8, May 2022
FIFA rejects Algeria’s appeal for play-off replay against Indomitable Lions 0
FIFA has rejected Algeria’s desperate bid to have their World Cup play-off with Cameroon replayed, saying on Saturday “they consider the dossier closed”.
Algeria won the first leg of the play-off 1-0 in March but lost the return leg 2-1 at home after extra time to miss out on one of the five berths at the finals for African nations.
“FIFA can confirm that the Algerian Football Federation submitted a complaint to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee in relation to the FIFA World Cup qualifier Algeria vs Cameroon played on 29 March 2022, and subsequently FAF also requested to have FIFA’s Referee Committee feedback,” a FIFA spokesperson told AFP on Saturday.
The committee itself said in a report that “all the incidents that occurred during the match were carefully examined by the two video referees, in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the protocol of video assistance to the referee”.
After 90 minutes in Blida, Cameroon led 1-0. In the 28th minute of extra time, Ahmed Touba scored a goal that would have put Algeria through, but Karl Toko Ekambi replied in the fourth minute of added time at the end of extra time.
The Algerian federation said the refereeing of the second leg by Gambian Bakary Gassama was “scandalous”.
Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi repeatedly blasted the refereeing in the match and in Africa in general.
Algerian fans have demonstrated outside FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich.
Source: AFP
12, May 2022
Indomitable Lions: Song selects home-based players for training camp 0
Cameroon national football team head coach Rigobert Song has summoned a 25-man squad made up of local players for a training camp.
Song made the list public Tuesday night, which comprises players who are plying their trade in Division One Championship in the Central African nation.
“Song wants to give home-based players a chance. This is the first time in the history of Cameroonian football that local players have been called up for training by the head coach. It is expected that the best players will be selected for the preparations of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,” sports analyst James Mbaru said.
In late April, Song said he wanted better collaboration between local professional clubs, coaches and players in a bid to build a strong national team.
The training camp will run from May 23 to 27.
Source: Xinhuanet