Sports

21, March 2019

Champions Cameroon among 21 teams seeking Cup of Nations places ⁰

Defending champions Cameroon are among 21 countries hoping to fill one of 10 places up for grabs this weekend in the final 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

The Indomitable Lions will be among the 24 finalists in Egypt this June provided they avoid defeat at home against the Comoros in Yaounde.

Other hopefuls include South Africa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang-captained Gabon while Burundi, the Gambia, Lesotho and the Comoros dream of qualifying for the first time.

AFP Sport assesses the eight groups where places are on the line ahead of the first Cup of Nations to feature 24 teams and the first in the modern era to be staged in mid-year.

Group B

Cameroon coach and former Dutch star Clarence Seedorf has lamented a poor goal return — three in five qualifiers — and he will lack suspended Karl Toko Ekambi.

The Villarreal striker, who scored twice in La Liga last weekend, is suspended and an injury rules out fellow attacker Vincent Aboubakar.

Only a win will suffice for the Comoros and they will lack suspended El Fardou Ben Nabouhane, their chief source of goals.

Group C

Gabon must win in Bujumbura to prevent Burundi creating history and the return of Arsenal star Aubameyang is a timely boost for the underperforming Panthers.

Last year, he refused to visit South Sudan because of unhappiness with the condition of the chartered plane and injury ruled him out of the next qualifier, a home loss to Mali.

Aubameyang managed only one goal in other qualifiers while his Burundi equivalent, Abdul Razak Fiston, has netted six times.

Group D

Benin, Togo and the Gambia have varying chances of joining already-qualified Algeria at the biennial African football showcase.

The Gambians face a near-impossible task as they would have to win in Algeria and hope Benin and Togo draw 48 hours later.

A likelier scenario is Benin and Togo slugging it out in Cotonou with the home team needing a draw while the visitors, who may include veteran Emmanuel Adebayor, must win.

Group E

Three-time champions Nigeria are already through, leaving perennial underachievers South Africa and Libya to scrap for second place.

A draw will suffice for South Africa, who started with a shock away win over Nigeria before a draw in the Seychelles against a team including a pastry chef set them back.

Workmanlike Libya have to win and a stunning midweek win for their Olympic team over Nigeria has boosted morale.

Group G

Leaders Zimbabwe, Liberia, the Democratic Republic of Congo and bottom-place Congo Brazzaville are all contenders for two places.

Zimbabwe and DR Congo have home advantage over generally poor travellers Congo and Liberia respectively and victories will ensure qualification.

Khama Billiat is set to be an attacking threat for Zimbabwe while the Congolese hope the pace of Yannick Bolasie and stealth of Cedric Bakambu can cause damage.

Group I

Angola hold a two-point advantage over Burkina Faso in an intriguing two-team chase to join first-time qualifiers Mauritania.

The Angolans, whose winger Geraldo can unlock the tightest defences, are away to poorly performing Botswana and a win guarantees qualification.

But if they slip, 2017 Cup of Nations bronze medallists Burkina Faso can squeeze through by winning at home against Mauritania.

Group K

Traditional African football minnows Guinea-Bissau can make back-to-back Cup of Nations appearances provided they do not lose at home against Mozambique.

Namibia, away to already-eliminated Zambia, will also go to Egypt provided Guinea-Bissau do not lose.

The section was expected to be won by 2012 champions Zambia, but three losses eliminated the Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) and cost Belgian coach Sven Vandenbroeck his job.

Group L

Uganda have booked their passage to the finals with an unbeaten record and outstanding veteran goalkeeper Denis Onyango has kept five clean sheets.

Lesotho lie second despite only one win and three goals from five outings and victory in Cape Verde will take the Crocodiles to the finals for the first time.

If Cape Verde triumph, they will qualify unless unpredictable Tanzania obtain maximum points at home to Uganda in an east Africa showdown.

Star striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who hopes to lead Gabon to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations finals this weekend, celebrates scoring for Arsenal

AFP

21, March 2019

Abducted Cameroonian coach released ⁰

The coach of Cameroonian first division club Yong Sports Academy of Bamenda, Emmanuel Ndoumbe Bosso who was kidnapped on 19 March has been released.

A club official confirmed that coach Bosso was abducted while driving to the team’s base for training.

“Coach Bosso was freed last night and is now with his family” Yong Sports spokesperson Wanchia Cynthia confirmed to BBC Sport

“There wasn’t any ransom paid and we don’t know why he was kidnapped. “We believe pressure from the fans and the media played a huge role in our coach getting released”

Bosso, who won the 2013 Cameroon Cup with Yong Sports and worked with Union Douala and Sable de Batie, has so far declined to comment on his ordeal.

Yong Sports will resume training today however it is uncertain whether coach Bosso will take charge of the session.

The club are are tied on 12 points with UMS of Loum at the top of Pool B in Cameroon aib championship after the first phase of the league

The team found in the City of Bamenda, North West is one of two English speaking regions where secessionists have been fighting government forces for 3 years in a bid for independence.

Despite kidnappings on the increase, the abduction of Bosso on Tuesday is the first time a player or football official is kidnapped.

Source: BBC

20, March 2019

Top-flight coach abducted in Bamenda ⁰

The coach of Cameroonian top-flight club Yong Sports Academy of Bamenda, Emmanuel Ndoumbe Bosso, has been kidnapped by unidentified gunmen

Bosso, who won the Cameroon Cup in 2013 with the team, was taken hostage as he headed to a training session at the club’s stadium.

“Coach Ndoumbe Bosso is loved here in Bamenda and we don’t think anyone will want to hurt him” club chairman Yong Jacques told BBC Sport.

“We’ve called off the two training sessions billed for today and the club is working closely with all interested parties to make sure that our coach is safe”

The club confirmed they have not been contacted with demands for a ransom as yet.

Yong Sports Academy are based in the city of Bamenda, which is in one of the two English speaking regions in Cameroon, where secessionists have been fighting government forces for almost three years in a bid for independence.

Despite kidnappings in the region increasing in recent months this is the first time a football official has been abducted.

Yong Sports Academy are tied on 12 points with UMS of Loum at the top of Pool B in Cameroon’s championship after the first phase of the league.

As an assistant coach he won the Cameroon Cup in 1997 with Union of Douala before wining leading Sable de Batie to the Cameroonian title two years later.

BBC

16, March 2019

Hamilton snatches pole position for Australian Grand Prix ⁰

Mercedes’ world champion Lewis Hamilton picked up where he left off last year to reassert his authority and snatch a record-extending eighth pole position at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix on Saturday.

The Briton clocked a fastest lap of one minute 20.486 to narrowly pip team-mate Valtteri Bottas, with Ferrari’s Sebastian Vettel third, but well off the pace on 1:21.190. Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was fourth and Ferrari newcomer Charles Leclerc fifth.

The 34-year-old is the pole master in Melbourne, claiming it eight times and every year since 2014, although he has only twice, in 2008 and 2015, won a race at Albert Park.

He knocked out his rivals with a blistering lap at the death to claim an 84th career grid-leading time in his 230th race.

“I’m shaking, it was so close out there,” said Hamilton.

“Coming from testing we had no idea where we would be, but the guys in the factory have been working so hard towards this weekend.

“Valtteri did an exceptional job, it was so close.”

Hamilton, bidding for a sixth world title to move within one of Michael Schumacher’s record seven, topped all three free practice sessions before making it four-out-of-four during qualifying.

His dominance in qualifying in Melbourne is unsurpassed with Ayrton Senna, on six poles, the next in line.

Hamilton complained after pre-season testing in Barcelona that Ferrari was much quicker, but it appears to have been mind games with business as usual resumed this week.

Mercedes and Hamilton have been dominant in Formula One in recent years, winning the drivers’ and constructors’ titles five years in a row and Ferrari — and Vettel — are desperate to catch up.

While the German won in Melbourne last year and backed it up with victory at the next race in Bahrain, Hamilton roared back to sweep 11 of the remaining 19 Grand Prix to comfortably be crowned champion.

All Vettel’s world titles came at Red Bull, from 2010-2013, while Ferrari haven’t won a constructors crown since 2008 and no driver at the Italian outfit has tasted championship success since Kimi Raikkonen in 2007.

Hamilton topped Q2 in 1:21:014 from Bottas and Verstappen, with Vettel running into the gravel at Turn 12, kicking up dirt and dust and telling his team on the radio that the “floor, front wing” would need to be checked.

Daniel Ricciardo was a big casualty in Q2, finishing 12th in his first outing for new team Renault after moving from Red Bull. His team-mate Nico Hulkenberg also missed the cut, as did Toro Rosso pair Daniel Kvyat and Alexander Albon.

Leclerc topped Q1 with 1:22:017 ahead of Hamilton and Bottas.

Red Bull newcomer Pierre Gasly was among those who failed to get out of Q1 along with McLaren’s Carlos Sainz and Racing Point’s Lance Stroll.

Robert Kubica, who clipped the wall and sustained a puncture in his Williams, was last.

AFP

15, March 2019

Consortium of CPDM Crime Syndicate and the hangover of AFCON 2019 Debacle ⁰

Will Cameroon be ready to host AFCON 2021? The answer is a resounding “NO” even if peace returns to Southern Cameroons. Today, Friday, March 15, 2019, employees of Prime Potomac working on AFCON projects in Garoua were tear-gassed and dispersed by police after a sit-in strike at the Governor’s office. Prime Potomac says work has stopped on all its projects because the government has not paid its invoices to the tune of FCFA 3 billion; hence the company, like others involved in AFCON projects, cannot pay its staff. Instead of settling its outstanding bills, Tourism and Leisure Minister, Bello Bouba has inform the SG at the Presidency; Ngoh Ngoh who awarded the contracts to Prime Potomac, that going forward, supervisory authority over the contracts will be done by the Governor, who now has the sole power to authorize and pay for expenses. This will obviously precipitate a protracted legal fracas that might stall the projects.

Without any public tenders, Prime Potomac was awarded four contracts worth FCFA 26 billion. They include constructing four (4) new training stadiums- (Coton Sport, Poumpoumre, CENAJES, Rey-re); rehabilitate the Benoue Hotel; construct a new 4-star hotel with 103 rooms and 8 suites. These projects were due to be completed by March 31, 2019.

It has been said that if you fail to plan; then you are planning to fail. Two years is not far; just imagine the international embarrassment and national disgrace if Cameroon loses the right to host AFCON 2021…Remember, no one has been held accountable for the AFCON 2019 debacle.

15, March 2019

France Football: Balotelli sparking Marseille revival ⁰

Marseille’s sudden recent revival has coincided with the arrival of Mario Balotelli, and they take on Paris Saint-Germain this weekend hoping for a long overdue victory against their old foes.

PSG have not lost any of their last 18 meetings with Marseille in all competitions since a 3-0 defeat at the Velodrome back in November 2011, the first game between the teams following the Qatari takeover in Paris.

The fixture has lost some of its lustre as a result, with Marseille only managing three draws in the ‘Classique’ in all that time.

Most recently, PSG won 2-0 in Marseille in October, a result which came at the start of a dreadful run of form for Rudi Garcia’s team as they won just three times in 18 games in all competitions, a slump that saw them dumped out of both domestic cups and the Europa League.

But then Balotelli arrived, and OM quickly started winning again — five wins and a draw in their last six games have seen Marseille move back to within three points of the top three in Ligue 1.

Finishing on the podium, and returning to the Champions League, is seen as essential for the southern giants — still the only French side ever to have won the European Cup — and their American owner Frank McCourt.

Since signing from Nice on a short-term deal at the end of January, Balotelli has scored five times in seven games, his last two goals being followed by memorable celebrations — a group selfie immediately posted to Instagram, and then a game of rock-paper-scissors.

The former Manchester City striker’s impact on his teammates has been considerable.

“The mentality, the mindset on the pitch are different now,” midfielder Kevin Strootman, who ironically has lost his place in the side in recent weeks, told sports daily L’Equipe.

“If we want to keep fighting for a top-three place, and get into the Champions League, we have to show that we are capable of winning the big matches.”

– What welcome for PSG? –

There could be a tense atmosphere at the Parc des Princes, with PSG facing their home support for the first time since the crushing disappointment of their Champions League exit at the hands of Manchester United.

Thomas Tuchel’s side faced verbal abuse and taunts from angry fans when they returned to training last weekend, before winning 4-0 at struggling Dijon in a rearranged game on Tuesday.

The fall-out from their European debacle continues, and outcast midfielder Adrien Rabiot — who has been sidelined after refusing to sign a new contract — has now been suspended.

According to L’Equipe, Rabiot was punished for a nightclub visit in the wake of the United game, and for ‘liking’ a video posted on social media by former United player Patrice Evra celebrating the result in the stands at the Parc des Princes.

PSG remain untouchable in France — they are 17 points clear of second-placed Lille at the top of the table with a game in hand and have won all 14 of their home fixtures.

Elsewhere, Lyon will look to bounce back from their Champions League exit at the hands of Barcelona as they host Montpellier on Sunday.

After being eliminated from the Europa League in the last 16 by Arsenal, Rennes go to Bordeaux, who will be playing their first match under new coach Paulo Sousa.

“We have to congratulate the players for their remarkable run,” said Rennes coach Julien Stephan after a 3-0 defeat in London saw them go out 4-3 on aggregate.

“We don’t have the experience or the power of Arsenal, but we have learnt a lot, even if the experience ended in a painful manner.”

Fixtures (all times GMT)

Friday

Nice v Toulouse (1800), Lille v Monaco (1945)

Saturday

Angers v Amiens, Caen v Saint-Etienne, Guingamp v Dijon, Nimes v Strasbourg (all 1900)

Sunday

Lyon v Montpellier (1330), Reims v Nantes (1400), Bordeaux v Rennes (1600), Paris Saint-Germain v Marseille (2000)

AFP

15, March 2019

FIFA, Qatar to discuss expanding 2022 World Cup ⁰

FIFA is keen on seeing the World Cup extended from 32 teams to 48 in the next edition.

It’s a feasible change, according to a study conducted by the technical teams of the football governing body.

But there’s a condition. Qatar will have to accept the idea to co-organise the event with at least one of its neighbours.

The number of matches will increase from 64 to 80, which would be intense for a single country to bear.

According to media reports, Oman and Kuwait could be chosen to host some of the games of the expanded tournament.

A FIFA delegation will meet in Miami, United States on Friday with officials from the host country of the 2022 World Cup.

The organizing committee of Qatar declined to comment on the feasibility study. But its spokesman confirmed Qatar’s presence at the Miami meeting.

According to officials, an increase in the number of teams at the next World Cup could generate additional revenues of between 300 and 400 million dollars, including 120 million in television rights.

Reuters

12, March 2019

Zinedine Zidane re-appointed as Real Madrid’s new manager ⁰

Real Madrid have re-appointed their former manager, Zinedine Zidane, after the Galacticos’ poor results in the La Liga, and their early exit from the Champions League.

Real Madrid´s newly appointed French coach Zinedine Zidane arrives to give a press conference on March 11, 2019 in Madrid. (AFP)

The Spanish club announced the Frenchman’s return to the Santiago Bernabeu, just 10 months after his departure, replacing the struggling Santiago Solari at the helm till the year 2022.

The 4-1 win over Valladolid in the La Liga on Sunday, wasn’t enough to keep Solari at the Bernabeu, as they got eliminated from the UEFA Champions League at the hands of Ajax, and also endured two straight defeats at the hands of their arch-rivals Barcelona.

Los Blancos are currently 3rd in the league, 5 points behind 2nd placed Atletico, and 12 behind leaders Barcelona.

11, March 2019

FIFA President warns Oceania against abuse of the beautiful game ⁰

FIFA president Gianni Infantino on Saturday issued a final warning to the Oceanic Football Federation (OFC) while in New Zealand to attend its convention and elect a new president.

Infantino’s message came a few weeks ago following an investigation into the World Cup in Russia.

“The time when football was being abused for personal ends is gone, but from what I’ve seen, I’m sure the message has definitely gone because it’s the last chance for Oceania. and I think that from now on, and with the reforms that have been made in the last six months, in terms of good governance in the Confederation, we can really focus on football “, he said.

Last week, the world football governing body suspended Oceania President, David Chung for six years of corruption over $10 million OFC building project in Auckland.

Oceania is made up of largely small Pacific island nations and the smallest of FIFA’s six continental confederations.

The confederation has a long history of governance problems, although the new president, Lambert Matlock of Vanuatu, has said that they have embarked on “huge reforms” since David Chung’s resignation last year.

AFP

8, March 2019

‘Roma is in my DNA,’ says Ranieri as he returns to rescue hometown club ⁰

Claudio Ranieri urged Roma’s fans to get behind the team after returning as head coach of his hometown club on Friday looking to rescue their season and seal Champions League qualification.

Eusebio Di Francesco was sacked after the team’s last 16 Champions League elimination midweek, with the club’s Spanish sporting director Monchi following the coach to the exit on Friday.

Ranieri, who memorably guided outsiders Leicester City to the 2016 English Premier League title, returns to a club which he coach for 18 months from 2009 to 2011.

His contract runs until June 2019.

“Roma is in my DNA. My whole football life is tied to Roma,” said the 67-year-old former defender who began his senior playing career with Roma in 1973.

“I have always been a fan, I’ve been a player and a coach here,” he told Roma TV.

“I want to tell the fans, this is a special time. In 12 rounds, we are gambling with our future. We have the chance to get back into the Champions League.”

Ranieri arrived in the Italian capital on Friday from London having being sacked by Fulham last month after failing to ignite the English team’s revival after four months in charge.

“I talked to the team and asked for certain things,” he said after his first training session.

“The team is down, but you have to know how to react as men.

“I ask the fans to support them, encourage them even during the difficult moments, because at the end of the day, the ones who really suffer are us fans.”

The players are also reeling after crashing out of the Italian Cup 7-1 to Fiorentina last month and slumping 3-0 to city rivals Lazio last weekend in the Stadio Olimpico.

“The first aspect we have to work on is psychological, because after two defeats and a Champions League elimination, they’ll be wrecked,” said Ranieri of Roma who are fifth in Serie A, three points off the Champions League berths.

– ‘Safe hands’ –

AS Roma President Jim Pallotta said Ranieri had been chosen because he knows the team and the city.

“At this stage of the campaign, it was important to bring in a coach who knows the club, understands the environment, can speak the language and is able to motivate the players,” said the US businessman.

“Claudio ticks all of those boxes.”

Ranieri’s first match in charge will be an Italian league game at home against Empoli on Monday.

Club legend Francesco Totti, now on the board of directors, welcomed fellow Roman Ranieri. Captain Daniele De Rossi is also from the city.

“What we need now is a safe pair of hands to guide us back into the top four and ensure that we are playing Champions League football again next season,” said Totti.

Di Francesco led Roma to a third-place finish last season, and the Champions League semi-finals, but their last Serie A title was in 2001 and most recent trophy the 2008 Italian Cup.

Ranieri took over from Luciano Spalletti early in the 2009/10 season with Roma struggling and led them to runners-up finishes in Serie A and the Italian Cup.

He resigned in February of the following season after poor results. Seven coaches have sat on the Roma bench since his departure in 2011.

Ranieri’s coaching career has taken him to five different countries — Italy, Spain, England, France and Greece — often finishing second before his fairytale title success with Leicester only to be fired months later.

He then coached Nantes for a season before taking over at Fulham in November 2018, only to be sacked on February 28.

Ranieri led Fiorentina to the Italian Cup and Italian SuperCup trophies in 1996, and coached Valencia to the Copa del Rey in 1999 and UEFA Super Cup in 2005.

AFP