Tearful goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon ended his 20-year Italy career in the saddest possible way on Monday, November 13, with their first failure to qualify for the World Cup in 60 years.

The 39-year-old Buffon said after Monday’s goalless playoff draw against Sweden, which ended Italy’s hopes of going to Russia, would be the last of his 175 appearances.

Buffon made his full international debut in 1997 against Russia the last time Italy took part in a playoff to qualify for the World Cup. Then, they scraped through 2-1 on aggregate.

In 2006, he helped Italy win the World Cup in Germany, beating France in the final in a penalty shoot-out after a 1-1 draw.

The 2010 and 2014 World Cups were less successful, Italy being eliminated in the group stages of the finals in South Africa and Brazil respectively, but Buffon remained with the team hoping for one last World Cup in Russia but it was not to be.

Source: Presstv

Zambia will take on Cameroon in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Qualification CAF Group B match at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium in Ndola on Saturday.

Chipolopolo succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to Nigeria in Uyo last month, and their hopes of qualifying for the World Cup for the first time came to an end.

Zambia, who placed second in group B having collected seven points from five games, find themselves above much-fancied Cameroon and Algeria.

Promising youngsters Patson Daka and Enock Mwepu will be looking to impress for Wedson Nyirenda’s side, who will finish second if they secure a draw or win against Cameroon.

However, Zambia will be without Kondwani Mtonga. The defender has been sidelined as he is nursing an injury. “He is not available for now due to the injury. He needs to heal,” Zambia team manager Chris Chibuye said.

“We called 28 players and we need 23 for the game, so we have enough back up. “He came to be examined by the national team doctors and they have OK’d the treatment that he is receiving from the club.”

Meanwhile, Cameroon have endured a disappointing qualifying campaign which saw them fail to book their place in the finals. The Indomitable Lions overcame Algeria 2-0 at home in their previous qualifier, which sees them placed third on the group B standings with six points from five games.

Cameroon, who have participated in seven World Cup finals, will finish second in the group if they beat Zambia.

Source: This Day

Cameroon have launched their PUMA home kit, with the current squad teaming up with famous musician MHD and national team legend Roger Milla for the viral unveiling.

Milla became a global cult hero when he danced his way into the hearts of people all over the planet with iconic goal celebrations at the 1990 World Cup – a tournament that saw Cameroon become the first African team to reach the quarter finals.

The veteran forward had already played the 1982 World Cup, and had earlier retired from international football in the late 1980s. He later returned to play in 1994 at the age of 42, still a tournament record for the oldest outfield player.

Cameroon and PUMA have been no strangers to striking kits – cast your mind back to the sleeve-less shirt or the all-in-one jersey – and the latest is no different.

The shirt, in typical green and with a darker shade of sleeves, features a bold roaring lion graphic, bringing alive the spirit of the Indomitable Lions.

Cameroon will play five Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to play against Comoros, Malawi and Morocco in 2018, despite having already qualified for the tournament as hosts.

Having won the 2017 edition, the Indomitable Lions will be looking to retain the trophy on home soil in 2019 and win back-to-back titles just as they did in 2000 and 2002.

Source: Sports Ilustrated

Houston Rockets basketballer Luc Mbah a Moute says he grew up as a son of a village chief in Cameroon, but tells BBC Sportsworld: “I never had a crown though”.

Moute was part of the Rockets team that beat reigning NBA champions the Golden State Warriors on the opening day of the season.

He also helps to find the next crop of African talent through training camps back home.

Source: BBC

Armand Carlos Netsing Takam (born 6 December 1980), best known as Carlos Takam, is a Cameroonian-French professional boxer and former WBC Silver heavyweight champion. As an amateur, he represented Cameroon in the super heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympics. 2003, at the All-Africa Games in Abuja, Nigeria, Takam captured the bronze medal in his weight division.

He made his debut as a professional in France on December 10, 2005, when he defeated Zinidine Benmakhlouf of Belgium. He had a record of 17 wins, 0 losses, 0 draws and at 16 knockouts by the end of 2008.

Takam made his HBO debut on 18 January 2014 against Cuban Mike Perez. The fight started slow with little action in the first five rounds, however, Takam took over starting in round six, as he planted his feet inside and was able to work Perez over. The Cuban’s arms got heavier and heavier as the fight went on, and he didn’t seem to have his usual snap or speed. Takam was able to hurt Perez in round six and round ten.

On 16 October 2017, Takam, 33 years old, was made the replacement to fight Anthony Joshua when Joshua’s opponent Kubrat Pulev pulled out with a shoulder injury.

Since Takam and Nigerian born Anthony Joshua’s bout has been fixed both countries have been taken sides. While Cameroonians are all out rooting for their son Takam, the rave here in Nigeria is not in anyway lesser.

Ahead of Saturday when the centre stage will be set for the Nigerian-born Anthony Joshua to defend his WBA and IBF heavyweight title against the Cameroonian-born French boxer, the country is already agog with publicity and high spirit momentum.

Nigerians are anxiously looking forward to the bout with the same strong feeling they have for football. Nigerians support the Super Eagles of Nigeria no matter who their opponent is, and at what level. This explain the support Joshua is having back home in Nigeria.

Nigerians at Anthony Joshua’s hometown believes when their son as he has threatened to target Carlos Takam’s body as he plots to fight “in a phone box”. The IBF and WBA ‘super’ heavyweight champion is four-and-a-half inches taller than his late-notice opponent Takam this weekend in Cardiff, having initially prepared to fight the much rangier Kubrat Pulev.

“I’m going to stand in front of [Takam] and gun his tree down because that’s what he does,” Joshua exclusively told Sky Sports.

“A fighter like him wants to get on the inside and work you around the body. I can’t keep punching straight if a fighter is on my chest, so I need to work on my inside game and stand in a phone box. Those fights come down to will, heart and whoever wants it more.

“He disheartens you. Imagine throwing your best shots and they are still in front of you. It’s disheartening. To do that for 12 rounds takes a lot of energy so sometimes I’ll have to stand in front of him, trade him, and go to war. I need to break his will, to break his heart.

“Takam keeps on coming, keeps on coming. He works the body well and loves a left hook. I already thought he was a game, well-rounded fighter so what is going to happen when he comes here and has everything to take home with him? I’ll see an improved Takam.”

Cameroon-born Takam has been stopped just once in 39 fights, by Alexander Povetkin, and the durable challenger was compared to a “block of cement” by Joshua last week.

The world heavyweight champion said: “With Pulev it wasn’t about whipping him around the body, it was about staying off the line and boxing down the middle. Carlos is different – he can trade down the middle. My speed will beat his combinations. A good way to beat Carlos is to take his body out, that’s what Povetkin did to him.”

Joshua added: “[Takam] moves around a lot, and boxes well. As the rounds start going on he likes to trade, and throw hooks on the inside.

“I’ve had sparring partners who have tried to knock me out, and I’ve had to dig in and give them some body shots. So my inside game has definitely improved. If we stand on the inside and start trading, it will be entertaining.”

Joshua’s trainer Rob McCracken confirmed they would revamp his final sparring sessions by bringing in training partners who would replicate Takam’s physique. McCracken said: “Anthony is good against shorter opponents, anyway.”

KweseTv has stormed the Nigeria-home town of Joshua for a live broadcast of the fight.The much-anticipated bout is billed for Saturday in Cardiff, Wales, and Kwese Tv would showcase the hometown of Joshua and her indigenes to the world while also simultaneously beaming live the fight in England.

The General Manager, Kwese Free Sports Nigeria, Chichi Nwoko who said this added that Kwese Tv would put in place a spectacular carnival-like show to celebrate the fight and to commemorate Sagamu Day.

Source: The Nation

Carlos Takam has replaced Kubrat Pulev as the IBF mandatory challenger for Anthony Joshua’s world title  at Principality Stadium in Cardiff on October 28, it was announced late on Monday night.

Frenchman Takam, rated at No3 with the IBF  governing body has been on the hunt for a showdown with the champion, and gets his golden chance at ripping away Joshua’s titles after Pulev picked up a shoulder injury in sparring.

“I received a call from Kalle Sauerland late afternoon to inform me that Pulev had injured his shoulder and may be ruled out of the fight – this was later confirmed by his doctor,” said promoter Eddie Hearn. “IBF rules state that the mandatory will go to the next fighter in line which is Carlos Takam.”

Takam is a Cameroonian-French professional boxer and former WBC silver heavyweight champion. As an amateur he represented Cameroon in the super heavyweight division at the 2004 Olympics. He is 36 and has a record of 35 wins, three defeats and one draw, and this will be his first full heavyweight title fight.

“When the Pulev fight was announced I made a deal with Takam’s team to begin camp and be on standby for this fight,” sais Hearn. “When I called them this evening they were overjoyed and good to go.

“It’s a difficult position for AJ having prepared meticulously for the style and height of Pulev, he now faces a completely different style and challenge in Takam – this hasn’t happened in his career before but he is ready for all comers on October 28.”

Joshua’s bout with Takam is part of a huge night of action in Cardiff where the 2012 London Olympic gold medal winner’s bitter foe Dillian Whyte aims to take a giant step to his first world title shot by facing Robert Helenius for the WBC silver strap.

Kal Yafai defends his WBA world super-flyweight title against Japanese mandatory challenger Sho Ishida and Irish sensation Katie Taylor challenges for her first world title as she takes on two-weight world champion Anahi Esther Sanchez for the WBA lightweight crown.

There’s a mouth-watering British and Commonwealth light-heavyweight battle between Frank Buglioni and Callum Johnson, Lenroy Thomas and Dave Allen rematch for the Commonwealth heavyweight title and Team GB Olympian and Welsh talent Joe Cordina appears in his fifth pro outing.

Source: The Telegraph

US President Donald Trump has intensified his criticism of NFL players who took a knee during renditions of the national anthem.

American football players across the US and in London, including members of the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Baltimore Ravens, knelt in a powerful display of unity during games on Sunday.

Trump called the protesters “disgraceful” and claimed they blatantly disrespected veterans who fought for the flag and country.

“I don’t think you can disrespect our country, our flag, our national anthem,” Trump said at a Rose Garden press conference on Tuesday.

“They were fighting for our country, they were fighting for our flag, they were fighting for our national anthem,” he said, referring to injured soldiers he visited at Walter Reed. “For people to disrespect that by kneeling during the playing of our national anthem I think is disgraceful.”

Meanwhile, Richard Allen Smith, an Afghanistan war veteran, told MSNBC in an interview, “I didn’t fight for any flag or anthem and I don’t know anybody that did fight for a flag or anthem.”

Trump “is a man who has no capacity for shame, he’s a serial sexual predator and a bigot,” he said, adding,  he was “just ashamed that this is our president.”

Trump has called on NFL owners to sack the mostly black players who staged the protest. He also asked fans to boycott NFL games to increase pressure on the league to fire or suspend those players.

“If NFL fans refuse to go to games until players stop disrespecting our Flag & Country, you will see change take place fast,” Trump wrote. “Fire or suspend!”

NFL teams whose owners or CEOs have voiced their support of players’ free expression included the New England Patriots, New York Giants, Buffalo Bills, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos, San Diego Chargers, Green Bay Packers, Atlanta Falcons, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts and Seattle Seahawks.

The row began on Friday at a Republican political rally in Alabama when Trump described activist NFL players — mostly African Americans — as “sons of b****es” who should lose their job for not standing during renditions of the national anthem.

The protests are aimed at drawing more attention to police violence against minorities in America following a spate of deadly police shootings of black men.

They began last year when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick refused to stand for the anthem to protest racial injustice.

Source: Presstv

Liverpool need to build their defence around Joel Matip, Garth Crooks has claimed. The Reds have made a mixed start to the Premier League season in Jurgen Klopp’s second full campaign in charge of the Merseyside outfit.

Liverpool missed out on the signing of Southampton captain Virgil van Dijk in the summer transfer window to leave Klopp with the same options at centre-half. Klopp has stuck with Matip for all of Liverpool’s Premier League games so far but has alternated between Dejan Lovren and Ragnar Klavan to partner the Cameroon international.

And the Estonia international partnered the African centre-half for Liverpool’s 1-1 draw with Burnley on Saturday to extend their winless run to three games. The Reds have already conceded 14 goals in eight games in all competitions to raise serious questions about Liverpool’s ability to defend.

Klopp has failed to address Liverpool’s defensive issues which continue to undermine their progress in other areas of the pitch under the former Borussia Dortmund coach. Former Spurs legend Crooks believes Liverpool should build their back four around Matip if Klopp wants to improve his team’s defensive performances.

“Joel Matip is a very willing defender and without the Cameroon centre-back’s exploits against Burnley, Liverpool would almost certainly have lost,” Crooks told BBC Sport. “His header off the line from a Ben Mee effort was priceless for the Reds and the Burnley defender nearly gave the Kop another heart attack when Simon Mignolet just about managed to stop the ball crossing the line after another free header at the far post.

“However, it was Matip, acting as his goalkeeper’s insurance policy, who saved the day. I’ve expressed my views about Liverpool’s defence on a number of occasions and they were desperately lucky to survive this fixture.”
Crooks added: “I will say this: Matip is an honest competitor capable of producing excellent performances on his day. But for goodness sake, he needs a defence around him.” Matip moved to Liverpool in a free transfer from Bundesliga outfit Schalke 04 in the 2016 summer transfer window.

Source: The Sports Review