24, April 2022
Football: Didier Drogba loses bid to become Ivorian federation president 0
Didier Drogba lost a controversial bid to become president of the Ivory Coast Football Federation when he was eliminated after the first round of voting at Saturday’s elective congress.
The former Chelsea star polled only 21 votes in a three-way race, with the two other candidates, Yacine Idriss Diallo (59) and Sory Diabate (50) polling more than double his tally. Diallo won a second round to decide the presidency of the federation.
Drogba’s candidacy had been disputed last year when he first attempted to stand for election but did not receive the required support from clubs and other interest groups, such as the players’ union and coaches’ association, whose nominations he needed to get on the ballot.
FIFA then stepped in to dissolve the federation, putting the control of Ivorian football under a ‘normalisation committee’ while the statutes and electoral code were rewritten.
It allowed Drogba, 44, to stand but while he received much public encouragement, he garnered little support inside the Ivorian football community.
Earlier this week he was accused of pulling out of a live television debate with the other two candidates hours before it was due to be aired on television, according to a statement released by the state broadcaster. The debate went ahead without him.
The Ivory Coast hosts next year’s Africa Cup of Nations final.
Source: REUTERS
9, June 2022
2023 AFCON: Salah-less Egypt suffer shock loss to Ethiopia 0
Egypt sorely missed injured captain Mohamed Salah as they slumped to a shock 2-0 defeat by Ethiopia on Thursday in 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying.
A strain ruled out the prolific Liverpool scorer after he defied his club last Sunday and played in a victory over Guinea despite not being fully fit.
Egypt lacked several other injured first choices, but were still expected to secure maximum Group D points in neutral Malawi against opponents 108 places lower in the world rankings.
But the quick Ethiopian forwards repeatedly troubled a slow Egyptian defence in the opening half and goals from Dawa Hotessa and captain Shemeles Bekele gave them a two-goal half-time advantage.
Egypt had more possession in the second half on a pitch badly cut up in places due to torrential pre-match rain.
Ethiopia were forced to play in Lilongwe because, like 16 other countries competing in qualifying, they do not have an international-standard stadium.
Coach Ehab Galal has only been in charge of Egypt for two matches after Portuguese Carlos Queiroz could not agree terms for an extension of his contract.
Galal, who left Cairo club Pyramids to take over the Pharaohs, will now come under intense pressure as a year filled with disappointments for Egypt continues.
They lost the last Cup of Nations final to Senegal on penalties in February and one month later suffered a similar fate against the same team in a play-off to decide who went to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Egypt needed 87 minutes to score the goal that beat Guinea in the opening round of 2023 Cup of Nations qualifying and the loss to Ethiopia left them bottom of the table.
The only consolation for Galal and his squad is that the other teams in the section — Ethiopia, Malawi and Guinea — have also won and lost so each side has three points.
Source: AFP