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Tag: AFCON

  • AFCON: Stadium named after Sadio Mane in Senegal

    AFCON: Stadium named after Sadio Mane in Senegal

    Liverpool forward, Sadio Mane’s success with Senegal at the 2021 African Cup of Nations has seen a stadium named after him.

    Mane netted the decisive penalty for the Teranga Lions in a thrilling shoot-out win over Egypt in the final.

    The 29-year-old finished the tournament with three goals and two assists.

    Abdoulaye Diop, the mayor of Sedhiou, Mane’s hometown, has confirmed that a new area in the city will be dedicated to the player.

    “Sadio Mane has honoured all of Senegal, the Sedhiou region and the whole Casamance area..

    “I’ve decided to name the Sedhiou Stadium after him.

    “With this I wish to convey to him the gratitude of all the sons and daughters of the region.

    “He has made all mankind aware of Bambali and Sedhiou, the region’s main city,” Diop said.

  • BREAKING: Super Eagles shoot up in latest FIFA ranking

    BREAKING: Super Eagles shoot up in latest FIFA ranking

    Nigeria’s Super Eagles have moved up four places to 32nd position in the latest ranking released by the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports FIFA released the latest world football ranking on Thursday morning.

    The three-time African champions are also now the third-best team in Africa behind newly crowned African Cup of Nations (AFCON) champions, the Terangha Lions and the Atlas Lions of Morocco.

    The West Africans won all three group matches against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea-Bissau at the 2021 AFCON tournament in Cameroon.

    The Augustine Eguavoen’s side, however, crashed out in the second round after going down to a 1-0 defeat to the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia.

    TNG reports the Super Eagles were ranked 36th and fifth-best team in Africa heading to competition but still moved up in the ranking despite their surprise quick exit in Cameroon.

    Algeria and Tunisia, who were ranked higher than the Super Eagles in the world and on the continent had a dismal campaign at AFCON 2021.

    Algeria exited at the group stage with one draw and two defeats from three games, while Tunisia recorded two wins and two defeats.

  • Koulibaly hails Mendy ‘best in the world’ after AFCON final

    Koulibaly hails Mendy ‘best in the world’ after AFCON final

    Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly hailed Edouard Mendy as the best goalkeeper in the world after Senega’s Africa Cup of Nations final penalty shootout triumph.

    Chelsea goalkeeper Mendy was on top form on Sunday night to help Senegal beat Egypt in a tense penalty shootout, saving from Mohanad Lasheen to allow Sadio Mane to step up and win the title for his country.

    And while the Liverpool man will take most of the headlines, captain Koulibaly was quick to praise Mendy for his heroics on Sunday night.

    “It was a tough game and a tough tournament,” he told reporters. “We made it with our team and our power. Our goalkeeper is the best in the world and we win the title.

    “We feel happy. We knew it would be hard to win the Africa Cup of Nations but today we made it.

    “Our team deserved to win this title. We had been looking for this for a long time and now we have it. This team is magnificent.”

    Mendy remarked himself: “We are proud. We never won it before,’ he said. ‘We worked really hard to win this trophy and today we won as a group and as a country and that is why I am super proud.

    “The shooters in the penalties did really well, I tried to do my best to save one shot and I did that, so I am super happy.”

  • What winning AFCON trophy means to me – Sadio Mane

    What winning AFCON trophy means to me – Sadio Mane

    Liverpool striker Sadio Mane says winning Senegal’s first-ever Africa Cup of Nations title is the highlight of his career.

    He netted the winning penalty in the shootout against Egypt, having seen a first-half spot-kick saved as Sunday’s game ended 0-0 after extra-time.

    The West Africans had previously lost two Nations Cup finals, including a 1-0 defeat by Algeria three years ago.

    “It’s the best day of my life and the best trophy of my life,” the 29-year-old Liverpool forward said.

    “I won the Champions League and some [other] trophies but this is the special one for me. This is more important for me.

    “I am happy for myself, my people and all of my family.”

    Mane had been given a chance to give Senegal an early lead in Cameroon after Saliou Ciss was brought down in the area by Mohamed Abdelmonem in the fourth minute.

    However, he saw his attempt beaten away by Egypt keeper Gabaski.

    Mane credits his team-mates with giving him the strength to return in the shootout, where he sealed a 4-2 triumph.

    “When I missed the first penalty, it was a big blow for me,” he said.

    “But my teammates came to me and said ‘Sadio, we lose together and we win together. We know you. You have done too much for us – keep on going’.

    “That made me stronger and I think it made the difference when I got the second one.

    “All the boys came to me and said ‘Sadio, we trust you’ and that gave me more motivation. The trophy belongs to the whole Senegal team – everyone deserves it.”

  • Burkina Faso blow 3-goal lead to hand Cameroon 2021 AFCON third place title

    Burkina Faso blow 3-goal lead to hand Cameroon 2021 AFCON third place title

    The Stallions of Burkina Faso on Saturday blew a 3-goal lead to hand the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon the 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) third place title.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the 2021 AFCON third place tie between Burkina Faso and Cameroon ended 3:3 at normal time after a poor display from the Stallions.

    From 3 nil down, Cameroon levelled up by 90th minute and ended up winning the third place tie by 5-3 on penalties.

    TNG reports Burkina Faso opened the scoreline with a goal from Steeve Yago at the 24th minute of the encounter.

    Yago, Assisted by Issa Kaboré with a cross, pulled a left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box to the high centre of the goal.

    At the 43rd minute, Cameroonian goalie, André Onana committed a blunder to hand Burkina Faso 2 goals lead before Burkina Faso added another in the 49th minute from Djibril Ouattara’s header from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner.

    TNG reports Ouattara’s goal was assisted by Bertrand Traoré with a cross.

    However, with the game on its head, on the 45th minute, Cameroon’s coach, António Oliveira introduced tournament highest goal scorer, Vincent Aboubakar for Samuel Oum Gouet.

    Meanwhile, it was Stéphane Bahoken of Cameroon who pulled one back with a right footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal following a corner at 71st minute before Aboubakar added another at 85th minute.

    Aboubakar struck again at the 87th minute with a right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner to take the game to penalty shootout without 30 minutes extra time to play.

    Cameroon made no mistakes from the spot as they converted all five kicks, while Blati Toure missed his kick as the Indomitable Lions finished third.

    Meanwhile, the Indomitable Lions Coach, has said his team demonstrated a strength of character to beat Burkina Faso.

    Oliveira speaking at a post-match news conference noted that in spite of that the team was down by three goals, they showed character to claim the third place.

    “We had a first objective which was to play the final but it was decided on details in the semi-final against Egypt.

    “Today, we demonstrated the strength of character of this group and we won on penalties,” he said.

    The coach also explained his reason for having a much changed lineup with tournament’s leading scorers and Karl Ekambi starting on the bench.

    Both Ekambi and Aboubakar who were the captain and talisman of the team had to wait until the second half before they were introduced into the game.

    Aboubakar was responsible for two of the three goals scored by Cameroon as he increased his overall goal tally to eight in the tournament.

    “Barely 48 hours after playing extra time, I couldn’t take any risks with the players and that’s why I reshuffled my team.

    “We saw several players play tonight and I’m satisfied with the performance of several players,” he said.

  • AFCON 2021: We’re physically, mentally ready for the game, says Burkina Faso coach

    AFCON 2021: We’re physically, mentally ready for the game, says Burkina Faso coach

    Kamou Malo, Coach of Burkina Faso, says his team is physically and mentally ready ahead of their Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) third place match against hosts Cameroon.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Stallions of Burkina will do battle against the Indomitable Lions for the consolation prize of a podium finish at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé on Saturday from 8 p.m.

    Malo, speaking at a pre-match press conference, said his team had remobilised after their 1-3 loss to Senegal in the semifinals, adding that the Stallions were now in the best of conditions ahead of the third place match.

    “It is true that we are disappointed following our elimination in the semifinals, but we have to prepare ourselves properly to play this match for third place in the best conditions.

    “We have to remobilise now. We are physically and mentally ready to play our game,” he said.

    Bertrand Traore, Captain of Burkina Faso, noted that the team was worn out but would still try to put in their best to ensure victory against Cameroon.

    “We are obviously down after our elimination, but we have to remobilise to get the bronze medal.

    “At this level of the competition, we feel tired but we will do everything to have a good match and end the tournament on a good note,” he said.

    Coach Malo’s side hopes to finish the tournament on a good note, and finish in third place, like they did in their last appearance in Gabon 2017.

    Burkina Faso will also seek revenge against the Indomitable Lions, who won the tournament’s opener 2-1 last month during the group stage.

    The Burkinabe can celebrate an exceptional tournament after reaching the semifinals, but they remain unsatisfied as they were dreaming of a maiden AFCON trophy.

    However, a place on the podium might be a consolation.

  • AFCON: We’re happy, but yet to reach final objective, says Egypt coach

    AFCON: We’re happy, but yet to reach final objective, says Egypt coach

    Diaa Elsayed, Egypt Assistant Coach has expressed joy over his team’s victory over host Cameroon.

    Egypt scaled through to the final of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after defeating hosts Cameroon 3-1 in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw after extra time in Yaounde.

    Elsayed who stood in for coach Carlos Queiroz in a the post-match press conference after the coach was shown a red card for losing his temper on the touch line said the players made the difference in a difficult match.

    He however stressed that even though they managed to reach the final, they are yet to achieve their final goal.

    “Each time, the Egyptian team are always favourites to win the tournament. Tonight we played the usual game and we managed to reach the final.

    “I will like to thank our coach Carlos Queiroz who was expelled during the game as well as all the players who made the difference with their ardor and grinta throughout the tournament.

    “We are happy, it’s true, but we have not yet reached the final objective: the coronation,” he said.

    Elsayed also praised their talisman Salah for his contribution to the success of the team thus far.

    “I can also add that our background is also due to the presence of one of the great players in our training, namely Mohamed Salah.

    “A very essential player in our team and who remains the centerpiece for us,” he said.

    Also, Man-of-the Match, Mohamed Abdelmoneim praised Salah for his support to the team, adding that he made the difference in a difficult match against a strong Cameroon side.

    “It was a good match for us.

    “A difficult match against a good Cameroonian team but our team knew how to make the difference with a Mohamed Salah who supported us throughout the match like a great leader.

    “Thank God, we succeeded in our penalty shootout to secure a place in the final,” he said.

  • AFCON: We’re sad but lost to a better team, says Cameroon coach

    AFCON: We’re sad but lost to a better team, says Cameroon coach

    Cameroon national team manager Antonio Conceiçao has expressed sadness at his team’s failure to reach the finals of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), admitting however that his team lost to a better side.

    Hosts Cameroon were knocked out of the 2021 AFCON tournament after losing 1-3 to Egypt in a penalty shootout following a goalless draw after extra time in the semifinals on Thursday in Yaounde.

    Conceiçao speaking at a post-match press conference rued his team’s missed chances at goal, adding that the Egyptians exploited their weaknesses.

    “The team played well during the 90 minutes trying to score goals but we didn’t succeed.

    “We are as sad as the 27 million Cameroonians, but I think the Egyptian team knew how to counter us.

    “We’re sad but it’s the reality,” he said.

    He noted that his boys lost steam after a very intense first half and failed to conserve their energy for the later part of the game.

    “The players felt some signs of fatigue at the end of the match, especially after a very physical and intense first half.

    “We had tried to save our energy to counter the opponent but in vain.”

    The hosts saw their hopes of AFCON glory and a sixth title on home soil ended in cruel fashion.

    The defeat comes as a major blow to the hosts, whose troubled tournament was overshadowed by the stadium crush that led to eight deaths last week.

    However, they must still get through a third-place play-off against Burkina Faso on Saturday as they seek to end their campaign on a high.

  • Liverpool duo Salah, Mane to battle in AFCON 2021 final

    Liverpool duo Salah, Mane to battle in AFCON 2021 final

    Liverpool star Mohamed Salah will go up against Reds team-mate Sadio Mane in the final of Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON after Egypt overcame the challenge posed by Cameroon in their last-four clash on Thursday.

    Egypt defeated Cameroon in a penalty shootout after a goalless draw.

    The Pharaohs will face Senegal for the coveted trophy on Sunday in a match that will see two of the Premier League’s best wingers go head-to-head for continental glory at the Olembe Stadium in Cameroon’s capital, Yaounde.

    Hosts Cameroon had shown more impetus in 90 minutes, twice hitting the post through Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui’s looping header and Samuel Gouet’s thunderous long-range strike, which flicked the woodwork.

    Salah was kept quiet for much of the game, curling a strike from outside the area narrowly over and almost profiting from a loose back pass, but he could not convert.

    But he did not have to step up in the shootout as Cameroon missed three of their efforts, with Gabaski saving from Harold Moukoudi and James Lea Siliki, while Clinton N’Jie side-footed wide.

    An ill-tempered ending to normal time had seen Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz sent off for remonstrating with the referee and his assistant Wael Gomaa cautioned too.

    It means they will both be missing from the touchline for the final as Gomaa was also yellow carded in the quarter-final against Morocco.

    Meanwhile, Cameroon will face Burkina Faso in the third/fourth-place play-off, which has been brought forward a day to Saturday.

  • We want to offer the world very pleasant match, says Egypt’s coach

    We want to offer the world very pleasant match, says Egypt’s coach

    Egypt coach, Carlos Queiroz, says the goal of his team is to offer the world a pleasant match when they face hosts Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) semifinals.

    The Pharoahs of Egypt will be seeking a place in the 2021 AFCON final when they lock horns with hosts Cameroon at the Olembe Stadium in Yaoundé on Thursday.

    There are no teams that have won AFCON titles more than Cameroon and Egypt.

    Between them they have lifted the holy grail of African Football 12 times, seven for the Pharaohs and five for the Indomitable Lions.

    Queiroz, speaking at a pre-match press conference in Yaounde, said his team was ready to play a very good match between two great African teams.

    “To reach the semifinals is a reward for us. Facing hosts Cameroon is tough as they play very good football.

    “We want to offer the world a pleasant match between two great African teams.

    “We are ready for this semifinal. It is true that we have played two consecutive matches with extra-time, but we remain ready to play a very good match.

    “We have the right team for this kind of games,” he said.

    Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shennawy noted that the game against the host was very crucial, adding that he was hopeful that their talisman Mohamed Salah would be at his best ahead of the clash.

    “It’s a very important match for us against hosts Cameroon; we want to go as far as possible and try to win the title.

    “Our objective since the start was to win the tournament.

    “We have one of the best players in the world, Salah, and I hope he will give what we expect from him,” he said.

    NAN also reports that the Pharaohs are desperate to extend their AFCON record by winning their eighth title.

    After a sluggish group stage campaign, Egypt rose to the expectations to oust Cote d’Ivoire and Morocco and reach the semifinals in style.

    Now they have to face another tough hurdle in the form of their hosts.

    The Pharaohs will look up again to their star captain Salah, who has already scored twice in the tournament, and assisted the winner in the quarterfinals against Morocco.