Christian Bassogog, who starred in Cameroon’s Africa Cup of Nations triumph in 2017, became the second confirmed coronavirus case in the Chinese Super League on Friday.

The 24-year-old forward, who plays for Henan Jianye, is asymptomatic but is in hospital in Guangzhou, health authorities in the southern city said.

There is no health threat to the CSL, which started on July 25, because Bassogog has been in quarantine since arriving in China from Cameroon in mid-July.

Former Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini was previously the only confirmed coronavirus case in China’s top football league.

The 32-year-old Belgian spent three weeks in a Chinese hospital before being released in mid-April.

He was not seriously ill and bounced back to score a seven-minute hat-trick of headers in Shandong Luneng’s season-opener on Sunday.

Bassogog, who was named best player at the 2017 Cup of Nations, was tested upon arrival on July 15 and was negative for coronavirus, Guangzhou health authorities said.

However, during quarantine he was retested and twice returned a positive result.

Henan, beaten 4-3 by Jiangsu Suning in their first match of the virus-delayed season, wrote on the Twitter-like Weibo: “The tougher (the situation is) the farther you go!

“Come on Bassogog! We’re waiting for you!”

Source: News 24

The Vice President of the Southern Cameroons Interim Government, Dabney Yerima joined the football world in paying tribute to the former captain of the Indomitable Lions, Tataw Eta Stephen, who passed away suddenly. The Southern Cameroonian was just 57.

Stephen Tataw’s club career saw him play for two French Cameroonian sides Tonnerre of Yaounde and Olympic of Mvolye. He ended his playing time in Japan with Tosu Futures.

The FIFA 1990 World Cup in Italy earned Tataw legendary status where he was also admired for his combative and physical style. Reports even said he attracted the interest of the likes of Monaco and Bayern Munich.

Vice President Dabney Yerima observed in a tribute late yesterday that “The people of the Federal Republic of Ambazonia are devastated to have learnt of the tragic passing of Captain Stephen Tataw” “The thoughts of everyone both in Ground Zero and in the diaspora are with the Ossing and Tataw’s family, friends, former teammates and everyone he represented.”

By Isong Asu

Carlos Takam physically suffered more than he bargained for in taking a short-notice assignment, but one where his career will benefit moving forward.

The 39-year Cameroonian heavyweight prevailed via unanimous decision over Jerry Forrest in their 10-round main event Thursday evening at MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Judge Max DeLuca had the bout 98-92, with judge Patricia Morse Jarman scoring the contest 97-93 and Dave Moretti a little closer at 96-94 all in favor of Takam, who stepped into the main event on just two weeks’ notice.

The makeshift main event came on relative short notice for both boxers. Forrest was originally due to face Jarrell Miller, the disgraced unbeaten heavyweight who threw away yet another big opportunity after once again providing a dirty drug test through pre-fight random testing.

Luckily for Forrest, the DiBella Entertainment-promoted heavyweight was able to keep a fight date on Top Rank’s show. In came Takam, who was previously training for another ESPN bout only for the opportunity to fall through when scheduled opponent Oscar Rivas suffered an elbow injury and was forced to withdraw.

“The preparation for this fight was not easy,” the 39-year old Takam admitted to Bernardo Osuna after the bout. “I was supposed to fight June 14 veruss Rivas but Mr Rivas could not fight because he had an injury. My promoter (Joe DeGuardia, Star Boxing) called me and said he had a fight for me.

“I checked out Jerry Forrest and said, ‘OK, let’s go.’ He asked if I was sure. I told him I’m ready to fight anybody.”

The lack of full preparation for one another showed in an awkward opening round. Takam—who represented Cameroon in the 2004 Olympics—put his size advantage to use, his well-proportioned 245 ¾-pound frame used to outmuscle his southpaw foe whom he outweighed by 20 pounds.

Both boxers looked sharper in round two. Takam bounced on his toes while Forrest came forward in hopes of working his right jab. Takam’s long left stick was enough to keep the Virginia-bred heavyweight on the outside for much of the frame. Forrest closed the gap, connecting with a left hand which forced Takam—a 39-year old Cameroon native now based out of the greater Las Vegas area—to clinch. Takam closed the frame with a sweeping right hand upstairs.

Forrest grew tentative in round three, struggling to pin down a mobile Takam and failing to let his hands go. A similar pattern played out in round four, where Takam mixed it up between infighting and bouncing on his toes on the outside. Forrest was unable to time the rhythm of the 39-year old contender, resulting in his falling well behind.

Takam continued to outwork a reluctant Forrest in a sloppy round five marred by frequent clinching. A cut over Takam’s eye seemed to have dulled his own attack, though his simply remaining active was enough to continue banking rounds.

Forrest connected with a left hand in round seven, a point in the fight where he seemed poised to turn the tide. Takam shook off the blow, but his own offense was dulled as the sight of his own blood and the pain of a suspected fractured cheek bone appeared to have affected his performance in the second half of the fight. 

Takam effectively circled away from Forrest’s left hand throughout round eight, Action continued to be sorely lacking in the slow-paced main event, with neither fighter letting their hands go in the later rounds. Takam scored the best punch of the frame, connecting with a right hand as Forrest dropped his left hand low.

Round nine was marred by frequent clinching as the pair of heavyweights fought through fatigue. Takam fought behind a flicking jab, while Forrest moved forward but did little once he made his way inside.

Forrest was given the marching orders by head trainer Anthony Chase to go for the knockout as the bout entered the 10th and final round. Instead, it was Takam who took the initiative, connecting with lead right hands, Forrest fought behind a range-finding jab, hoping to land a straight left behind it but never pulling the trigger. A left hand finally connected for the 32-year old southpaw late in the round, but lacked any follow-through as Takam was able to clinch and recreate distance.

Takam led in every statistical category according to Compubox. Takam landed 106 of 455 punches for a 23% connect rate, including 30 body punches. Forrest—seven years Takam’s junior—landed 70 punches out of just 321 thrown for a 22% clip as he falls to 26-4 (20KOs), suffering his second loss in his last three starts.

A narrow defeat by Forrest to Jermaine Franklin last July was met with dispute by most observers, although the Newsport News native remains without a signature win while leaving Vegas with a lot of regret.

Meanwhile, Takam advances to 39-5-1 (28KOs), The win is his fourth straight win after suffering back to back knockout losses to unified heavyweight titlist Anthony Joshua and fellow former title challenger Dereck Chisora.

While another title shot is in his sights even in the twilight of his career, the veteran contender wouldn’t mind making use of his prior training camp as a springboard to such a fight.

“I want to get me Oscar Rivas,” Takam suggested of his next opponent. “I want anyone in the top five at heavyweight or a world title shot if that materializes.”

BoxingScene.com

Cameroon midfielder Frank Boya has revealed he turned down the chance to sign for Rangers this summer to move to Antwerp instead.

The 24-year-old signed for the Belgian side earlier this month after his contract expired at Royal Mouscron, who he joined after playing for German side Munich 1860.

And Boya claimed he turned down the chance to sign for Steven Gerrard’s Gers because he wanted to stay in the Belgian League.

He said: “The proof that I did well at Mouscron was the amount of offers I received from big clubs.

“I had no shortage of offers and Rangers and Werder Bremen were the most keen for me to join them.

“So leaving Belgium could have been a solution, but I wanted my future to be settled quickly and none of the teams interested have as much ambitions as at Antwerp.

Rangers boss Steven Gerrard was aware of the midfielder’s availability

“As soon as I moved here, I knew it was the right decision.

“The staff here integrated me from my first day and my new teammates have been a huge help.

“I always believed I would make it because football is an environment where everything is possible.

“You just have to give yourself the means to get there.”

Source: The Sun

The teenage midfielder came off the bench to make his second appearance in the Italian top-flight on Wednesday evening

Lucien Agoume has expressed his feelings after playing a part in Inter Milan’s 3-3 draw against Sassuolo in Wednesday’s Serie A fixture.

The Yaounde-born midfielder replaced Christian Eriksen in the 62nd minute for his second appearance in Antonio Conte’s team this term since his summer-signing from French club Sochaux.

Goals from Romelu Lukaku, Cristiano Biraghi and Borja Valero were not enough to give the Nerazzurri maximum points at the San Siro Stadium.

During the 28 minutes he spent on the pitch, Agoume completed 10 passes with a 100 per cent accuracy, and he also managed three tackles – the third-highest by an Inter player after defenders Milan Skriniar and Andrea Ranocchia.

In his reaction, the 18-year-old rued Inter Milan’s missed chances as the dropped points leave them unmoved from the third spot in the Serie A table with four points behind second-place Lazio and eight points behind leaders Juventus.

“I am happy to have entered today even if the result is a pity. We had many opportunities, we had to win,” Agoume told the club website.

He made his league debut against Fiorentina last December, and he has disclosed how he is working to make himself a better player in Italy.

“I always try to work to be available to the coach when he needs me and I hope to continue like this,” he added.

“I try to learn from everyone, in my role there they are many strong players, I want to learn the best to improve more and more.

“Everyone told me to be calm, to play as I can do without haste. I tried to do it when I entered.”

Although born in Cameroon, Agoume also has a French nationality and he has represented the European country across their U16, U17 and U18 youth teams.

He led the France U17 team as captain to the 2019 World Cup in Brazil where they won bronze.

The 18-year-old is currently France U18 captain and he is still eligible to play for Cameroon at senior level.

Source: Goal.com

The Belgium international found the back of the net as the Black and Blues edged Claudio Ranieri’s men at Giuseppe Meazza

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku equalled two Samuel Eto’o records in his side’s 2-1 narrow victory against Sampdoria in Sunday’s Serie A game.

The Belgium international opened the scoring for the Black and Blues in the 10th minute of the game after he was set up by Christian Eriksen.

The strike is the 18th league goal of the former Manchester United and Everton striker, thus becoming the seventh Inter player to reach the 18 goal-mark in a single Serie A campaign after Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o, Mauro Icardi, Diego Milito, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Christian Vieri and Ronaldo.

Source: Goal.com

Former Cameroon defender Henri Bedimo, a French champion with Montpellier, on Tuesday announced that he was retiring two years after playing his last professional match.

“I’m ending my chapter as a professional footballer,” Bedimo said on Instagram.

Bedimo played 52 times for Cameroon, taking part in the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup in Brazil four years later.

The 36-year-old began his career at Toulouse in 2003 and after four years in Ligue 2 established himself in the French top flight with Lens in 2010.

He joined Montpellier the following year, just in time to win the only major honour of his career – the 2012 Ligue 1 title which was also his team’s first and only French championship crown.

He then spent three seasons at Lyon before finishing his career at Marseille, where he last took the field as a professional player in 2018.

Bedimo, who played close to 400 club matches in his 15-year career, had been without a club since his contract at Marseille expired two years ago.

Source: Supersports.com