TheNewsGuru

Tag: AFCON 2021

  • AFCON: Sierra Leone coach reveals death threat over squad selection

    AFCON: Sierra Leone coach reveals death threat over squad selection

    Sierra Leone coach John Keister says he received death threats prior to naming his squad for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Sunday in Cameroon.

    The 51-year-old received two threats – regarding the inclusion of certain players – a day before announcing his 28-man squad and reported them to police in the west African country.

    “I think it’s very, very sad that it has to come to this,” Manchester-born Keister told BBC Sport Africa.

    “Whatever walk of life you are in, nobody deserves that.”

    Keister added: “I don’t think it should get to that point where my life is being threatened because people feel players should be in [the squad] – and if they are not, this is what they are going to do.”

    Keister featured for several British clubs, including Walsall and non-league Margate, during his playing career and was capped by Sierra Leone between 1997 and 2003.

    He is in his second spell as national coach and has led the Leone Stars, ranked 108th in the world, to the tournament finals for the first time since 1996.

    “We have come a long way [so] there’s no reason for [the death threats],” added Keister.

    “I’ve got family, I look after these boys and I have a job to do. It gets me angry and for me, where I have come from and my background, I feel there is something I need to do about it.

    “Regardless of the job, I need to do something about it.”

    His squad, including one-time England defender Steven Caulker and former Middlesbrough striker Kei Kamara, 37, will face holders Algeria, Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea in Group E at the Nations Cup.

  • 23 players arrive Super Eagles camp ahead of AFCON 2021 [Full list]

    23 players arrive Super Eagles camp ahead of AFCON 2021 [Full list]

    England-based trio of Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Wilfred Ndidi were amongst nine players who arrived at the Super Eagles Bolton White Hotel camp on Tuesday in Abuja ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Cameroon.

    Other players who arrived in the early hours of Tuesday morning include three other English-based players, namely: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); William Ekong (Watford FC, England) and Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England).

    Others include; Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy) and Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain).

    Interim coach, Augustine Eguavoen was only able to train with 14 players on Monday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, prior to the arrival of the nine players which brought the total number of players in camp to 23.

    No fewer than five players are still been expected including, Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Tyrone Ebuehi (Venezia FC, Italy); Joseph Aribo (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain) and Odion Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia).

    The week-long camp which opened on Dec. 29, 2021 will end on Tuesday (today) with the team expected to depart for Garoua, Cameroon on Wednesday, six days before their opening Group D fixture against seven-time champions Egypt.

    The 33rd edition of the AFCON will hold in Cameroon from Jan. 9 to Feb. 6, 2022.

    Players in Camp:

    Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

    Defenders: Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Oluwasemilogo Ajayi (West Bromwich Albion, England); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)

    Midfielders: Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain)

    Forwards: Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Henry Onyekuru (Olympiacos FC, Greece); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Peter Olayinka (SK Slavia Praha, Czech Republic).

  • AFCON 2021: Super Eagles 28-man squad revealed [Full list]

    AFCON 2021: Super Eagles 28-man squad revealed [Full list]

    Coach Augustine Eguavoen has announced his final 28-man Nigeria squad for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations with prominent inclusions like Victor Osimhen, Odion Ighalo and Alex Iwobi.

    Villarreal star Samuel Chukwueze, captain Ahmed Musa and the duo of Leon Balogun and William Troost-Ekong made the cut alongside Francis Uzoho as well as Torino’s Ola Aina.

    The Eagles are in Group D with Egypt, Guinea-Bissau and Sudan at the 2021 AFCON.

    FULL SQUAD:

    Goalkeepers:
    Francis Uzoho (AC Omonia, Cyprus); John Noble (Enyimba FC); Daniel Akpeyi (Kaizer Chiefs, South Africa); Maduka Okoye (Sparta Rotterdam, The Netherlands)

    Defenders:
    Chidozie Awaziem (Alanyaspor FC, Turkey); Kenneth Omeruo (CD Leganes, Spain); Leon Balogun (Glasgow Rangers, Scotland); William Ekong (Watford FC, England); Olaoluwa Aina (Torino FC, Italy); Jamilu Collins (SC Padeborn 07, Germany); Abdullahi Shehu (AC Omonia, Cyprus); Zaidu Sanusi (FC Porto, Portugal); Olisa Ndah (Orlando Pirates, South Africa)

    Midfielders:
    Frank Onyeka (Brentford FC, England); Joseph Ayodele-Aribo (Galsgow Rangers, Scotland); Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester City, England); Chidera Ejuke (CSKA Moscow, Russia); Kelechi Nwakali (SD Huesca, Spain)

    Forwards:
    Ahmed Musa (Fatih Karagumruk, Turkey); Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal FC, Spain); Victor Osimhen (Napoli FC, Italy); Moses Simon (FC Nantes, France); Sadiq Umar (UD Almeria, Spain); Taiwo Awoniyi (Union Berlin, Germany); Odion Jude Ighalo (Al-Shabab Riyadh, Saudi Arabia); Alex Iwobi (Everton FC, England); Kelechi Iheanacho (Leicester City, England); Emmanuel Dennis (Watford FC, England)

  • AFCON 2021 Draw: Why we want to avoid Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire – Super Eagles coach Rohr

    AFCON 2021 Draw: Why we want to avoid Egypt, Côte d’Ivoire – Super Eagles coach Rohr

    The delayed TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 to be held between January 9 and February 6, 2022 would not be for the faint-hearted according to Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr.

    Palpable fears are coming out of the Cameroonian capital city of Yaoundé as the 24 teams including the hosts will know their fate later today when the draw for the continent’s flagship tournament is made at the Palais des Congrès (Conférence Centre).

    Already in Yaounde for the draws, Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr told Nation Sport that all coaches are waiting with bathed breath for the draws , adding none of the six seeded teams would wish to have either AFCON record seven-time winners Egypt or 2015 winners Cote d’Ivoire in their company.

    With Nigeria being one of the six seeded teams including hosts Cameroon, defending champions Algeria, Senegal, Tunisia and Morocco, the exigencies of the draw means the Super Eagles can be drawn against any of the six teams in the so-called second-zone that house Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Mali Egypt, Guinea and Burkina Faso.

    “I have had good conversations also with my colleagues,” Rohr told NationSport.“ Every one of the top 6 wants to avoid Egypt and Côte d’Ivoire.

    “But we will accept and respect all the teams,” added the German.

    In a related development, CAFOnline.com quoted a Cameroonian sports intermediary Billy Houto as saying that the hosts must avoid both Egypt and Ghana in the preliminary first round to have any realistic chance of progressing further in the tournament.

  • AFCON: South Africa Eliminated After Losing In Sudan

    AFCON: South Africa Eliminated After Losing In Sudan

    South Africa failed to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations after losing 2-0 to Sudan Sunday in a final-round Group C match in Omdurman.

    Saifeldin Malik gave the hosts a fifth-minute lead in a clash of former African champions by heading past goalkeeper Ronwen Williams off a free- kick.

    Mohammed Abdelrahman doubled the lead on 31 minutes, taking advantage of hesitancy by captain Thulani Hlatshwayo before firing past Williams at his near post.

    South Africa coach Molefi Ntseki took off star forward Percy Tau just past the hour and surprisingly replaced him with a defender, Sifiso Hlanti, given the desperate need for goals.

    Ghana defeated Sao Tome e Principe 3-1 in Accra in a match played at the same time to finish first with 13 points, followed by Sudan (12), South Africa (10) and Sao Tome (0).

    South Africa have gradually faded as a Cup of Nations force after hosting and winning the competition in 1996 and finishing second and third in the following two editions.

    Failure to qualify for the 2021 tournament in Cameroon means Bafana Bafana (The Boys) will miss the finals of the marquee African national team competition for the fourth time in seven editions.

    Earlier, Tunisia beat Equatorial Guinea 2-1 in Rades in a match between countries who had already qualified from Group J while Tanzania edged Libya 1-0 in Dar es Salaam in the same section.

    Guinea, who secured a place at the 24-team tournament earlier this week, surrendered an unbeaten Group A record when losing 2-1 to Namibia in Windhoek.

  • 2021 AFCON Qualifiers: Fixtures for Day 3 matches on Saturday

    2021 AFCON Qualifiers: Fixtures for Day 3 matches on Saturday

    The following are fixtures for Day 3 matches of the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers to be on Saturday across Africa.

    Group D
    DR Congo v Angola

    Group G
    Egypt v Togo

    Group L
    Benin v Lesotho.

  • AFCON 2021 qualifiers resume November, Qatar 2022 in May 2021

    AFCON 2021 qualifiers resume November, Qatar 2022 in May 2021

    The Emergency Committee of Confederation of African Football (CAF) has approved resumption dates for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers and the Africa qualifying group stage of 2022 FIFA World Cup.

    This means a busy schedule awaits the participating teams, with double-headers from November 2020 through to November 2021 in the battle for spots to the final tournament of the two competitions.

    “The schedules for the two competitions have had to be revised in light of the COVID-19 outbreak which halted many sports activities across the continent and beyond for some time.

    “For Cameroon 2021, the qualifiers will hold from Nov. 9 to Nov. 17 2020 with the Day 3 and Day 4 matches, while the penultimate and ultimate matches take place from March 22 to March 30 2021.

    “The 40 teams in contention for the five slots for Qatar 2022 will commence the journey between May 31 and June 15, 2021 with the Day 1 and Day 2 matches.

    “From Aug. 30 to Sept. 17, the Day 3 and Day 4 matches are expected to take place, with Day 5 and Day 6 matches fixed for Oct. 4 to Oct. 12, 2021.

    “The Playoff matches have been scheduled for Nov. 8 to Nov 16, 2021,” CAF said in a statement.

    Meanwhile, CAF has said it was monitoring the situation closely and working with the relevant authorities with regards to hosting of the matches, and would make pronouncements accordingly.

  • Why CAF May Postpone AFCON 2021

    The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) set to hold in January 2021 may be postponed as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) meet next week in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

    The tournament is set for Cameroon from January 9 through February 6 but appears increasingly under threat as time begins to run out amid a tight schedule.

    This is because qualification rounds are still not complete and due to predictions, national team football on the continent is not due to resume before October in the wake of the novel coronavirus outbreak.

    CAF’s executive committee will meet in an online conference on Tuesday, June 30 to decide what to do, and also set out a possible process for completing this season’s two continental club competitions.

    This follows FIFA’s decision on Thursday to cancel September’s window for national team matches in all regions, except Europe and South America. This has left CAF with fewer dates to try and complete the competition’s qualifying campaign and then finalise the field for the 24-team tournament.

    There are still four rounds of qualifiers to play and although they could yet be scheduled for October and November, that would mean having to postpone the start of the group phase of 2022 World Cup qualifiers.

    There is also the inconvenience that hosting AFCON next January would place on domestic competition, with the 2020-2021 season in most of Africa’s major leagues set to start late as they seek to first complete current campaigns which have been suspended by the pandemic. Most African leagues are halted mid-season to make space for the Cup of Nations.

    The African Champions League and African Confederation Cup were suspended at the semi-final stage and CAF will have to come up with a plan to finish the competitions with borders mostly shut, flights suspended and football stopped across the continent because of the pandemic.

    CAF must also decide whether to cancel this year’s African Nations Championship (ANC), which was due to be played in Cameroon in April. It is the tournament hosted every two years for national teams made up of home-based players only.

    There is also the decision that must be made on the African women’s championship, scheduled for November but with qualification also far from complete.

    But in this case, a postponement looks an easy decision to make because CAF is yet to find a venue for the tournament after Congo withdrew as hosts in July 2019.

  • AFCON 2021: Rohr gives update on Moses, Ndidi, Osimhen, others

    Super Eagles manager, Gernot Rohr, has provided the latest update on the fitness level of some of his players that include; Moses Simon, Wilfred Ndidi and Victor Osimhen ahead of their 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers clash against Sierra Leone in March.

    According to Rohr, goalkeeper Francis Uzoho is the only significant injury concern ahead of Sierra Leone clash, while Moses and Ndidi will be fit in the next few days.

    “There is only one major injury concern and that is the goalkeeper, Uzoho due to the fact he has been out of action for the past couple of weeks,” Rohr told AOI Football.

    “Victor Osimhen will be better in a short period, while Omeruo has an injury on the head, Kalu, whom I saw, is already nursing a comeback this weekend.

    “As for Moses, we have to wait to know the extent of his situation, and for Ndidi, he is resting very well and will be fit very soon, and then we have a little injury for Etebo, but it’s not a big one.”

    Rohr’s men are in Group L with six points after defeating both Benin Republic and Lesotho in their opening two games.

    A victory against Sierra Leone will guarantee them a place at the tournament proper next year.

  • AFCON 2021 qualifiers: Rohr confident of key players’ availability

    AFCON 2021 qualifiers: Rohr confident of key players’ availability

    Super Eagles Coach Gernot Rohr has expressed confidence that the core of his players will be available for next month’s AFCON 2021 qualifiers despite injuries to key players over the weekend across different clubs in Europe, AOIFootball.com reports.

    Speaking exclusively to AOIFootball.com, the Franco-German tactician who maintains a close eye on his players, revealed that he already spoke to the players in question and believes they will be ready for the Sierra Leone doubleheader.

    “I’m very confident that our injured players will come back soon. There is only one big injury which is Uzoho because he is out for several months but the other ones like Osimhen will be okay very soon and is already better. Omeruo has only a knock on the head, Kalu whom I saw, is already nursing a comeback this weekend.

    “For Moses Simon, we have to wait to know the extent and for Ndidi he is resting very well and will be fit very soon and then we have a little injury for Etebo but its not a big one and he couldn’t play over the weekend,” Rohr stated.

    Rohr’s clarification will come as a massive boost for Eagles following injuries in Spain to Omeruo and Etebo whilst France-based duo of Victor Osimhen and Moses Simon had to be subbed after scoring for their sides.

    Nigeria currently tops Group L of the 2021 AFCON table and will almost certainly land in Cameroon should they pick maximum points against Sierra Leone who are 3rd on the table with one solitary point.