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Tag: AFCON 2023

  • AFCON 2023: Iheanacho’s latest fitness update raises fresh concerns

    AFCON 2023: Iheanacho’s latest fitness update raises fresh concerns

    Leicester City’s Head Coach, Enzo Maresca has raised fresh concerns about Super Eagles forward Kelechi Iheanacho’s fitness.

    Maresca who spoke to newsmen during a pre-match press conference on Friday in the U.K, said Iheanacho was still injured and his fitness still being assessed by the club’s medical team.

    Super Eagles, the three-time African champions will begin their quest for a fourth title on Sunday against Equatorial Guinea, before facing Cote d’ivoure on Jan. 18, and Guinea-Bissau Jan. 22, in the group stage.

    Iheanacho was initially billed to join the team in Nigeria before their departure to Cote d’Ivoire for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    However his arrival date was shifted by his English Championship club side to Saturday.

    Super Eagles gaffer Jose Peseiro told newsmen after the team’s training session in Abidjan on Friday that Iheanacho’s arrival was being delayed by his club.

    Peseiro explained that the club wanted to be 100 percent sure that Iheanacho was fit and ready for training before sanctioning his trip to Cote d’Ivoire to team up with the Super Eagles.

    It now appears like his trip on Saturday might not be feasible anymore as his fitness is still in doubt.

    Maresca’s statement has cast doubts on Iheanacho’s participation at the AFCON while Peseiro now faces a race against time to draft in a replacement.

    The AFCON’s rule only permits teams to replace injured players 24 hours before their first game of the tournament.

    Nigeria have already made three adjustments to the squad due to injury.

    The injured trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar have been replaced by Alhassan Yusuf, Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu.

  • AFCON 2023: CAF boss assures top-notch tournament

    AFCON 2023: CAF boss assures top-notch tournament

    President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, has assured of top-notch organisation and security for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

    Motsepe gave the assurance on Friday in Abidjan at a news conference, ahead of the Saturday kick-off of the biennial continental showpiece.

    According to him, CAF has been working round the clock with the host country to ensure a befitting tournament and avoid the mistakes of the last tournament in Cameroon.

    “I am satisfied that there is a huge amount of determination and commitment and I think we are on the right track.

    “The Cameroon accident was absolutely avoidable.

    “I am satisfied the appropriate steps have been taken to make sure we will totally avoid the painful experience we had in Cameroon,”  he said.

    Recall the 2021 AFCON held in Cameroon was marred by the stampede at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde that resulted in the death of eight fans and dozens more injured, during the round of 16 match between Cameroon and the Comoros.

    The CAF boss said efforts were on deck to ensure a smooth tournament.

    “For as long as I am president, whether I know or don’t know, whether I am aware or not aware, I ultimately have to take responsibility for anything that happens,” he added.

    The Cote d’Ivoire government has invested around $1.5 billion in improving infrastructure as it prepared to host the tournament for the first time since 1984.

    That has included the construction of the 60,000-capacity Ebimpe Olympic Stadium on the northern outskirts of Abidjan, which will host Saturday’s opening game, as well Super Eagles group matches.

    There will be about 17,000 police and soldiers deployed during the month-long tournament to ensure security.

    The tournament which kicks off on Saturday with 24 nations in six stadiums across five cities, will draw to a close on Feb. 11.

  • AFCON 2023: Just like Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire hit by injury worries

    AFCON 2023: Just like Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire hit by injury worries

    Cote d’Ivoire Head Coach, Jean-Louis Gasset has ruled out striker Sebastian Haller from Saturday’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) opener against Guinea Bissau, due to ankle injury.

    Gasset disclosed this on Friday in Abidjan at a news conference, ahead of their opening match of the tournament.

    The gaffer added that the availability of the Borussia Dortmund striker for their second Group A game against Nigeria was also doubtful, as he continues to recover from the injury.

    He said there were also fitness concerns for forward Nicolas Pepe, who was recently recalled to the squad, as he’s also struggling with a knee injury.

    “Pepe played 30 minutes in last Saturday’s friendly (a 5-1 win over Sierra Leone), but is still not fully fit.

    “He suffered a knee injury at Trabzonspor in December (2023) and we have been bringing him along slowly,” he explained.

    Pepe plays in the same club with Super Eagles Paul Onuachu,  who was drafted as a late replacement for injured striker Sadiq Umar on Friday.

    Gasset had never been to the continent before taking the job, but 20 months on from his appointment, he has been charged with winning the AFCON for the home nation.

    Gasset, with extensive Ligue 1 experience and formerly an assistant coach of France under Laurent Blanc, said it had been both a swift learning experience and an exciting challenge, which he relishes.

    “I want to savour the event and appreciate the environment and the experience.

    “We feel the pressure, but I don’t think it’s an additional pressure. My objective is to turn this pressure into something positive, a drive to give us confidence.

    “This pressure has a very good aspect to it and we must take advantage of it, and this is the message I’ve been giving my squad,” he said.

    Gasset warned, however, of the quality of Guinea Bissau players, who were yet to win a game at the finals and are 103rd in the FIFA rankings, 54 places below the Ivorians.

    “We want to start well but with due respect to our opponents, who are very dangerous at counter attacks, we need to dominate the game.

    “They have beaten Nigeria in the qualifiers and we know they have good players especially Mama Balde, who now plays at Lyon,” the coach said.

    Nigeria has already made three forced changes to their squad due to injury.

    The injured trio of Wilfred Ndidi, Victor Boniface and Sadiq Umar have been replaced by Alhassan Yusuf, Terem Moffi and Paul Onuachu, respectively.

    The Super Eagles open their campaign against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, followed by a clash with hosts

    Cote D’Ivoire on Jan. 18, and will end the group campaign with Guinea-Bissau on Jan. 22.

  • AFCON 2023: Yemi Alade to thrill fans at opening ceremony

    AFCON 2023: Yemi Alade to thrill fans at opening ceremony

    Nigerian Afro beats sensation Yemi Alade is set to perform at the opening ceremony of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Saturday in Abidjan.

    The singer confirmed this in a post on her official X handle (former Twitter).

    She said the opportunity was a dream come true for her.

    “Since 2016, I have envisioned performing at the stadium for football ceremonies surrounded by hundreds of dancers and people.

    “Seven years later, I’m performing at AFCON. It is indeed an honour and a dream come true. It’s just the beginning,” she said.

    The Nigerian singer will be teeming up with other artistes from Africa to perform the theme song of the 2023 AFCON ‘Akwaba,’ which means welcome in Baoule language in Cote d’Ivoire.

    The rendition of the 2023 AFCON anthem will also feature legendary Ivorian group, Magic System and Egyptian singer, Mohamed Ramadan.

    The opening ceremony will take place at the 60,000-capacity Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara in Abidjan.

    The tournament, which kicks off on Saturday with 24 nations in six stadiums across five cities, will draw to a close on Feb. 11.

  • Côte d’Ivoire to start AFCON 2023 without star player

    Côte d’Ivoire to start AFCON 2023 without star player

    Côte d’Ivoire coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, has confirmed that one of his star players, Sebastian Haller will not play the opening game of 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) against Guinea Bissau.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Les Éléphants (The Elephants) are in the same Group A with the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

    Haller, who plies his trade with Borussia Dortmund of Germany, will not play the opening game of AFCON 2023 for the host nation as a result of injury.

    Gasset made the disclosure at the team’s press conference on Friday in Abidjan.

    Gasset, who also confirmed that one other player was also struggling with a muscle injury, assured the supporters that there was no cause for alarm.

    He was, however, reluctant to rule out Haller against Nigeria when asked, but explained that the team had five days to prepare for the Super Eagles.

    He said there were no longer small teams in Africa again, adding that his players were aware of the objectives of coming into the competition.

    “We want to start very well, we respect other teams. We need to be fit and dominate the game.

    “Guinea Bissau has some technically gifted players that we must prepare for, don’t forget they beat Nigeria in the qualifiers,” Gasset said.

    The coach also confirmed that former Arsenal player, Nicolas Pepe, was also getting in shape ahead of the 2023 AFCON but not fully fit to play many minutes yet.

    “Pepe is coming back slowly, he had a knee injury, which is done with. He’s not ready for 90 minutes but we will integrate him gradually,” he said.

    One of the players who attended the pre-opening AFCON 2023 press conference, Frank Kessie, urged the supporters to come out in their large numbers on Saturday to support the team to do well at the tournament.

    Kessie explained that he was aware of the pressure on him as one of the senior players in the team, adding that he was ready to handle it with maturity.

    The Al-Ahli Saudi FC midfielder said Nigeria’s Super Eagles have a huge strike force but every other team in the group has to be taken seriously too.

  • AFCON 2023: Super Eagles first match in Côte d’Ivoire very critical – Sports Minister

    AFCON 2023: Super Eagles first match in Côte d’Ivoire very critical – Sports Minister

    Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Enoh has charged the Super Eagles of Nigeria to win their first match of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Senator Enoh gave the charge while stressing on the critical nature of the first match of the Super Eagles in Group A against Equatorial Guinea.

    Super Eagles open their campaign against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, followed by a mouth-watering clash with hosts Cote D’Ivoire on January 18, ending the group campaign with Guinea-Bissau on January 22.

    Enoh stressed the Super Eagles encounter with Equatorial Guinea will go a long way to determine how the Nigerian national team will fare in the 2023 AFCON.

    “It is very critical for the Super Eagles to win our first match on Sunday. The outcome will have a lot of implications,” Senator Enoh said during an interactive session with journalists, following a technical session with sports federation presidents in Abuja on Thursday.

    Enoh added: “Every match in the tournament is as critical as the first encounter. It is a tournament. That first match is taking place on Sunday.

    “I expect us to have a win. That win will send a clear signal as to our intentions, as to the reason why we are in Côte d’Ivoire, and to the fact that we are there to win”.

    Speaking on the outcome of the meeting with sports federation presidents and secretaries, the Sports Minister disclosed that an agreement was reached to put together a technical team to develop funding models to proffer solutions to the challenge of funding for sports in the country.

    “The funding issues have been there. When I say the problems of sports, which have been there for the past 30 years, are still the same problems we are talking about, all of them boil down to funding.

    “If you look at the various sporting federations as they are, and the various funding needs, it is not sustainable for sports to depend fully on the government.

    “One of the outcomes of the technical session is agreement to put together a technical team, comprising the sports federation presidents and the ministry to work for new funding models that are going to be sustainable.

    “A lot of the sports are going to Egypt for the Olympics qualifiers. That is because Egypt is doing something right. The way we can achieve what Egypt is doing is first to achieve a sustainable funding model that gets us to get the sports problems solved,” Enoh said.

  • SEE PHOTOS: Black Stars of Ghana arrive AFCON 2023 dressed in Kente

    SEE PHOTOS: Black Stars of Ghana arrive AFCON 2023 dressed in Kente

    The Ghanaian national football team on Wednesday arrived in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire for the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Black Stars of Ghana arrived in Côte d’Ivoire for the AFCON 2023 dressed in Kente.

    Kente refers to a Ghanaian textile, made of handwoven cloth, strips of silk and cotton.

    Historically the fabric was worn in a toga-like fashion by royalty among the Ewe and Akan people of Ghana.

    TNG reports Andrew Ayew will lead the Ghanaian national football team for the 2023 AFCON.

    Ghana’s AFCON squad

    The Black Stars coach Chris Hughton named his 27-man squad to do duty in Ivory Coast.

    Hughton will miss the services of injured Arsenal midfielder Thomas Partey who has been battling to recover from a hamstring strain.

    Also left behind is Brighton and Hove Albion utility player Tariq Lamptey who was injured back in November while in action for his club.

    Full squad

    Goalkeepers: Lawrence Ati-Zigi, Richard Ofori, Joe Wollacott.

    Defenders: Daniel Amartey, Alexander Djiku, Abdul Fatawu Hamid, Gideon Mensah, Denis Odoi, Nicholas Opoku, Mohammed Salisu , Kingsley Schindler, Alidu Seidu.

    Midfielders: Majeed Ashimeru, Osman Bukari, Baba Iddrisu, Ransford Koningsdorffer, Mohammed Kudus, Richmond Lamptey, Elisha Owusu, Joseph Paintsil, Salis Abdul Samed.

    Forwards: Andre Ayew, Jordan Ayew, Ernest Nuamah, Antoine Semenyo, Jonathan Sowah, Inaki Williams.

    AFCON group

    Ghana will be in Group B together with continental heavyweights Egypt, Cape Verde and Mozambique.

    On January 14, they will play Cape Verde before squaring up with Egypt on January 18 and finishing the group stage playing Mozambique on January 22.

    It is a tricky pool and they will have to be on top of their game to not suffer the same fate as Afcon 2021 when they were eliminated in the group stages.

  • BREAKING: Super Eagles land Côte d’Ivoire in grand style for 2023 AFCON

    BREAKING: Super Eagles land Côte d’Ivoire in grand style for 2023 AFCON

    The Super Eagles of Nigeria on Wednesday landed in grand style in Abidjan, ahead of the commencement of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire.

    The team, in all-white traditional kaftan uniform with green cap to match, touched down at the Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport, Abidjan, aboard a chartered flight.

    They were welcomed by fans, who hailed and justled to take pictures with them.

    Earlier, the team was hosted to a send-forth dinner by Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos on Tuesday, after they arrived from Abu Dhabi,

    where they had a week-long pre-tournament training.

    In Abidjan, the team will be lodged at the prestigious Pullman Hotel, as members prosecute their group campaign.

    The full compliment of the 25-man team of players and officials are on the entourage, except strikers Kelechi Iheanacho

    and Terem Moffi, who will join the team later.

    Iheanacho had just recovered from a muscular injury sustained at Leicester City FC, while Moffi, a late replacement for injured

    Victor Boniface, will join after he has played a Ligue 1 game on Saturday against Rennes.

    The Super Eagles open their campaign against Equatorial Guinea on Sunday, followed by a mouth-watering clash with hosts Côte D’Ivoire on January 18, and end the group campaign with Guinea-Bissau on January 22.

  • BREAKING: NTA to show all AFCON 2023 matches

    BREAKING: NTA to show all AFCON 2023 matches

    The Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) will show all matches of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports this is following a deal NTA sealed with Afro Sports.

    Fifty-two (52) matches would be played in the AFCON 2023 continental tournament.

    Details shortly…

  • AFCON 2023: Lagos Governor, Sanwo-Olu hosts Super Eagles to a dinner night

    AFCON 2023: Lagos Governor, Sanwo-Olu hosts Super Eagles to a dinner night

    Lagos state governor, , Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Tuesday night hosted the Super Eagles of Nigeria to  a send forth dinner before departing for Côte d’Ivoire for the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

    The team arrived at the State House in Marina about 10pm on Tuesday night shortly after arriving from Abu Dhabi training base in the United Arab Emirates.

    The Super Eagles players  were in high spirits, dressed in tops inscribed with the slogan ‘Let’s do it again’.

    Chairman of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Ibrahim Gusau, former player,  Segun Odegbami, among other board members of the NFF, were on hand to welcome the team with the governor.

    Coach Paseiro and other members of the technical team were also in the entourage.

    However, Kelechi Iheanacho was absent. but findings show that himself and new invite, Terem Moffi will join the rest of the team in Cote D’Ivoire.
    Super Eagles are expected to land in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on Wednesday (Today) .