Sports

28, May 2022

Indomitable Lions: Nicolas Nkoulou released by Watford ⁰

Championship side Watford have confirmed the departure of former Cameroon international Nicolas Nkoulou.

The centre defender was asked to leave following the Vicarage Road giants’ demotion to the English second-tier.

In the just-concluded season, the Hornets finished in the 19th position having garnered 23 points from 38 league outings.

Nkoulou featured in just three league appearances and he is now expected to look elsewhere to continue his professional career alongside Andre Gray, Juraj Kucka, and goalkeeper Ben Foster.

“Following the conclusion of the 2021/22 Premier League season, Watford FC can confirm that five first-team players have left the club,” a statement from the club website read.

“Defender Nicolas Nkoulou – who made three league appearances after signing in October 2021 – and forward Andre Gray – who spent the last campaign on loan at Queens Park Rangers – have also departed upon the expiration of their deals.

“We thank the departing players for their contributions and wish them the best of luck for the next steps in their careers.”

The African defender moved to England to become Claudio Ranieri’s first signing after leaving Serie A side Torino.

Prior to his spell in the Italian top-flight, Nkoulou played for AS Monaco, Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyon.

On the international scene, Nkoulou was part of Cameroon’s squad for the 2008 Olympic Games. There, he helped the squad reach the knockout phase before they were shown the exit door by Brazil.

He made his senior team debut on November 19, 2008, in a 3-2 friendly defeat against South Africa.

Coach Paul Le Guen picked him in his squad for the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations and then the 2010 Fifa World Cup hosted by South Africa.

Following the suspension of Samuel Eto’o and Eyong Enoh from the Indomitable Lions squad for five and two matches respectively by the Cameroon Football Federation for boycotting a friendly match against Algeria, the defender was appointed as captain of Cameroon on a temporary basis and captained his first national match, in a 1–0 win over Guinea-Bissau.

Nkoulou announced his retirement from the national team after helping the country win the 2017 Afcon.

Source: Goal.com

27, May 2022

Football: Ibrahimovic intends to continue playing ⁰

Zlatan Ibrahimovic intends to continue playing despite the end of his contract with AC Milan and a lengthy layoff in store following knee surgery, club director Paolo Maldini said Friday.

“From what I understand, his intention is to continue,” Maldini told Gazzetta dello Sport, two days after the striker, who turns 41 in October, underwent surgery that is expected to sideline him for eight months.

“We have made an appointment in a fortnight. I don’t see any problem in reaching an agreement. He is certainly not at ease playing so little. We will see what happens in the next two weeks,” Maldini said.

Ibrahimovic, who returned to AC Milan in January 2020 eight years after leaving and has just helped the club win their first Serie A title since 2011, has had the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee reconstructed.

The former Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United forward said this week he endured six months of sleepless nights due to the pain in his knee because he was determined to fulfil his promise to AC Milan of delivering their first Serie A crown in 11 years.

Meanwhile, Maldini confirmed that the club are in the process of signing Belgian striker Divock Origi from Liverpool to support Olivier Giroud, Rafael Leao and Ante Rebic in attack.

Milan does not currently have “the financial means” to make large transfers, said former ‘Rossoneri’ icon Maldini, with negotiations currently underway for the sale of the club which has won 19 Serie A titles.

Discussions between Bahrain-based Investcorp and AC Milan’s current owners, American investment fund Elliott Management, ended on Thursday without a deal.

Another American investment fund, RedBird Capital Partners, are now thought to be in the driving seat to secure a takeover.

Source: AFP

22, May 2022

Football: Man City win Premier League title after epic fightback on final day ⁰

Manchester City won the Premier League for the fourth time in five seasons after a pulsating title race reached a dramatic conclusion as the champions staged an incredible comeback from two goals down to beat Aston Villa 3-2 on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola’s side were teetering on the brink of blowing the title after falling 2-0 behind midway through the second half at the Etihad Stadium.

But Ilkay Gundogan sparked an astonishing City revival as the German midfielder reduced the deficit before Rodri grabbed the equaliser.

Gundogan turned in City’s third goal in the space of five minutes in the 81st minute, triggering wild celebrations and rendering second placed Liverpool’s 3-1 victory against Wolves irrelevant.

City finished with 93 points, one ahead of Liverpool as they ended their rivals hopes of winning an unprecedented quadruple.

On a breathtaking final day, Burnley were relegated as Leeds beat the drop, while Tottenham qualified for the Champions League at the expense of their north London rivals Arsenal.

It was City who hogged the spotlight on a day their fans, who spilled onto the pitch in delight, will never forget.

Guardiola’s men can rightly be called a dynasty after joining Manchester United as the only clubs in the Premier League era to have won four titles in five seasons, with Alex Ferguson’s teams doing it on three separate occasions.

The eighth league title in City’s history is Guardiola’s ninth major trophy since arriving at the club in 2016.

Once again, City saved the best until last as they edged Liverpool out on the final day of the season for the second time after beating them to the finish line in 2019.

It was 10 years since Sergio Aguero’s famous last-second goal against QPR sealed City’s first title since 1968 and this jaw-dropping success was almost as unlikely.

Guardiola had called on City’s fans to be “loud, loud, loud” in their bid to retain the crown, but they were stunned into silence in the 37th minute.

Lucas Digne whipped in a cross from the left and Matty Cash got in front of Joao Cancelo to score with a bullet header.

Former Liverpool star Philippe Coutinho doubled Villa’s lead with a cool finish in the 69th minute.

The shell-shocked Guardiola slumped into his seat, but City would not surrender and Ilkay Gundogan headed them back into contention in the 76th minute.

Rodri’s low strike from the edge of the area two minutes later set up a nerve-jangling finale.

And in the 81st minute, Kevin de Bruyne’s low cross reached Gundogan at the far post and the substitute tapped home to send City into ecstasy.

Having already won the FA Cup and League Cup, Liverpool can still enjoy a memorable season of their own if they beat Real Madrid in the Champions League final in Paris on Saturday.

Spurs back in Champions League

Liverpool trailed City by 14 points in January, but Klopp’s side pushed them to the wire, showing the fortitude that earned them the nickname “mentality monsters” from their manager.

Liverpool were rocked after just three minutes when Pedro Neto produced a close-range finish from Raul Jimenez’s cross.

Sadio Mane equalised with a clinical strike from just inside the area after sprinting onto Thiago Alcantara’s pass in the 24th minute.

Mohamed Salah poked Liverpool ahead with six minutes left but by then news of City’s extraordinary recovery had reached Anfield, which was in subdued mood by the time Andrew Robertson scored in stoppage-time.

Tottenham’s 5-0 rout of relegated Norwich secured fourth place at Carrow Road.

Just a few weeks ago, Antonio Conte had insisted it would take a “miracle” for Tottenham to finish in the top four, but the Italian has masterminded a superb run that ends his club’s two-year absence from the Champions League.

Dejan Kulusevski’s 16th minute tap-in from Rodrigo Bentancur’s pass put Tottenham ahead before Harry Kane struck with a diving header in the 32nd minute.

Kulusevski curled a sublime shot into the far corner in the 64th minute and Golden Boot winner Son Heung-min scored in the 70th and 75th minutes.

Tottenham’s victory left north London rivals Arsenal in fifth place despite their 5-1 win against Everton.

Burnley’s six-season stay in the top tier ended with a 2-1 home defeat against Newcastle, with Leeds staying up after a 2-1 win at Brentford.

Leeds started the day below Burnley on goal difference, but the Clarets were beaten by Callum Wilson’s brace, while Jesse Marsch’s team escaped thanks to Raphinha’s penalty and Jack Harrison’s last-gasp strike.

Manchester United lost 1-0 at Crystal Palace, but qualified for the Europa League thanks to West Ham’s 3-1 defeat at Brighton.

Source: AFP

22, May 2022

Football: Kylian Mbappe signs on to stay with PSG until 2025 ⁰

Kylian Mbappe has signed a contract extension with Paris St Germain that will keep the France forward tied with the Ligue 1 side until 2025, the French champions said on Saturday.

“I wanted to announce that I have chosen to extend my contract at Paris St Germain, and I am of course very happy. I am convinced that here I can continue to grow within a club that gives itself all the means to perform at the highest level,” the 23-year-old said in a club statement.

“I am also very happy to be able to continue playing in France, the country where I was born, grew up and flourished.”

Mbappe and club president Nasser Al Khelaifi posed holding a “Mbappe 2025” PSG shirt before the last game of the Ligue 1 season against Metz as the crowd erupted when Al Khelaifi broke the news at the Parc des Princes.

The France forward, whose current contract expires on June 30, had been widely tipped to join Real Madrid.

The 23-year-old, one of the game’s finest talents who burst onto the scene as a teenager and helped France win the World Cup in 2018, was set to leave on a free transfer when his contract expired at the end of the season.

PSG signed Mbappe from AS Monaco in 2017 in a deal reported to be about 180 million euros, making him the world’s second-most expensive signing after Neymar, who joined PSG from Barcelona for 222 million euros.

Real’s bid to sign Mbappe last year was rejected by the Parisian club, who appeared prepared to lose him on a free transfer this year.

Reports last year claimed the Spanish champions had offered PSG as much as 200 million euros for the Frenchman.

PSG had no intention of selling their young talisman in their quest for Champions League glory, but the French club fell well short this season when Real staged a dramatic second-leg comeback in the last-16 to knock them out of the competition.

PSG had been reinforced last year with the signing of Lionel Messi from Barcelona to add firepower to a star-studded squad. But apart from reclaiming the Ligue 1 title, the French club failed to win any other trophies.

Mbappe, however, excelled individually, scoring 36 goals and providing 26 assists for PSG in all competitions this season.

Source: Reuters

21, May 2022

Roger Milla birthday: Legendary footballer celebrates his 70th birthday at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium ⁰

A sea of legendary African footballers is expected to attend a special soccer game organized in honour of Roger Milla who turns 70 today.

Samuel Eto’o Fils, Rigobert Song, Schout Ajara, Abdoulaye Traoré, Emmanuel Eboué, El Hadj Diouf, Falilou Fadiga, Mark Fish are among the greats who will pay a vibrant tribute to Roger Milla at the Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaoundé.

Jules Denis Onana, a former teammate during the 1990 FIFA World Cup in Italy said football fans have turned their attention to Yaoundé for the event that will be aired via state radio and television.

Born on May 20, 1952 in Yaoundé, Roger Milla was an exceptional football player who wrote the most beautiful pages of Cameroonian soccer. The African football player of the last century banked 102 selections, 36 goals with the Indomitable Lions, participated in 4 African Cup of Nations winning in 1984 and 1988, 3 World Cups, and 4 goals in 5 matches and took Cameroon to the quarterfinal in Italia 90.

Voted best African football player in 1976 and 1990, best African player of the last 50 years in 2007 by CAF, the old lion Roger Milla is now a roving ambassador and minister for football.

By Rita Akana

19, May 2022

Football: Bale deserves good Real Madrid farewell, says Ancelotti ⁰

Carlo Ancelotti said on Thursday that Gareth Bale deserves a good send-off in Real Madrid’s last home game of the season against Real Betis.

Bale will leave Real Madrid when his contract expires at the end of June, after nine years at the Spanish giants, during which he has won three La Liga titles and the Champions League four times.

But after an impressive first few years in Spain, Bale’s popularity with the Madrid fans has plummeted while the Spanish press have regularly criticised him for a perceived lack of commitment.

Real Madrid traditionally stage tributes when significant players depart, with the team playing their final La Liga game at the Santiago Bernabeu against Betis on Friday.

Bale may not be able to play in the match as he is struggling with a back problem.

“Everyone knows that Bale’s contract is ending and that he says goodbye to Real Madrid this year,” said Ancelotti in a press conference.

“Whether he plays tomorrow or not, it’s not that important, the important thing is that Bale has been part of the history of this club. He will remain in the memories of all Real Madrid fans.

“He was very important to the Decima (when Real Madrid won their 10th Champions League), in the 2018 Champions League final in Kiev, in the Copa del Rey final (in 2014).

“He has written some great chapters for this club. It is important that everyone recognizes that.”

Real Madrid won La Liga last month with four games to spare, allowing Ancelotti to rest and rotate players ahead of the Champions League final against Liverpool in Paris next Saturday.

“Liverpool have had more difficulties than us, they are preparing very important matches,| Ancelotti said. “But we are not just thinking about the final, we will think about just the final from Monday.”

Ancelotti was also asked four times about Kylian Mbappe, who is still to announce whether he will extend his contract at Paris Saint-Germain or join Real Madrid next season.

Asked whether fans are talking to him about Mbappe in the street, Ancelotti said: “No, because I don’t go in the street. I spend my time at the training ground, in the car or at home.

“Sometimes in Madrid’s good restaurants, but they don’t ask me there. They ask me about the Champions League final.”

Source: AFP

19, May 2022

Weak, crumbling and falling apart-FECAFOOT Secretary General resigns ⁰

The secretary general has confirmed in a letter addressed to his boss that he is leaving his post

The Cameroon Football Federation (Fecafoot) has suffered a huge blow after secretary-general Benjamin Didier Banlock resigned from his post on Wednesday.

In a correspondence sent to his boss, Samuel Eto’o, on Wednesday, Banlock announced he was leaving his post because “Cameroonian football is not on the right direction and refused among other things to be reduced to the “dancer of the President.”

“I have reasons to believe Cameroonian football will only regain its greatness if great me, who carry great ideas, act with greatness in an environment that allows for elevation and progress, in other words, the achievement of great designs,” Banlock explained in his letter seen by GOAL.

“For my part and very humbly, an administration of progress at Fecafoot cannot be reduced to the “president’s dancer “which seems to be your only will,” Banlock continued in his message directed at Eto’o.

“The texts, the good managerial and governance practices, the objectives of federal projects and the results must motivate the decisions, justify the postures, the choices and the commitments.

“Thanks to the Executive Committee of Fecafoot for the trust placed in me but regrets for not being able to work in an environment conducive to achieving performance.”

On December 11, 2021, Eto’o, who played for a host of clubs across Europe, most notably Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, was elected as president of the Cameroon federation.

Almost two weeks after Eto’o took charge of the federation, the former Cameroon captain chaired an emergency committee meeting on Monday, December 27, 2021, via a video conference and he re-appointed Banlock to the post after resolutions were passed.

He came in as an interim in the new Eto’o era having served in the same position in the previous Federation which was under Njoya. Banlock was first confirmed as the federation’s secretary on January 2, 2019, before he was fired by Njoya, on August 2021.

Eto’o was in charge during the 33rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations which the country hosted. However, the Indomitable Lions could not make it to the final as they suffered a penalty shoot-out defeat in the semi-finals against Egypt.

Source: Goal.com

18, May 2022

FIFA clears Cameroon to pick Kévin Nkoudou, Olivier Ntcham ahead of World Cup ⁰

Cameroon’s recruitment drive ahead of the World Cup continued on Monday with FIFA approving the change in international eligibility of former France Under-21 winger Georges-Kévin Nkoudou.

Nkoudou, who was with Marseille and Tottenham before joining current club Beşiktaş, never played for the French senior national team and could make the change to Cameroon under FIFA rules because of his family ties.

The application to FIFA was made by the Cameroonian Football Association, which is led by national team great Samuel Eto’o.

The 27-year-old Nkoudou was named last week in coach Rigobert Song’s preliminary squad for 2023 African Cup of Nations qualifying games in June. The group also included former Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham.

FIFA confirmed Ntcham’s eligibility change from France only last week though he had been called up in March for World Cup qualifying playoffs against Algeria.

The Swansea player did not take part in the playoffs as Cameroon advanced on the away-goals rule by scoring in stoppage time at the end of extra time in the second leg.

Cameroon was drawn in a World Cup group with Brazil, Serbia and Switzerland. The tournament in Qatar starts on Nov. 21.

Source: AP

12, May 2022

Indomitable Lions: Song selects home-based players for training camp ⁰

Cameroon national football team head coach Rigobert Song has summoned a 25-man squad made up of local players for a training camp.

Song made the list public Tuesday night, which comprises players who are plying their trade in Division One Championship in the Central African nation.

“Song wants to give home-based players a chance. This is the first time in the history of Cameroonian football that local players have been called up for training by the head coach. It is expected that the best players will be selected for the preparations of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers,” sports analyst James Mbaru said.

In late April, Song said he wanted better collaboration between local professional clubs, coaches and players in a bid to build a strong national team.

The training camp will run from May 23 to 27.

Source: Xinhuanet

8, May 2022

FIFA rejects Algeria’s appeal for play-off replay against Indomitable Lions ⁰

FIFA has rejected Algeria’s desperate bid to have their World Cup play-off with Cameroon replayed, saying on Saturday “they consider the dossier closed”.

Algeria won the first leg of the play-off 1-0 in March but lost the return leg 2-1 at home after extra time to miss out on one of the five berths at the finals for African nations.

“FIFA can confirm that the Algerian Football Federation submitted a complaint to FIFA’s Disciplinary Committee in relation to the FIFA World Cup qualifier Algeria vs Cameroon played on 29 March 2022, and subsequently FAF also requested to have FIFA’s Referee Committee feedback,” a FIFA spokesperson told AFP on Saturday.

The committee itself said in a report that “all the incidents that occurred during the match were carefully examined by the two video referees, in accordance with the Laws of the Game and the protocol of video assistance to the referee”.

After 90 minutes in Blida, Cameroon led 1-0. In the 28th minute of extra time, Ahmed Touba scored a goal that would have put Algeria through, but Karl Toko Ekambi replied in the fourth minute of added time at the end of extra time.

The Algerian federation said the refereeing of the second leg by Gambian Bakary Gassama was “scandalous”.

Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi repeatedly blasted the refereeing in the match and in Africa in general.

Algerian fans have demonstrated outside FIFA’s headquarters in Zurich.

Source: AFP