The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CAF Confederation

  • Hamdy gives Zamalek second CAF Confederation Cup title

    Hamdy gives Zamalek second CAF Confederation Cup title

    Ahmed Hamdy scored midway through the first half to give Zamalek of Egypt a 1-0 victory over Renaissance Berkane of Morocco and a second CAF Confederation Cup title.

    The two-leg final finished 2-2 on aggregate with the Cairo club winning the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League on away goals.

    The previous Zamalek triumph in the second-tier competition also came against Berkane with the Egyptians winning on penalties in 2019 after another aggregate draw.

    It was a historic triumph for Zamalek boss Jose Gomes, who became the first Portuguese coach to win the Confederation Cup.

    Zamalek made one change to the team that started the first leg in Morocco last Sunday with Senegalese Ibrahima Ndiaye replacing Nigeria-born fellow winger Samson Akinyoola.

    Berkane were unchanged with Burkina Faso centre-back Issoufou Dayo captaining the team and Senegalese Paul Bassene leading the attack.

    Read Also: CAF Confederation Cup: Rivers United crash out

    A sell-out crowd in the 75,000-capacity Cairo International Stadium cheered, chanted and waved large flags as Zamalek attacked relentlessly in the early stages.

    It seemed a matter of time before Berkane conceded, and Zamalek took the lead on 23 minutes through Hamdy, a midfielder who joined the White Knights four months ago.

    An attempted clearance by Berkane was blocked and Ahmed ‘Zizo’ Sayed pushed the ball to unmarked Hamdy, who rifled a low shot wide of goalkeeper Hamza Hamiani into the corner of the net.

    Level on aggregate but behind on away goals, Berkane came out of their defensive shell and Dayo almost levelled soon after with a far-post header after a free kick.

    Paul Bassene had his first sight of goal on 32 minutes, but blazed over, then Yassine Labhiri was much closer to equalising with a shot from just outside the area.

    Zamalek finished the opening half strongly and Berkane had to defend desperately with defenders blocking several goal attempts after Hamiani failed to grasp a cross.

    The Berkane goalkeeper nearly gifted Zamalek a second goal just past the hour mark as he initially hesitated to clear the ball and came close to being dispossessed by Seifeddine Jaziri.

    Berkane threatened with 14 minutes remaining when awarded a free kick close to the area, but a poor attempt by Ayoub Khairi sailed over.

    The Moroccans were reduced to 10 men two minutes into added time when Hamza El Moussaoui was red-carded for stamping on Zizo after fouling the winger.

  • Conf/cup play-off: Akwa United depart for Sudan

     

    *to tackle Al-hilal Sunday

    Nigeria Professional football League side Akwa United left the shores of the country Wednesday for Sudan where they will confront Al Hilal in the 1st leg of the CAF Confederation Cup playoffs.

    The Uyo based side jetted out aboard Ethiopian Airline and will catch a connecting flight to Khartoum for the match billed for Sunday.

    All four Nigerian clubs namely Enyimba, Akwa United, Plateau United and MFM will be competing in the Confederation cup after Plateau and MFM crashed out the Champions league and slipped into the second tier Confederation cup.

    Akwa United will be hoping to put up a good show in Sunday with a view to consolidating int he second leg to be played in Uyo later.

    While Akwa United will be sweating it out in Sudan, league defending champions Plateau United will equally confront visiting USM Arger at the Agege Township stadium otherwise dubbed the temple.

    The Jos based side will be hoping that the Lagos fans known for their massive turn out at the Temple will turn out to support the team as they confront the visitors on Sunday and hope to make a mark on the continent

    Plateau united manager, Kennedy Boboye who has since shifted focus to the Confederation cup shortly after exiting the Champions league, fought hard to remain in the Champions league but their effort did could not guarantee the needed point to stay put. The team was sent packing by Etoile du Sahel.

    The Jos team defeated the North African side 1-0 in the reverse fixture, but eventually lost on a 3-4 aggregate after losing 4-2 in Sousse.

     

     

     

  • Clash against Club Africain: Rivers Utd woo fans

    Clash against Club Africain: Rivers Utd woo fans

     

    Determined to have a full house when they face visiting Club Africain on Sunday CAF Confederation Cup, Garden City based Rivers United have announced incentives to woe fans to the stadium. 

    The Stanley Eguma tutored side informed on their twitter handle Friday that the first 100 fans to step into the Yakubu Gowon Stadium (YGS) on Sunday will get branded T- shirts.  According to the club the high quality T shirts will be a way of appreciating not only fans who have been supporting them all along but also new converts who are praying for the team to do well in the continental campaign.

    “We’ll be giving away 100 branded tee-shirts to the first 100 fans that turn up at YGS on Sunday for our CAF Confed Cup game vs Club Africain,” the club stated

    The four teams’ competing in Group A of the Confederation Cup have so far garnered six points each making the group very dicey.  The Nigerian side are however at a disadvantage and will need to release all the arsenals in the armoury they are to turn the table. With goal difference of -1 slight better than KCCA with -2.

    FUS Rabbat who take on KCCA on Saturday take   a +2 advantage to the match while Rivers United opponents Club Africain go into Sunday’s match with +1 advantage.

     

  • Caf Confederation Cup: Abdullahi backs Rivers Utd

    Caf Confederation Cup: Abdullahi backs Rivers Utd

    Nigeria international, Shehu Abdullahi has thrown his weight behind Rivers United to make it out of their CAF Confederation Cup group stage.

    “I strongly believe Rivers United will represent Nigeria well. Wishing them a successful tournament. We need to give them support.” Abdullahi tweeted.

    Rivers United are the country’s only surviving team on the continent after beating Rayon Sports 2-0 in the qualifying stage of the tournament in April, meanwhile,  they have moved just one spot above the relegation zone on the Nigerian topflight table with 21 points from 16 league games.

     

  • Embattled Rangers crash out of Confederation cup

    Embattled Rangers crash out of Confederation cup

    Rangers international finally bid good bye to continental title pursuit after the Enugu based side lost 3-0 to Zesco United in the second leg of CAF Confederation cup play-off in Ndola on Saturday.  The flying Antelopes who have had to battle with realities of poor results in the Nigerian premier league equally had a poor run in the continent where they had initially crashed out of the CAF Champions league before booking another exit in the Confederation Cup.

    The coal city boys had played a 2-2 draw with Zesco at the Cathedral last week, a result which many had predicted signaled inevitable exit in the return leg, and true to predictions the side crashed out on 5-2 aggregate.  Indicators that Saturday’s match will end in defeat started in Nigeria when the players missed their flight insisting on being paid their travelling allowances which totaled $770 dollars (N293, 000) before boarding the Ethiopian Airlines flight to Ndola.

    The players had reasoned that the money owed them will not be paid if they accepted the please go and play and come back for your money plea from management.

    Prior to the Ndola trip Coach Imama  Amapakabo who had earlier been given a three match ultimatum had been sacked in controversial circumstances with the club management and state commissioner for Youth and  sports Charles Ndukwe singing discordant tunes over the sacking or non-sacking of the coach. While the club confirmed sacking the coach the commissioner on the hand released a statement denying Amapakabo had been sacked and subsequently issuing a query to  former club great and Team Manager Christian Chukwu.

    With continental pursuit now dusted and rested, the Flying Antelopes will be left with making effort to remain in the premier league at least to avoid making their premier league title win last season appear like a   fluke.

  • I am open to negotiation declares Amapakabo

    I am open to negotiation declares Amapakabo

     

    Former Rangers Coach Imama Amapakabo is eager to continue his coaching career and has thrown open invitation to any club that may desire his services to come forward for negotiation.

    Amapakabo who led the Flying Antelopes to league title last season fell out with the Coal city side when poor result became a recurring decimal compounded by the team’s ouster from the CAF Champions League and high possibility of equally crashing out from the CAF Confederation Cup playoff against Zesco United of Zambia.

    Rangers played out a 2-2 draw against Zesco at the Cathedral last Sunday thus boxing the team into a corner ahead of the return leg in Ndola on Saturday.

    Although Amapakabo regrets that he is currently out of coaching job, he nonetheless remains optimistic that he would soon land a new job even as he has set a stopper to his job hunt.

    “I have been without a job now for about 20 hours, all I have to say is that I am available and any club ready to negotiate and meet my terms is welcome,” he said

    Soccer fans in the country however remain divided over the sacking of the coach by Rangers management.

    while some see it as the right step, in view of strings of poor results, others say Rangers problem go beyond coaching insisting that the club requires maximum support from the state government if it is to return to winning ways and even make an impact on the continent.

    Rangers currently occupy the bottom of the log with 13 points in 14 matches, and many say the team will need to double effort to pull out of the relegation zone. With the parting of ways, Rangers management will be hoping that whoever steps into Amapakabo’s shoes can turn the table within a short time.

  • Wikki bundled out of Caf Confederation Cup

    Wikki bundled out of Caf Confederation Cup

    Wikki Tourists were eliminated from the CAF Confederation Cup despite recording a 1-0 win against RSLAF FC at the Abubarkar Tafawa Balewa Stadium on Sunday.

    Baba Ganaru’s team had suffered a 2-0 defeat at the Wusum Sports Stadium, Makeni last week and Mustapha Ibrahim’s lone strike in Bauchi was not enough to guarantee their passage to the first round stage.

    Wikki started the must-win encounter brightly with possessions but Abubakar Lawal missed an opportunity to put the host ahead from the spot in the opening 20 minutes.

    However, Ibrahim wasted no time firing the Bauchi based side in front in the 58th minute in the second stanza.

    In the last 15 minutes, Wikki pressed hard for another goal in a bid to drag the match into  extra-time but the visitors defended tirelessly to earn progress with a 2-1 aggregate win.

  • CAF Confederation Cup Warri Wolves crash out

    CAF Confederation Cup Warri Wolves crash out

    Nigeria’s Warri Wolves crashed out of the CAF Confederation Cup despite beating AC Leopard of Congo 3-1 in a playoff return leg on Saturday in Warri.

    The coach Paul Aigbogun-tutored side crashed on a 4-3 aggregate after the Congolese side won the first leg 3-0 in Diolaise.

    AC Leopard have now sent packing three Nigeria clubs namely Heartland FC, Kano Pillars and Warri Wolves from CAF competitions in recent years.

    Gbolahan Salami, who was suspended for the first leg, scored in the second minute of the second half to give Wolves a 1-0 lead.

    The Congolese had overpowered the Nigerians 3-0 in the first leg in Dolisie and almost added two more to the tally inside the opening three minutes of the return fixture at the Warri City Stadium.

    Wolves goalkeeper, Daniel Akpeyi was however alert to beat off the danger on both occasions denying Balkoua Carof and Ntela Kalema in quick succession.

    Solomon Kwambe almost gave the hosts a dream lead in the 12th minute but his effort from a set piece clattered against the crossbar.

    The Nigerians were carving out half chances and on 19 minutes, Ojo Mine wasted one of such with a wayward drive from 25 yards that sailed off target.

    AC Leopards then suffered the disappointment of an injury to star man, Herman Lakolo (who had scored in the first leg) in the 23rd minute following a shocking challenge by Michael Okoyoh.

    It was a half of few clear cut opportunities as the visitors opted to sit back and defend in numbers, denying the home side’s attackers of time and space.

    Deep into stoppage time, Mine was presented with the best chance of the opening half but he headed wide from four yards with just the AC Leopards goalkeeper, Lawrence Ngome at his mercy.

    Wolves coach, Paul Aigbogun effected a substitution at the break, pulling out his captain, Goodluck Onamado for Stanley Dimgba.

    It proved to be a magical change as the new man provided a wonderful assist for Gbolahan Salami to smack home from close range two minutes after the restart to give the home support hope of an unlikely comeback.

    A minute later, Wolves almost doubled their lead through Etebo whose shot was beaten out by Ngome.

    The effort would not have counted though, as the attacker was flagged for offside at the far post but the hosts were building a head of steam.

    The saying, ‘you are most vulnerable immediately after you just scored’ was rudely highlighted moments later when the visitors struck through a well-worked counter attack that knocked the stuffing out of the Nigerians.

    Egwuekwe put the ball beyond the reach of his goalkeeper following the lightening break with Mohammare lurking dangerously behind.

    Ntela Kalema almost put the result beyond any doubt in the 64th minute when he raced almost the entire length of the field only to see his effort fly just wide off the left hand post.

    Salami completed his brace midway into the second period but Wolves needed three more goals in 25 minutes to turn the tie on its head. Etebo scored on the stroke of full time but it amounted to an academica effort as the visitors held out to win 4-3 on aggregate on an extremely dramatic evening in Warri.