The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Confederation of African Football (CAF)

  • CAF lists three Nigerians among nominees for African players awards

    CAF lists three Nigerians among nominees for African players awards

    Three Nigerian players are now in line for consideration for continental football awards in January after being listed among nominees by the Confederation of African Football ( CAF ).

    The three players include overseas-based Victor Moses and William Troost-Ekong who have been nominated for the African Player of the Year award.

    Egypt-based Junior Ajayi who plays for Egyptian side Al Ahly has also been nominated for the African Player of the Year Based in Africa 2017 award.

    30 players each have been nominated for the two topmost categories of the awards.

    The winner of each award will be decided by votes from a selected group.

    These are the Head Coaches/Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF, members of the CAF Technical and Development Committee and a panel of Media Experts.

    The Awards Gala will be held on Jan. 4 in Accra, Ghana.

    Nigerian energy giants Aiteo are the headline sponsors of the awards’ 2017 edition, after taking over from Nigerian telecommunications company Glo.

    The awards will see players, officials and administrators who distinguished themselves exemplary during the year under review being honoured for their efforts towards the development of the game on the continent.

    Following are the list of nominees in the two categories:

    African Player of the Year

    1. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
    2. Bertrand Traore (Burkina Faso & Lyon)
    3. Cedric Bakambu (DR Congo & Villareal)
    4. Christian Atsu (Ghana & Newcastle)
    5. Christian Bassogog (Cameroon & Henan Jianye)
    6. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
    7. Eric Bailly (Cote d’Ivoire & Manchester United)
    8. Essam El Hadary (Egypt & Al Taawoun)
    9. Fabrice Ondoa (Cameroon & Sevilla)
    10. Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)
    11. Jean Michel Seri (Cote d’Ivoire & Nice)
    12. Junior Kabananga (DR Congo & Astana)
    13. Karim El Ahmadi (Morocco & Feyenoord)
    14. Keita Balde (Senegal & Monaco)
    15. Khalid Boutaib (Morocco & Yeni Malatyaspor)
    16. Mbwana Samata (Tanzania & Genk)
    17. Michael Olunga (Kenya & Girona)
    18. Mohamed Salah (Egypt & Liverpool)
    19. Moussa Marega (Mali & Porto)
    20. Naby Keita (Guinea & RB Leipzig)
    21. Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
    22. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon & Borussia Dortmund)
    23. Sadio Mane (Senegal & Liverpool)
    24. Thomas Partey (Ghana & Atletico Madrid)
    25. Victor Moses (Nigeria & Chelsea)
    26. Vincent Aboubakar (Cameroon & Porto)
    27. William Troost-Ekong (Nigeria & Bursaspor)
    28. Yacine Brahimi (Algeria & Porto)
    29. Youssef Msakni (Tunisia & Al Duhail)
    30. Yves Bissouma (Mali & Lille)

    African Player of the Year – Based in Africa

    1. Achraf Bencharki (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
    2. Ahmed Fathi (Egypt & Al Ahly)
    3. Alkhaly Bangoura (Guinea & Etoile du Sahel)
    4. Ali Maaloul (Tunisia & Al Ahly)
    5. Aristide Bance (Burkina Faso & Al Masry)
    6. Ayman Majid (Morocco & FUS Rabat)
    7. Aymen Mathlouthi (Tunisia & Etoile du Sahel)
    8. Ben Malango (DR Congo & TP Mazembe)
    9. Dean Furman (South Africa & Supersport United)
    10. Denis Onyango (Uganda & Mamelodi Sundowns)
    11. Elsamani Saadeldin (Sudan & Al Merreikh)
    12. Fackson Kapumbu (Zambia & Zesco)
    13. Fawzi Chaouchi (Algeria & MC Alger)
    14. Geoffrey Serunkuma (Uganda & KCCA)
    15. Jeremy Brockie (New Zealand & Supersport)
    16. Junior Ajayi (Nigeria & Al Ahly)
    17. Karim Aouadhi (Tunisia & CS Sfaxien)
    18. Mohamed Meftah (Algeria & USM Alger)
    19. Mohamed Ounnajem (Morocco & Wydad Athletic Club)
    20. Muaid Ellafi (Libya & Ahly Tripoli)
    21. Nasr Eldin Ahmed (Sudan & Hilal Obeid)
    22. Oussama Darfalou (Algeria & USM Alger)
    23. Percy Tau (South Africa & Mamelodi Sundowns)
    24. Sabelo Ndzinisa (Swaziland & Mbabane Swallows)
    25. Saber Khalifa (Tunisia & Club Africain)
    26. Saladin Said (Ethiopia & Saint George)
    27. Sylvain Gbohouo (Cote d’Ivoire & TP Mazembe)
    28. Tady Etekiama (DR Congo & AS Vita)
    29. Taha Yassine Khenissi (Tunisia & Esperance)
    30. Tarek Hamed (Egypt & Zamalek

    NAN

  • ‘Falconets are experieced enough to beat tanzania’

    ‘Falconets are experieced enough to beat tanzania’

    The head coach of Nigeria female U-20 team, Falconets, Christopher Danjuma, said he has players with the experience to beat the Tanzanians in the Africa qualifier for the 2018 female U-20 World Cup.

    Danjuma who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria（NAN）on Wednesday in Benin, said the team was mentally and physically prepared to face the East African team on Saturday in Benin.

    He said weeks of intensive training and preparation had placed the Falconets in a good stead to beat their opponent in the Africa qualifying series.

    “Nigeria is a big country and do not settle for less but the best. We are in Benin to give our best.

    “The Tanzanians are coming to Benin to meet a team that has set a record in Africa at this category of female football.

    “The team is made up of excellent home based players. Most of them have experience having played at the U-17 category，so you can see that we are better prepared for total victory on Saturday.”

    NAN reports that Falconets arrived in the ancient city of Benin on Tuesday at about 9 p.m. from Abuja.

    The head coach of the team, Christopher Danjuma, who declined to speak on the journey by road, however, said the team are not deterred by the experience.

    NAN reports that the Tanzanian delegation is expected to fly into Abuja on Thursday and proceed to Benin same day.

    The second leg will take place in Dar es Salaam on Sept. 30, with the winner to tackle the winner of the Morocco/Senegal clash in the second round in November.

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has appointed Vincentia Enyonam Amedome from Togo as referee for the match.

    She will be assisted by compatriots Kossiwa Kpadenou (Assistant 1), Abra Sitsope Agbedanou (Assistant 2) and Aissata Ameyo Amegee (Fourth Official) while the match commissioner is Rochell Woodson from Liberia.

    The 9th FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup will be staged in four cities in France from Aug. 7 to Aug. 26 2018

  • Sports Minister meets Buhari on World Cup qualification, others

    Sports Minister meets Buhari on World Cup qualification, others

    The Minister of Sports, Mr. Solomon Dalung, on Thursday updated President Muhammadu Buhari on the efforts of the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

    Dalung, after a closed door meeting with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said he also briefed him on other developments in sports.

    The Minister said that the president was informed of the election of a Nigerian into the board of Confederation of African Football (CAF).

    Amaju Pinnick, President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), defeated the President of the Football Association of Benin Republic, Anjorin Moucharafou, to secure a seat on CAF Executive Committee for the 2017 to 2021 cycle.

    Pinnick’s election makes him the third Nigerian ever to sit on the CAF Executive Committee.

    According to Dalung, “I updated him on the need for us to intensify our mobilisation efforts for the World Cup qualifier. Although we are topping the group, it is not Uhuru for us. We need to do more.

    “I drew his attention to the fact that we have received the Queen’s Relay baton which kick-starts the mobilisation for Commonwealth Games in Queensland, Australia in 2018.

    “The baton is a Commonwealth tradition which is always flagged off by the Queen and she did that in March and it has been to six African countries with Nigeria being the seventh and it will proceed from here.

    “The significance of the baton is its wake up call to countries to begin to prepare for the games.

    “And we as a country had always performed very well in the games. There is a need for us to try and surpass our records in the next Commonwealth games.”

    The minister disclosed that the president appreciated the briefing and congratulated Pinnick for clinching the seat of the executive member of CAF and the progress so far made in sports.

    According to him, the president promised to do everything possible to support sports generally.

     

  • CAF President, Ahmad steps down as Madagascar Senate Leader

    CAF President, Ahmad steps down as Madagascar Senate Leader

    Newly elected Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Ahmad Ahmad has stepped down as Vice-President of the Madagascar Senate.

    Ahmad, who is also the Madagascar Football Federation (MFF) boss, tendered his resignation on Monday at 4.45 p.m local time to vacate the office he had occupied since February 2016.

    The 57-year-old former AC Sotema FC Coach was later received officially by the members of the MFF and Muslim community at the Carlton hotel in Antananarivo, where he addressed the gathering.

    Ahmad was last Thursday overwhelmingly voted as president of CAF, garnering 34 to 20 votes, to bring to a humiliating halt Issa Hayatou’s 29-year rule.

    Hayatou was seeking a record eight straight terms in office. The Cameroonian was first elected to head the largest member of FIFA, the world’s football governing body, in March 1988.

    Ahmad, a two-time government minister, is also expected to vacate his position as the MFF president, as required by the CAF rules.

    This could happen anytime soon with MFF’s first vice-president Soda Andriamiasasoa expected to take over the reins on an interim basis pending elections.

     

  • Champions League: Rangers FC vows to beat JS Saoura of Algeria

    Champions League: Rangers FC vows to beat JS Saoura of Algeria

    Rangers International FC of Enugu has vowed to beat JS Saoura of Algeria in the second leg of the ongoing Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League match coming up on Feb.19, 2017.

    Rangers played 1-1 draw with Saoura FC in Algeria on Feb.10 and needs at worst a goal-less draw to qualify for the next round of the competition.

    The Media Officer, Foster Chime, on Wednesday said that the club would beat the North African club to seal its qualification.

    He said that the players met Gov. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, who promised to boost their morale for the match.

    “The governor promised to boost the morale of the players for the CAF return leg match against Saoura but he did not mention the amount due to some reasons best known to him,’’ Chime said.

    He said that the club would go for the winning goals.

    “I know that the match will be a tough one as Saoura showed that they were a good side in the first leg and they would be facing us in Enugu like wounded lions.

    “We need goalless draw to progress but the players want to progress with victory and on superior goal difference.

    “I am happy players like Captain Okey Odita, Chinedu Udeagha, Etim Mathew and lots more made it known to the technical crew that they will give their all for the club to go far in the ongoing Continental league.

    On players’ injury update, the Club’s Physician, Okey Ezeaku, said that there were no serious injuries sustained from the last match.

    “All the players are fit and are expected to face Saoura squarely for a slot in the next round.

    “Although we had minor knocks after the match in Algeria and Pape Usmane had malaria but all this were bye gone as all the players were now back to training,’’ Ezeaku said.

    Rangers’ test match against Abia Comets of Umuahia on Feb. 14, 2017 ended 1-1 as the flying antelopes open scoring in 27th minute through Daniel Etor, while Marshal Okoro restored parity for the visitor in the 42nd minute.

     

  • 2016 Glo-CAF Awards: Mahrez, Mane, Aubameyang listed

    Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Wednesday in Cairo unveiled the top three nominees for the 2016 Glo-CAF African Footballer of the year Awards.
    The players were shortlisted from a five-man list earlier nominated for the African Player of the Year and 5 players who made the list for the Player of the Year (based in Africa) category.
    The three players who made the final list for African Player of the Year are reigning African Footballer of the Year and Borussia Dortmund winger, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Gabon, Senegal and Liverpool midfielder, Sadio Mane, and Riyad Mahrez of Leicester City of England and Algeria.
    In the African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) category, the three finalists include Rainford Kabala of Zambia and T.P Mazembe F.C and Mamelodi Sundowns F.C of South Africa duo of Dennis Onyango from Uganda and Zimbabwean, Khama Billiat.
    The list is prepared through a vigorous selection process by the Technical, Football and Media Committees of CAF, taking into account the performance of the players for their national teams and clubs from January to November of each year.
    The ultimate winner of the award will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches or the Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF.
    The African Football King will be crowned at the Awards Night holding at the International Convention Centre, Abuja on 5th January, 2017. Winners in other categories will also be announced at the event Globacom has been the title sponsor of the Awards since 2005.