9, April 2024
Eto’o skips Marc Brys unveiling ceremony 0
Cameroon’s new coach Marc Brys penned a contract on Monday but the Belgian’s appointment by the government remains contentious as the football federation did not attend the signing ceremony.
Brys has been handed a 2-1/2-year contract by Cameroon’s sports ministry but the federation (FECAFOOT) was conspicuous by its absence at the event in Yaounde.
Last week, FECAFOOT criticised the unilateral decision of sports minister Narcisse Mouelle Kombito to appoint the 61-year-old Brys, who has no prior experience as a national team coach and has not previously worked on the African continent.
FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o issued a statement on Monday, excusing himself from the unveiling event.
“We thank you for inviting us to the ceremony. Following this, we inform you of the fact that we received the letter two hours before the said ceremony,” wrote Eto’o.
“Unfortunately, we are busy organising the funeral of our late Dad, and for this reason we will not be able to attend presence at the ceremony.”
His father’s funeral is to be held at the weekend.
Eto’o balked at Brys’ appointment and is now in a deepening standoff with the minister.
In Cameroon, the government has long paid the salary of the national team coach and therefore held powerful sway over FECAFOOT’s affairs, even if such state interference is frowned upon by world football’s governing body FIFA.
Any heightened dispute risks a potential ban from international competition for Cameroon, one of the heavyweights of African football.
FECAFOOT held an emergency meeting on Saturday and asked Eto’o to propose an alternative coach for the national team.
Earlier on the weekend, the minister had defended the appointment, saying he had acted in accordance with national and international regulations.
In a letter to FECAFOOT, Kombi said his ministry’s appointment of coaching staff “in no way affects the autonomy of FECAFOOT and does not violate any of the ‘supranational regulations”.
He said FECAFOOT had suggested three candidates to the ministry but their salary demands ranged between 1.5 million euros and 2.5 million euros ($1.63 million and $2.71 million) per year.
“These are excessive amounts never paid to any coach in the history of the Indomitable Lions,” Kombi said.
Source: Reuters
9, April 2024
Football: Real Madrid and Man City draw 3-3 in Champions League thriller 0
Real Madrid and Champions League holders Manchester City shared a pulsating 3-3 draw in a rollercoaster quarter-final first leg on Tuesday.
Bernardo Silva put City ahead with a low free-kick but Ruben Dias’ own goal and Rodrygo Goes helped Madrid dramatically and swiftly fight back.
Manchester City’s own quick-fire double in the second half through Phil Foden and Josko Gvardiol stunned the record 14-time winners, but they snatched a draw through Fede Valverde’s scorching volley.
The thrilling match was played in the shadow of a threat by Islamic State to target every quarter-final first leg, with a heavy security presence around the Santiago Bernabeu.
Spanish officials said 2,000 police were to be deployed, but the match was played without incident off the field. On it, there was plenty under the closed stadium roof, which produced a thunderous atmosphere.
Guardiola omitted influential playmaker Kevin De Bruyne after the Belgian said he was unwell shortly before the game, opting for Mateo Kovacic in midfield alongside Rodri Hernandez.
The former Barcelona coach also chose Stefan Ortega in goal over the experienced Ederson, only just back from a thigh injury, while Gvardiol overcame a fitness doubt to start.
Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti opted for defensive midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni at centre-back over Nacho Fernandez and an early rash challenge from the Frenchman paved the way for City’s opener.
Tchouameni clumsily hacked down Jack Grealish after 33 seconds and was booked, meaning he will miss the second leg.
From the free-kick Silva punished Madrid further, catching goalkeeper Andriy Lunin out at his near post with a low effort which skidded home.
Lunin was sluggish to react and although he got a hand to the ball he could not keep it out.
Ancelotti, coaching a record 200th Champions League match, claimed his team lacked courage and personality when they were crushed by City in last seasons semis, but they showed mental strength to quickly turn the game on its head.
This kind of feat is Madrid’s wont in the Champions League, and they produced two goals in two minutes, reminiscent of their stunning 2022 semi-final comeback against City thanks to Rodrygo’s brace.
Dias deflected the first into his own net as he tried to block Camavinga’s long-range piledriver, and Rodrygo slipped home the second after Vinicius Junior played him in, aided by another deflection, off Manuel Akanji.
The Brazilian sliced wide at the end of a slick Madrid transition, aided by a Vinicius backheel, as Los Blancos demonstrated how dangerous they are on the counter-attack.
A breathless first 45 minutes was followed by more of the same, in a tie increasingly dubbed a Champions League “Clasico”.
Rodri headed over for the visitors and Vinicius blasted over the top before City sprang their own comeback and extended their unbeaten run to 26 matches.
Foden pulled his team level with a superb strike, arced into the top corner from the edge of the box.
The England international is enjoying his finest goalscoring campaign with this perfectly placed effort his 22nd across all competitions.
With Antonio Rudiger shackling Erling Haaland, City got a goal from an unlikely source to lead five minutes later.
Defender Gvardiol’s ferocious bending effort from distance left Lunin no chance and silenced the Bernabeu — but not for long.
Valverde’s brilliant volley from Vinicius’ cross zipped past Ortega to level the score and leave the game deliciously poised for the second leg on April 17.
Source: AFP