.
    He noted that the era of assessing the capability of a team on paper or even pedigree are gone for good as no team today can be regarded as push over.
    Nigeria’s failure to qualify for two editions of the continental diadem he said, should serve as enough lesson to take every opponent seriously and regard every match as a final.
    He however expressed confidence in the ability of the current Eagles coach Gernot Rohr to achieve the required results especially if the usual distractions are kept at bay.
    “You don’t talk about an easy draw anymore because there are no cheap teams any more. So my advice to the Super Eagles is to ensure adequate preparation and take every match and every opponent seriously.

    Sometimes it is the team you think that are incapable to turning the table that do so when it matters most. We should not say South Africa are known rivals let’s concentrate on them to the exclusion of others because that would be a big mistake,” he said
    After missing the 2015 edition in Equatorial Guinea and the 2017 edition which kicks off tomorrow in Gabon, most soccer fans in the country who reacted to the draw said it would be unthinkable for the Super Eagles to again miss out of the 2019 party, insisting that the disappointment of the past should in fact ginger the team to qualify ahead of others without the usual struggle and gnashing of the teeth.