Sports

19, October 2020

Football: Barca’s Dutch coach says Cameroon international Nyom mocked him after Getafe defeat ⁰

The Dutch coach was seen arguing with Bordalas at the end of the match and explained in the post-match news conference that Cameroon international Nyom had mocked him.

“I told him (Bordalas) that his number 12 (Nyom) had shown me a lack of respect, he had said two or three very ugly things to me which I won’t repeat. He insulted me,” Koeman said.

“I told Bordalas that he needs to speak to his player, because we cannot tolerate that type of behaviour in modern football.”

Bordalas said he did not think his player had insulted Koeman.

“I’m here to talk about football, not about controversy. I haven’t spoken to the boy, I will tomorrow, but I doubt that Nyom would do that, I know him well,” said the Getafe coach.

“He’s very competitive, but he’s a very respectful person. I don’t allow bad behaviour among my players but I doubt that Nyom insulted him.”

Jaime Mata’s second-half penalty inflicted a first defeat of the season on Barca after four matches, and Koeman suggested he thought the crucial spot-kick, given for a foul by Frenkie de Jong on Djene Dakonam, was soft.

“I don’t know if it was a penalty, it looked like they were looking for it and we fell into the trap. I don’t know if we had VAR or not today,” he said.

“I don’t like to talk about referees, but if you watch the match and see how many fouls they made and how many cards were given out, then you can make your own mind up.”

Getafe, who have a well-earned reputation as one of the most unforgiving sides to play against in La Liga, made 20 fouls to Barcelona’s nine during the game, receiving four yellow cards to the visitors’ three.

“We knew this was a very difficult ground to come to but we tried to create passages of play and move the ball around quickly and they kept disrupting that with fouls,” Koeman added.

Source: Reuters

18, October 2020

Football: Bayern crush Arminia 4-1 with Lewandowski, Mueller doubles ⁰

Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Mueller scored two goals each as the German champions crushed hosts Arminia Bielefeld 4-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday to move within a point of the top spot.

Mueller scored either side of Lewandowski’s double, with the Polish striker taking his season’s tally to seven league goals from four games, as Bayern moved to nine points, level with third-placed Borussia Dortmund and one behind leaders RB Leipzig, who won 2-0 at Augsburg.

Bayern, who also twice hit the woodwork, have a busy schedule, having played in the German Cup and league this week and next facing Atletico Madrid in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Mueller grabbed an eighth minute lead with a bit of luck after his first effort was saved but the ball bounced back into his path, while Lewandowski was left with far too much space to score with a well-placed shot in the 26th.

Arminia goalkeeper Stefan Ortega kept the scoreline respectable in the first half with several spectacular stops, including a sensational one-handed save from Lewandowski’s close-range header.

But the home keeper was beaten again with the last kick of the first half, a deflected shot from Lewandowski after good work from Mueller.

Bayern, who had to use changing rooms in a nearby school ahead of the game due to strict COVID-19 regulations, scored again six minutes after the restart when Lewandowski crossed and Mueller volleyed in from close range.

Arminia’s Japan international Ritsu Doan was rewarded for a fine performance with a goal in the 58th before Bayern were left with 10 men following the dismissal of Corentin Tolisso for a last-man foul.

(Source: Reuters)

17, October 2020

Football: Eto’o meets Chadian President at N’djamena Palace ⁰

The meeting between the Cameroonian football legend and the Chadian Head of State took place on Thursday, October 15, 2020 in N’djamena, on the sidelines of a tournament for the detection of young talents for which the former La Liga “pichichi” was the special guest.

Samuel Eto’o Fils was received in audience at the presidential palace of N’djamena, by President, Idriss Deby Itno. The “pichichi” and the Chadian head of state exchanged at length on the issue of the development of football in Chad, with the construction of a football school in the Chadian capital, the fruit of a partnership between the Chadian state and the Samuel Eto’o Foundation.

The avenues of a partnership was also explored between Samuel Eto’o’s organisation and the “Grand Coeur” Foundation of the Chadian first lady Hinda Deby Itno, whom the former Barcelona man also met after his audience with the president.

At the end of the tournament, Eto’o selected 15 young Chadians who will benefit from a two-year training scholarship at the Kadji Sports Academy (KSA) in Douala, where he himself was moulded before flying to Europe.

By Rita Akana

13, October 2020

Indomitable Lions: Conceicao targets Afcon final on home soil ⁰

The Indomitable Lions will host the continental tournament with the hope of winning it for the sixth time

Cameroon manager Antonio Conceicao aims to see the Indomitable Lions reach the final of the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations which they will host for the second time in their history.

The tournament was scheduled to take place between January and February 2021 but due to the coronavirus pandemic, it had to be pushed forward to 2022.

Cameroon have automatically qualified by virtue of being hosts and Conceicao – who took over the job of the national team on September 2019 after Dutch legend Clarence Seedorf was sacked, wants to reclaim the title they had won in 2017.

“We have automatically qualified as the organising country. We are taking advantage of this qualifying phase and these friendly matches to manage to collect as much information as possible about the players we are calling in terms of personalities and sports skills,” Conceicao told FootMercato.

“That’s why we’re changing six to seven players per roster, to see as many as possible. The goal is to bring together the best possible group for the competition with the objective of reaching the Afcon final, because we will play at home. Our responsibility is great.

“We know what the hosting and its success represent for the Cameroonian people. From that moment on, we must be well prepared to take up this challenge, because the demand is great, the responsibility just as much.”

There a number of French-born players of Cameroonian descent plying their trade in Ligue 1. Conceicao reveals contact has been made with players who are interested in switching international allegiance.

“We have other players playing in France on our radar,” Conceicao continued. “I cannot say any names, but we have already contacted young people aged 20-21 who play with the youth teams in France and have Cameroonian origins, to find out if they are available to come and defend the colours of Cameroon.

“Some are thinking, some have said no. We must be attentive to the breeding grounds in France and England, which may represent the future of Cameroonian football. We will see if we are lucky in this endeavour.”

Source: Goal.com

11, October 2020

Nadal beats Djokovic to win his 13th French Open, ties Federer with 20th Grand Slam title ⁰

Rafael Nadal demolished Novak Djokovic 6-0, 6-2, 7-5 to win his 13th French Open and equal Roger Federer’s all-time record of 20 Grand Slam titles on Sunday.

For world number one Djokovic, the defeat ended his hopes of an 18th Slam and of becoming the first man since Rod Laver in 1969 to win all four majors twice.

Nadal, 34, claimed his 100th match win at Roland Garros against just two defeats since his 2005 debut.

The Spaniard, the oldest champion in Paris since Andres Gimeno in 1972, claimed the title without dropping a set.

He finished the one-sided affair with just 14 unforced errors to his opponent’s 52.

“Congrats to Novak for another great tournament. Sorry for today. We’ve played plenty of times together – one day one wins, another the other,” said Nadal.

“After all the things I have been through in my career with injuries, I could not have done it without my family.”

Nadal said he wasn’t even thinking about matching Federer’s record.

“It’s been a very tough year. Winning here means everything to me so it’s not about equalling Roger on 20, for me today it’s just a Roland Garros victory,” said Nadal who had skipped the US Open due to the global health crisis and was playing just his second tournament since February.

“Roland Garros means everything to me. I spent most of the most important moments of my tennis career here.

“Just playing here is a true inspiration. The love story I have with this court and city is unbelievable.”

Federer, who sat out the tournament to recover from knee surgery, hailed Nadal’s 13th French Open victory as “one of sport’s greatest achievements”.

“I have always had the utmost respect for my friend Rafa as a person and a champion,” Federer tweeted on Sunday.

“As my greatest rival over many years, I believe we have pushed each other to become better players. Therefore it is a true honour for me to congratulate him on his 20th Grand Slam victory,” Federer wrote.

“It is especially amazing that he has won Roland Garros an incredible 13 times which is one of the greatest achievements in sport. I hope the 20 is just another step on the continuing journey for both of us,” the Swiss player added.

‘King of clay’

For Djokovic, it was just his second loss of 2020 following his default at the US Open.

“Today, Rafa showed why you are the king of clay. I was out-played by a better player.”

Nadal also used his victory speech to thank organisers for staging the tournament, pushed back from its traditional May-June slot due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“I want to send a message to everyone around the world. We are facing one of the worst moments that we remember in this world, fighting against this virus. Keep going, stay positive.

“We will get through this and we will beat the virus soon.”

The 56th meeting between the world’s top two started under the roof of Court Philippe Chatrier, intensifying the echo of a crowd limited to 1,000 due to the pandemic.

Conventional wisdom suggested that would favour Djokovic but nobody told Nadal who broke three times in the 45-minute opening set.

The Spaniard hit 10 winners and just two unforced errors.

Djokovic’s error count was 13 with the out-of-sorts Serb even squandering three break points of his own in the fourth game.

More worrying for the world number one—Nadal improved to 111-0 when winning the first set of best-of-five matches on clay in his career.

It was the first opening set ‘bagel’ in a Roland Garros final since 2004 when Gaston Gaudio recovered to defeat Argentine compatriot Guillermo Coria in five sets.

Djokovic finally got on the board with a service hold in the first game of the second set but Nadal maintained his relentless push, going to a double break for 4-1 as even the Serb’s usual deft touches on the drop shot deserted him.

Nadal wrapped up a two-set lead with his unforced error count at just six to Djokovic’s 30.

Nadal broke for the sixth time for a 3-2 lead in the third before Djokovic suddenly restored his reputation as the sport’s best returner by carving out his first break of the afternoon for 3-3.

However, there was to be no miracle recovery as a double fault handed Nadal a 6-5 lead and he took the title with an ace.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

10, October 2020

Indomitable Lions: Two players test positive for Covid-19 ahead of Japan game ⁰

Goalkeeper Andre Onana and midfielder Pierre Kunde Malong won’t play in Cameroon’s friendly game against Japan on Friday as both returned positive test results for Covid-19.

Cameroon team doctor William Ngatchou revealed on Thursday in a press conference that both Andre Onana and Pierre Kunde Malong have tested positive for Coronavirus and won’t be part of the Cameroon squad for the friendly game against Japan at the Stadion Galgenwaard in Utrecht, Netherlands.

According to Dr. Ngatchou, the two players have been in contact with virus carriers for over six weeks although neither of them developed any symptoms, pointing out that In such cases a patient can’t test negative one day and positive the next as all the results of the players’ tests were negative last Monday.

Cameroon’s squad will comprise 17 players only

In compliance with FIFA regulations, the two players won’t be part of Cameroon’s plans for tomorrow’s game, which leaves coach Antonio Conceicao with a 17-player squad for the friendly, as three more players will miss the game due to other medical issues.

Onana contracts the virus a second time

This is the second time for Andre Onana to contract the infection as he had tested positive for Covid-19 in August and managed to recover.

The game against Japan is the Cameroon squads first meeting following the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak that put all football-related activities on hold since last March as the Indomitable Lions are preparing for the third round of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers group stage scheduled for November.

Source: m.allfootballapp.com

5, October 2020

Football: Partey time for Arsenal as Man Utd rush for late deals ⁰

Arsenal’s move for Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey is expected to be the biggest deal of transfer deadline day, while Edinson Cavani is on the verge of a move to Manchester United.

Partey has been a long-term target for the Gunners, who have reportedly matched his 50 million euro (£45 million, $59 million) buyout clause to bolster their threadbare midfield options.

The Ghanian has made 188 appearances for the Spanish giants and was part of the Atletico sides that reached the 2016 Champions League final and beat Arsenal on the way to winning the Europa League in 2018.

Uruguayan international Lucas Torreira is expected to go the other way from Arsenal to Atletico on a season-long loan deal.

Arsenal have made an impressive start to the season, winning three of their opening four Premier League games, as they aim to return to the Champions League next season for the first time in five years.

However, the Londoners have been short in central midfield with Mesut Ozil and Matteo Guendouzi, who has joined Hertha Berlin on a season-long loan, frozen out by Mikel Arteta.

United, scrambling for reinforcements after their 6-1 defeat to Tottenham on Sunday, are expected to make more signings, with Dutch international midfielder Donny van de Beek their only addition before Monday.

Brazilian international left-back Alex Telles has joined from Porto for an initial fee of £13.5 million.

“He is a player we have been tracking for some time and his performances over the past few years are exactly what we are looking for,” said United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

“He is a fighter and a winner and will add real determination and competition to the squad.”

Former Paris Saint-Germain striker Cavani is reportedly close to joining on a two-year deal as a free agent.

After a forlorn chase of Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho, United are also interested in adding two teenage wingers — Amad Traore of Atalanta and Penarol’s Facundo Pellistri.

However, neither is expected to make an instant impact on the first-team should deals be completed.

Premier League table-toppers Everton signed centre-back Ben Godfrey for a reported initial fee of £25 million.

But Theo Walcott is on the way out of Goodison Park for a return to Southampton on loan, whom he left as a 16-year-old to join Arsenal in 2006.

Tottenham’s Ryan Sessegnon has also joined the growing batch of young English players in the Bundesliga with a season-long loan move to Hoffenheim.

– Quiet window for European giants –

According to a report by the Centre for Economics Business Research, Premier League clubs were on course for an astonishing 95 percent of the net spend in Europe’s big five leagues this transfer window.

Barcelona’s accounts for the 2019/20 season showed the drastic impact the coronavirus pandemic has had on even the world’s richest clubs as the Catalans posted 97 million euro losses.

However, some of Europe’s giants were busy on the final day.

Juventus secured one of the hottest properties in Italian football as Federico Chiesa joined from Fiorentina on a two-year loan deal worth 10 million euros with an obligation to buy if certain conditions are met for a further 40 million.

Bayern Munich added a trio of new players as Douglas Costa returned to the Allianz Arena for a second spell on loan from Juventus.

The European champions also signed former PSG striker Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting on a one-year deal and Bouna Sarr from Marseille.

Source: AFP

5, October 2020

Football: Platini backs ‘best fit’ Giroud for France ⁰

Former France captain and coach Michel Platini defended Olivier Giroud ahead of Wednesday’s friendly with Ukraine, saying the out of favour Chelsea forward “has the quality” to lead the French line.

Giroud, 34, has played just 17 minutes out of Chelsea’s three Premier League games this season with Frank Lampard preferring Tammy Abraham or Timo Werner but is tipped to feature in France coach Didier Deschamps’ starting line-up in spite of criticism for his overly physical style.

“Giroud, if he plays up front it’s because more than anything else he has the quality to play centre-forward,” former UEFA president Platini told AFP.

“And if Deschamps plays him, it’s because he thinks Giroud deserves to play. It doesn’t interest me that he is criticised.

“Deschamps knows how to do his job, he knows what he should do and if he thinks Giroud is the best fit, then he plays him. After all, if Giroud’s criticised, we have all been criticised, even Pele!” Platini added.

Giroud is in line to make his 100th appearance for les Bleus this week and is likely to line up alongside Barcelona’s Antoine Griezmann in a game where the visitors will be without six players who are in self-isolation due to coronavirus cases at their club Shakhtar Donetsk.

Griezmann has scored just 15 times in 51 games since joining the Catalans from Atletico Madrid in July 2019.

Platini said the Barca attacker would benefit from featuring in an attack with a physical presence as was the case at Atletico with Diego Costa.

“I think Griezmann needs a Giroud, a Costa, a guy in front of him,” said Platini.

“Griezmann’s intelligence means that he’s always where the ball lands. You can say the opposite, the ball always lands where he is. It’s the mark of anyone with an instinct for the game.

“However, Giroud is someone who is stronger, bigger, up on the coalface. But Griezmann needs a Giroud,” he added.

Giroud, meanwhile, is closing in slowly on Thierry Henry’s record for France of 51 international goals.

Going into the Ukraine game, he has 40 to his name which is just one shy of Platini who ranks second behind Henry for the national team with 41.

Platini, however, shrugs his shoulders at the likelihood of slipping down that particular ranking.

“It has no form of importance. I’m not an accountant. I’m happy for Giroud, I’m happy for Thierry. I hope there will always be players who score a lot of goals for France,” he said.

“Records are there to be beaten. If Giroud beats my record, I’m happy for France and for him.”

Source: AFP

5, October 2020

Football: Eric Choupo Moting set to join Bayern Munich ⁰

BFW ran an opinion piece yesterday, stating how Eric Choupo-Moting, the former PSG striker, should join Bayern Munich. Written with humour, the piece was purely an opinion piece and a personal wish. However, reports have come out today that states Bayern is not only interested in signing the player, but are on the verge of making it official.

According to foot Mercato’s Saber Desfarges, the Hamburg-native is close to signing for the treble winners! Choupo-Moting is said to be in “advanced contact” with the German side.

As mentioned in yesterday’s piece, the player could be a shrewd signing for the club. Firstly, he is a free agent and won’t require extraordinary wages. Furthermore, he is a consummate professional who is used to the Bundesliga atmosphere. As a result, Choupo-Moting would be a cheap signing that can provide experienced attacking depth.

One thing is for sure: The Bayern board clearly draws inspiration from opinion pieces made by Bavarian Football Works.

Source: Bavarianfootballworks

4, October 2020

Italian Football: Atalanta cruise, Inter held in Serie A as Juve-Napoli in coronavirus chaos ⁰

Papu Gomez extended his scoring streak to give high-flying Atalanta a third consecutive win 5-2 against Cagliari on Sunday as title rivals Inter Milan were stalled 1-1 in a bad-tempered game against Lazio in Rome where both teams finished a man down.

Champions Juventus’s clash against Napoli later on Sunday remained in doubt with the southerners having not travelled to Turin because of two coronavirus cases.

“No, everything is like Saturday,” a Napoli spokesman told AFP asked about a possible departure for Turin, hours before kickoff.

The Lega Serie A insisted all the health protocols were in place for the match to safely go ahead as scheduled for Turin at 1845 GMT.

In Bergamo, Atalanta struck hard in their first home game this season, bringing their tally to 13 goals in three games played, to sit top of the Serie A table.

But Inter dropped points for the first time this campaign despite playing 20 minutes with a player more after Lazio’s Ciro Immobile was sent off.

“The score could have been much bigger,” said Atalanta Gian Piero Gasperini.

“Now the (international) break interrupts this momentum. Hopefully we’ll pick up where we left off.”

Gasperini’s side were four goals up at the break with Luis Muriel opening after seven minute.

Gomez blasted in the second from a distance just before the half hour mark, five minutes after Uruguayan defender Diego Godin had pulled Cagliari level on his debut since moving from Inter Milan.

Mario Pasalic and Duvan Zapata also scored in a five-minute spell before the break.

Joao Pedro reduced the deficit for the Sardinians after the break but Sam Lammers marked his first home game with an impressive solo effort with nine minutes to go.

Atalanta have the maximum nine points, two ahead of Sassuolo and Inter.

In Rome, Lautaro Martinez gave Antonio Conte’s side the advantage after half an hour off a deflected Ivan Perisic effort but Sergej Milinkovic-Savic headed in the equaliser ten minutes into the second half.

Immobile was sent off after 69 minutes for hitting out at Arturo Vidal with Inter’s Stefano Sensi also seeing red with minutes to go.

Hellas Verona fell to their first defeat of the season with Jasmin Kurtic scoring after just one minute to give Parma a first win this campaign.

– Napoli risk forfeit –

In Turin, confusion reigned over whether Napoli would line out, after midfielder Eljif Elmas and Poland international Piotr Zielinski contracted the virus.

The team have not left Naples because of measures of regional health authorities, despite the Lega Serie A insisting conditions were safe.

“The protocol provides… rules, which allow the playing of league matches even in the event of a positive tests, fielding the players who tested negative,” Serie A said.

These measures are “applicable to the situation of Napoli, which has two positive players for Covid-19,” the Liga Serie A added.

The league said it had “a precise rule to be adopted in the event of multiple positives that can lead to the postponement of matches only upon the occurrence of certain conditions which, at the moment, do not apply to the case of Naples.”

Juventus confirmed they would “take to the field” as scheduled despite two positive tests among their staff with coach Andrea Pirlo naming his match-day squad.

If Napoli do not play Gennaro Gattuso’s side, who had won both their Serie A matches so far this season, would forfeit the game 3-0.

The league are applying UEFA rules that say a match can take place as long as a side have 13 healthy players, including a goalkeeper.

The only possible exemption would be a club which has an active outbreak of Covid-19 with more than ten new positive cases in a week.

In that case the club can request a postponement, but only once in the season.

Genoa’s game against Torino on Saturday was postponed with the Ligurian club, who lost 6-0 to Napoli last weekend, counting 22 cases, including 17 players.

Source: AFP