The Nation Newspaper

Tag: CAF

  • CAF fines Nigeria for overcrowding at Kaduna stadium

    CAF fines Nigeria for overcrowding at Kaduna stadium

    The Confederation of African Football has sanctioned Nigeria for the overcrowding and poor security at the Ahmadu Bello Stadium, Kaduna, during the March 25 African Nations Cup (AFCON) qualifier against Egypt.

    More than 40,000 fans filled the 16,000-capacity facility with spectators almost reaching the playing area after the Kaduna State government threw the gates open in order to ensure adequate support for the Eagles during the match, Goal reports.

    The continent’s soccer governing body has now fined Nigeria $5,000 (995,376 Naira) for the incident.

    According to a statement released on CAF website on Monday, the decision was one of many actions taken during its disciplinary board meeting held on April 18.

    The Egyptian federation was equally fined $5,000 over incidents recorded during the return leg.

    The Egyptian fans were accused of excessive use of lasers in Alexandria where Ramadan Sobhy’s 65th minute goal handed the Pharaohs maximum points to end Nigeria’s dream of reaching next year’s AFCON in Gabon.

  • CAF Champions League: Enyimba target Wikki’s, El Kanemi’s strikers

    CAF Champions League: Enyimba target Wikki’s, El Kanemi’s strikers

    Nigeria champions Enyimba have penciled down Wikki Tourists striker Godwin Obaje and Ibrahim Mustapha of El Kanemi to complete their squad for the CAF Champions League.

    AfricanFootball.com specially learnt that Enyimba still have two spots open for this year’s Champions League and they have already identified Obaje and Ibrahim to complete particularly as striker Christian Obiozor is still to recover from a long-term knee injury.

    “Obaje and Ibrahim (Mustapha) are the two top targets as Enyimba aim to win a third Champions League this year,” a top official informed AfricanFootball.com.

    Kaduna-born Obaje shot to prominence last season after his goals helped Wikki push for the league title. He will subsequently join Slovak champions AS Trencin, before the deal fell through.

    The big striker has scored six goals this season, while Ibrahim has seven goals.

    Two-time African champions Enyimba scraped past Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia on penalties to qualify for the money-spinning group phase of the Champions League.

    The draw for this stage of the competition will be staged on May 24 in Cairo, Egypt.

  • CAF disqualifies Kenya from U-20 AFCON qualifiers

    CAF disqualifies Kenya from U-20 AFCON qualifiers

    The Organising Committee for the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations has disqualified Kenya from the 2017 edition for fielding five ineligible players against Sudan.

    The East Africans fielded the players during their First Round first leg clash against Sudan on April 3 at the El Merreikh Stadium in Khartoum, which ended 1-1.

    The five players include Erick Otieno, born on Sept. 27, 1996, Nicholas Kipkirui, born on May 31, 1996, and Boniface Muchiri, born on Aug. 23, 1996.

    The rest are Eugene Mukangula, born on June 22, 1996 and Theodore Kilele, born on Sept. 25, 1996.

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF), in a statement on its website, said this was contrary to a circular sent to all National Associations.

    It had said only players born on Jan. 1, 1997 or after are eligible to participate in the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations scheduled for Zambia in 2017.

    “The Organising Committee, after its findings, concluded that the Football Kenya Federation (FKF) clearly violated article 40.11 of the competition’s regulations.

    “The regulation states that a team which allows a non-qualified or a suspended player to take part in a direct knockout match shall lose the match and shall be eliminated from the competition, even in the absence of protests.’’

    CAF General Secretary Hicham El Amrani said the Kenyan under-20 national team has consequently been disqualified from the preliminaries.

    In a letter dated April 19, addressed to the CEO of FKF, CAF also said the Sudanese under-20 national team has qualified for the next round.

    It however pointed out that the decision could be contested before the CAF Appeal Board within three days of notification.

     

  • Enyimba will work hard to win in Tunisia – Agwu

    Enyimba will work hard to win in Tunisia – Agwu

    Chief Felix Anyansi-Agwu, the Chairman of Enyimba International Football club of Aba, on Sunday, said the team would work harder in the second round of CAF Champions League match against Etoile Du Sahel of Tunisia to win.

    Agwu told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt that in spite of winning the first leg match 3-0, Enyimba would go to Tunisia with renewed vigour to get a good result.

    He said “we will not go home and sleep thinking that 3-0 is a big win. The goals can be cancelled in 10 minutes.

    “I think the game is not over yet. As it is, three zero in football is not a big win. We cannot go and sleep because Etoile is a big team.

    “We will go to Tunisia prepared to win and in football, you have to be prepared for every game.”

    The chairman said though Enyimba was not favoured to win with a big margin, the team was appreciative of the support from fans.

    He added that the team would prepare for the second leg match, knowing that it would be tough when they play in Tunisia.

    “We have the experience playing against teams from North Africa and would use such tactics in the second leg.

    “We are going to manage them. There is nothing to be afraid of. We are going there to fight because it is not over yet. Three zero, very good result, but it is not over,’ he added.

    He commended Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia for assisting the team despite the hard times in the country and assured that the team
    would not disappoint the state and the country.

    “Obviously, the state government has been very wonderful. We thank Gov. Ikpeazu for his support despite the hard times,” Agwu noted.

     

  • Nigeria’s chances slim as Chad withdraw from AFCON Qualifiers

    Nigeria’s chances slim as Chad withdraw from AFCON Qualifiers

    The Confédération of African Football (CAF) on Sunday announced the withdrawal of Chad from the ongoing qualifiers for the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled for Gabon next January.

    In a report on its website, CAF said it was informed of the withdrawal by the Chadian Football Federation.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the withdrawal has thus left Group G, which has Nigeria, Tanzania and Egypt, with only three teams.

    It also meant Nigeria which had earlier beaten Chad 2-0 have been hard hit and would now need a miracle to qualify, following Friday’s home draw with group leaders Egypt.

    This was because CAF, on its website on Sunday, had said it was going to act in line with the competition’s regulations.

    “We shall act in conformity with Article 61 of the regulations of the competition which states: `If a team withdraws from the qualifying phase organised in groups, all its results shall be annulled (points, scored and conceded goals)’.’’

    This consequently means that the three matches of Chad in Group G are cancelled and the results will not be taken into consideration.

    Hence, the actual standings of the group will be as follows:

    Team P W D L GF GA GD Pts
    Egypt 2 1 1 0 4 1 +3 4
    Nigeria 2 0 2 0 1 1 0 2
    Tanzania 2 0 1 1 0 3 -3 1

    NAN reports further that, going by the decision of CAF’s Executive Committee on Jan. 15, 2015, the development has put the Super Eagles in a precarious position.

    According to CAF, any group reduced to three teams following the withdrawal of a team will have only the group winner qualifying for the final tournament.

    Before now, the group winners were to directly qualify, with the runners-up having the chance of qualifying through the best losers route, which was looking more likely for Nigeria.

    But now, Nigeria will now need to upstage Egypt, and this can only be by first beating them on Tuesday in Alexandria,

    Tanzania will now host Egypt on June 3, while Nigeria will host Tanzania on Sept. 2.

    Earlier, Nigeria had beaten visiting Chad 2-0 on June 13 while Egypt had beaten visiting Tanzania 3-0 on June 14.

    On Sept. 5, Nigeria had drawn goalless with hosts Tanzania, while Egypt had beaten hosts Chad 5-1 on Sept. 6.

    Tanzania had then on Wednesday put themselves in a good position to threaten Nigeria’s second place in the group by beating hosts Chad 1-0.

    Nigeria had then narrowed its chances of qualification by drawing 1-1 with Egypt on Friday in Kaduna, before Chad’s withdrawal on Sunday.

    Meanwhile, the Chadian Football Federation has been fined 20,000 U.S. Dollars and also barred from participating in the next edition of the AFCON.

    This is in conformity with Article 59 of the regulations of the competition.

    It states thus: “any association declaring forfeit after the start of the matches is liable to a fine of 20,000 U.S. Dollars. It will also not be allowed to participate in the next edition of the AFCON”.

  • Nasarawa face CAF tight-rope walk

    Nasarawa face CAF tight-rope walk

    Nigerian club Nasarawa United face another CAF Confederation Cup tightrope walk this weekend as they seek a round-of-16 place.

    A Philip Azango goal four minutes from time in Abuja earned them a 1-0 first-leg lead over 10-man CS Constantine of Algeria last weekend. So, for the second successive round, the Nigerians take the narrowest of leads into a return match.

    Nasarawa left it even later in the preliminary round to build a 2-1 advantage over Senegalese second division side Generation Foot, scoring the winner two minutes from time.

    But they forced a 0-0 second-leg draw in Dakar to become the lone Nigerian survivors after Akwa United were surprisingly eliminated by V Club Mokanda of Congo Brazzaville.

    United are in a slightly better position against Constantine, not having conceded a goal against the North Africans at the National Stadium in the Nigerian capital.

    Coach Kabir Dogo believes the result in Senegal will heighten confidence among his players that they can survive again.

    “We were written off after the first leg against Generation Foot only to silence our critics with a brave away performance. A lack of clinical finishing remains our major weakness and there will be great emphasis on that issue before the return match,” he told reporters.

    “Constantine are a good, typical North African club, but they are definitely beatable,” added Dogo.

    Constantine coach Didier Gomes Da Rosa blamed the Liberian referee for the loss after the early second-half red-carding of Hamza Boulemdais.

    “Many of the decisions the referee made were incorrect and he caused our defeat,” said the Franco-Portuguese handler.

    Nasarawa are among five clubs playing away who are clinging to one-goal advantages in round-of-32 second legs in the African equivalent of the Europa League.

    Al Ittihad of Libya, forced to stage home fixtures in Tunisia because of continuing post-Moamer Kadhafi-era lawlessness, take a 1-0 lead over Medeama to Ghana.

    With domestic football impossible due to the security situation, playing in Africa is the only competitive outlet for Tripoli-based Ittihad.

    Winners Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko contested an all-Ghana first Confederation Cup final in 2004, but the country has made minimal impact in the competition since.

    Co-Confederation Cup leading scorer Arsenio ‘Love’ Cabungula will pose a threat for Sagrada Esperanca of Angola when they defend a 1-0 lead over Desportivo Maputo in Mozambique.

    Stade Gabesien of Tunisia and Saint-Eloi Lupopo of the Democratic Republic of Congo are the other clubs travelling with one-goal advantages, but both conceded in 2-1 victories.

    CAF debutants Gabesien face experienced Kaloum — the first CAF fixture in Conakry since Guinea was declared Ebola free — and Lupopo tackle Al Ahly of Sudan in Shendy.

  • CAF Confed Cup: Dogo confident Nasarawa will beat Constantine

    CAF Confed Cup: Dogo confident Nasarawa will beat Constantine

    Nasarawa United coach, Kabiru Dogo is confident his team will deliver against CS Constantine in their CAF Confederation Cup first round qualifier this weekend.

    The NPFL side edged Génération Foot 2-1 in the preliminary round in what was a hugely criticized performance but Dogo maintained they will  make life difficult for their opponents this time around.

    Nasarawa United, who are currently bottom of the table in the Premier league host the Algerian side on Saturday, and whilst the coach makes no excuses for his his side’s unimpressive league form, he’s hopeful they’ll find the footing in due time.

  • Tasks before CAF and FIFA presidents

    SIR: Many times, I wonder about the criteria used for the selection of World Footballer of the year as well as African Footballer of the year awards.

    In South America,  to be voted player of the year, you must play in a South American country for six months. That is why unknown South American players are voted the South American player of the year and not the Lionel Messi et al who ply their trade outside their continent of birth.

    In the past few years – football fans have been wondering what the criteria was for picking the best players in Africa, Europe and even the whole world are.

    For example, in 1998, there was uproar when Mustapha Hadji was named African player of the year instead of Austin ‘jayjay’ Okocha on account of two matches both in the African Nations cup and, the World Cup. Some critics believed that Hossam Hassan deserved to win the prize on account of his superlative displays during the African Nations cup that year where his country Egypt won the most prized trophy.

    Soccer fans have been wondering why footballers who play in Europe seem to be having a greater advantage than those who play in the African continent.

    Remembering that the prize is called “African player of the year” leaves many in wonderment. In 2004 – Austin Okocha was the better player in the African Nations cup that was held in Tunisia that year according to analysts but Samuel Eto’o Fils who had a poor tournament by his usual standards was still selected as the best African player because of his exploits in the colours of Barcelona.

    In 2008 Emmanuel Adebayor was crowned the African player of the year over Mohamed Aboutrika of Egypt who had contributed much to his club side Al Ahly and his country Egypt winning both the African club championship and the African nations cup.

    Its time CAF stopped underrating African football. In the last ceremony that crowned Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang-  as the best African player of 2015, Yaya Toure in anger lashed out at CAF claiming that he was denied the crown, in spite of the fact, that he had contributed immensely to Cote D’ivoire  winning the African nations cup whereas eventual winner, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang- of Gabon crashed out in the group stage of same competition.

    Paradoxically,  Yaya Toure was selected as the 2013 African player of the year over John Mikel Obi of Nigeria who had a far better tournament than him and who had also won the Europa cup with Chelsea Football club whereas Yaya Toure won nothing both for club and country that year. Incidentally, Nigeria won the African Nations Cup that year.

    FIFA is left out of this controversy. In 2000 Zinedine Zidane was crowned the best player in the world by FIFA over Luis Figo who had been crowned the best player in Europe. In 2001 Luis Figo became the best player in the world and Michael Owen became the best player in Europe. Many football critics believed that Michael Owen performed better than Luis Figo who won no trophy whereas Owen had won three trophies.

    These discrepancies forced FIFA to merge both the European player of the year with FIFA player of the year. Now we have only one player of the year called the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

    This hasn’t stopped controversies. In 2010 – critics were outraged when Wesley Sneijder – didn’t even make the short list that year. Sneijder had won five trophies, scored five goals in the World Cup that year which contributed to his country Holland being runner’s up to eventual winners Spain and had been voted the second best player in the tournament.

    Lionel Messi who had won only one trophy that year and had a very poor tournament by his usual high standards was voted the best player in the world that year.

    In 2013 Frank Ribery who had won five trophies that year was voted third and the main prize was given to Christiano Ronaldo who hadn’t won a trophy that year.

    Could CAF and FIFA look along the lines of implementing stringent rules to the types used by the South American federation and give us rancour free awards?

     

    • Essien Idiong,

    Port Harcourt.

  • CAF COMPETITIONS: Super Four not enough for preparation- Ganaru

    CAF COMPETITIONS: Super Four not enough for preparation- Ganaru

    Kano Pillars Technical Adviser, Mohammed Baba Ganaru has expressed doubt over the fitness level of the Nigerian representatives in this year’s CAF competitions which kicks off this weekend.

    Ganaru based his argument over the late commencement of the Nigeria Professional Football league before the CAF tournaments.

    Enyimba FC and Warri Wolves are expected to partake in CAF Champions League while Nasarawa United and Akwa United will involve in CAF Confederation Cup.

    Although, the four clubs participated in double headers Super Four pre-season tourney in Kaduna and Uyo as part of preparation for the CAF Competitions.

    But Ganaru, who also led Kano Pillars to the CAF Champions league in 2013, said the Super Four tourney was not enough preparation for the teams that are playing at the continental level.

    He insisted that the team needed more matches to gain match fitness so as to be able do well in the competition.

    “I just doubt the level of fitness of our representatives in these competitions. At least, before you can say you are ready for a tournament you must have played about ten competitive games to gain enough fitness but I doubt if our teams played up to ten games before the competitions. I can understand that they played Super Four but it is not enough to prepare for a tournament of this magnitude. We need to do something if we want to compete favourably with other African countries,” Ganaru told SportingLife.

    “As far as I am concerned, we need to harmonize our league in conformity with other Africa countries. Our league is on break and we want to play in the same competitions with other countries that have their league on.”

  • CAF Confederation Cup opener: Nasarawa United talk tough

    CAF Confederation Cup opener: Nasarawa United talk tough

    Nasarawa United team manager, Solomon Babanjah has insisted that the Solid Miners have kept their focus to win massively against AS Academie Generation Foot in Sunday’s CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round first-leg clash.

    “We have prepared very well for the match. The boys are in high spirits and are ready to make a lasting impression,” Babanjah told Goal.

    “Nasarawa United belongs on the continent, that is why we are leaving no stone unturned in our bid not to disappoint Nigerians who have so much belief in us, we are ready.

    “The support from the state government has been massive. We are grateful to Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura and his Deputy Silas Agara for always assisting the management. Just like “Oliver Twist” we are asking for more from them.

    “Our fans are in Mararaba, Nyanya, Ado, Keffi and Lafia. So we wouldn’t be lacking support from them. They will turn out massively to cheer us to victory,” he affirmed.

    When asked for his prediction for the first leg battle, Babanjah said: “It will be a very tough encounter but I think we have an edge with the calibre of players in our set-up. I expect Nasarawa United to win by three or four goals margin on Sunday,” he said