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Tag: CAF

  • Final group standings after AFCON Qualifiers

    Final group standings after AFCON Qualifiers

    Following are the final group standings in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Qualifying Competition at the conclusion of all but one of the series’ matches on Tuesday:

    How They Finished

    GROUP A
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    MALI 6 4 1 1 10 4 +6 13

    GUINEA 6 3 2 1 8 5 +3 11

    NAMIBIA 6 3 0 3 8 7 +1 9

    CHAD 6 0 1 5 2 12 -10 1

    GROUP B
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    BURKINA FASO 6 3 3 0 6 2 +4 12

    MALAWI 6 3 1 2 4 5 -1 10

    UGANDA 6 2 2 2 3 2 +1 8

    SOUTH SUDAN 6 1 0 5 2 6 -4 3

    GROUP C
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PtS

    GHANA 6 4 1 1 9 3 +6 13

    SUDAN 6 4 0 2 9 3 +6 12

    SOUTH AFRICA 6 3 1 2 8 7 +1 10

    SÃO TOMÉ E PRÍNCIPE 6 0 0 6 3 16 -13 0

    GROUP D
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    GAMBIA 6 3 1 2 9 7 +2 10

    GABON 6 3 1 2 8 6 +2 10

    CONGO DR 6 2 3 1 4 5 -1 9

    ANGOLA 6 1 1 4 4 7 -3 4

    GROUP E
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    MOROCCO 6 4 2 0 10 1 +9 14

    MAURITANIA 6 2 3 1 5 4 +1 9

    BURUNDI 6 1 2 3 6 10 -4 5

    CENT. AFRICAN REP.6 1 1 4 5 11 -6 4

    GROUP F
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    CAMEROON 6 3 2 1 8 4 +4 11

    CAPE VERDE ISLANDS 6 2 4 0 6 3 +3 10

    RWANDA 6 1 3 2 1 3 -2 6

    MOZAMBIQUE 6 1 1 4 5 10 -5 4

    GROUP G
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    EGYPT 6 3 3 0 10 3 +7 12

    COMOROS 6 2 3 1 4 6 -2 9

    KENYA 6 1 4 1 7 7 0 7

    TOGO 6 0 2 4 3 8 -5 2

    GROUP H
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    ALGERIA 6 4 2 0 19 6 +13 14

    ZIMBABWE 6 2 2 2 6 8 -2 8

    ZAMBIA 6 2 1 3 8 12 -4 7

    BOTSWANA 6 1 1 4 2 9 -7 4

    GROUP I
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    SENEGAL 6 4 2 0 10 2 +8 14

    GUINEA-BISSAU 6 3 0 3 9 7 +2 9

    CONGO 6 2 2 2 5 5 0 8

    ESWATINI 6 0 2 4 3 13 -10 2

    GROUP J
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    TUNISIA 6 5 1 0 14 5 +9 16

    EQUATORIAL GUINEA 6 3 0 3 7 7 0 9

    TANZANIA 6 2 1 3 5 6 -1 7

    LIBYA 6 1 0 5 7 15 -8 3

    GROUP K
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    CÔTE D’IVOIRE 6 4 1 1 11 5 +6 13

    ETHIOPIA 6 3 0 3 10 6 +4 9

    MADAGASCAR 6 2 2 2 9 9 0 8

    NIGER REP. 6 1 1 4 3 13 -10 4

    GROUP L
    TEAM MP W D L GF GA GD PTS

    NIGERIA 6 4 2 0 14 7 +7 14

    REP OF BENIN 5 2 1 2 3 3 0 7

    SIERRA LEONE 5 0 4 1 5 6 -1 4

    LESOTHO 6 0 3 3 3 9 -6 3

    *The top two teams in each group, including finals hosts Cameroon who played in the Qualifiers in order to use it to prepare, advance to the finals scheduled for January 2022.

    ** CAF will take a decision on the Sierra-Leone versus Rep. of Benin tie which was not played as expected on Tuesday, with the game to produce the group’s runners-upend the final qualifier to Cameroon 2021.

  • BREAKING: CAF clears Iwobi to play against Lesotho

    BREAKING: CAF clears Iwobi to play against Lesotho

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has cleared Super Eagles star, Alex Iwobi to play against the Crocodiles of Lesotho.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Iwobi can now play in Tuesday’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifier game after further tests showed he is negative to Coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

    Officials in Benin Republic had earlier claimed the Everton man’s test returned a positive result.

    That forced him to miss the 8-year jinx breaking fixture against the Squirrels of Benin last Saturday.

    “CAF has cleared Alex Iwobi to play today’s game against Lesotho. The Super Eagles player had earlier tested positive following the COVID-19 tests conducted on the Super Eagles squad on arrival in Porto Novo, Benin Republic.

    “However, Alex Iwobi’s further COVID-19 tests have returned negative. Clina Lancet Laboratories in Victoria Island, Lagos conducted the PCR tests. With this, Alex Iwobi is up selection today,” a statement emanating from the Super Eagles camp reads.

    TNG reports the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has confirmed the development.

  • Moroccans to officiate at AFCON Qualifier between Nigeria and Benin

    Moroccans to officiate at AFCON Qualifier between Nigeria and Benin

    CAF has appointed Moroccan officials to officiate at Saturday’s crucial 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying match between Nigeria and Benin Republic.

    NFF’s Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire, stated on Friday that 42-year-old Rédouane Jiyed, an international referee since 2009 and currently one of the highest-rated referees in Africa would be the centre referee.

    “He will be assisted by Lahsen Azgaou (Assistant Referee 1), Mostafa Akarkad (Assistant Referee 2) and Samir Guezzaz (fourth official) – all Moroccans.

    “The Match Commissioner is Yameogo David and Ghanaian Julius Ben Emunah is the Security Officer,’’ he added.

    The statement also said that Nigeria’s contingent hit the tiny West African nation with much buzz, glitz and glitter on Friday, arriving at the Porto Novo Port in half a dozen boats across the waterways from Lekki, Lagos.

    “Olawale Awe, Nigeria’s ambassador to Benin Republic, led mission staff to await the delegation and then accompanied the team and officials to Cotonou, where the group is ensconced at the Golden Tulip Hotel.

    “The Super Eagles will ride by bus to Porto Novo on Saturday morning and return to the Golden Tulip after their clash with the Squirrels at the Stade Charles de Gaulle,’’ it said.

    Three-time champions, Nigeria could be sure of a 19th appearance at African football’s flagship tournament if Sierra Leone and Lesotho are locked in a stalemate in their early game in Maseru, Lesotho’s capital and largest city on Saturday.

    The Super Eagles are insisting on focusing on their own game and result rather than wait for help from one bumpy pitch in southern Africa.

    The Squirrels, who sensationally reached the quarter-finals of the last edition of AFCON in Egypt two years ago before losing to Tunisia (losers to Nigeria in the third-place match), had their last training session at the Stade Charles de Gaulle on Thursday.

    Coach Michel Dussuyer told reporters after the team’s training that his boys were ready to calmly collect the three points from better-fancied Nigeria.

    Dussuyer, 61, a former French professional footballer and well-travelled coach, is confident his Squirrels can sneak past the Super Eagles to top of the pool ahead of the last round of matches in a few days.

    He is banking on the power-play upfront of the hulking Michael Pote, the defensive competence of David Kiki, Yohan Roche, Khaled Adenon and Cedric Hountondji.

    The coach would also be relying on the midfield savvy of Anaane Tidjane, Jordan Adeoti and Rodrigue Kossi and the trio of Steve Mounie, Jacques Bessan and Jerome Bonou.

    Goalkeepers Saturnin Allagbe and Fabien Farnolle will contend for the number one spot. Allagbe was impressive at the AFCON in Egypt.

    The statement also said that officials of the Federation Beninoise de Football (FBF) were still awaiting official letter from CAF as at Friday evening on the number of persons that could be admitted at the Stade Charles de Gaulle.

    It added that as at lunchtime on Friday, they were still being told that only 200 persons could attend.

    “We are hoping for a favourable opinion on our letter requesting that we be allowed to have between 1,800 and 3,000 persons at the match,” an official of the FBF was quoted as saying.

    The match kicks off at 5 p.m. on Saturday.

  • Match Day 5 fixtures in 2021 AFCON Qualifiers

    Match Day 5 fixtures in 2021 AFCON Qualifiers

    Following are the Match Day 5 fixtures in the Qualifiers for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), to be played from Wednesday to Saturday:

    Group A

    Wednesday: Conakry —— Guinea vs Mali

    Wednesday: Chad versus Namibia has been canceled as Chad have been disqualified from the competition.

    Group B

    Wednesday: Kampala —— Uganda vs Burkina Faso

    Wednesday: Omdurman —- South Sudan vs Malawi

    Group C

    Thursday: Johannesburg —— South Africa vs Ghana

    Wednesday: São Tomé —— São Tomé and Principe vs Sudan

    Group D

    Thursday: Franceville —- Gabon vs Democratic Rep. (DR) of Congo

    Thursday: Bakau —— Gambia vs Angola

    Group E

    Friday: Nouakchott —— Mauritania vs Morocco

    Friday: Bujumbura —- Burundi vs Central African Republic (CAR)

    Group F

    Friday: Praia —— Cape Verde vs Cameroon

    Wednesday: Kigali —— Rwanda vs Mozambique

    Group G

    Thursday: Nairobi —— Kenya vs Egypt

    Thursday: Moroni —- Comoros vs Togo

    Group H

    Thursday: Lusaka —— Zambia vs Algeria

    Thursday: Francistown —- Botswana vs Zimbabwe

    Group I

    Friday: Brazzaville —- Congo vs Senegal

    Friday: Mbabane —- Eswatini vs Guinea Bissau

    Group J

    Thursday: Cairo —— Libya vs Tunisia

    Thursday: Malabo —— Equatorial Guinea vs Tanzania

    Group K

    Friday: Lomé —- Republic of Niger vs Cote d’Ivoire

    Wednesday: Bahir Dar —— Ethiopia vs Madagascar

    Group L

    Saturday: Porto Novo —— Benin Republic vs Nigeria

    Saturday: Maseru —— Lesotho vs Sierra Leone

  • CAF disqualifies Chad from Total AFCON Qualifiers

    CAF disqualifies Chad from Total AFCON Qualifiers

    Following the withdrawal of approval from the Chadian Ministry of Youth and Sports, CAF has decided to disqualify the Chad national team from the qualifiers for the Total Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021.

    Consequently, scheduled qualifiers between Chad and Namibia and Mali are canceled.

    According to the CAF media outlet, “In line with Article 61 read together with Article 64 of the CAF Regulations, Chad is considered a loser of both matches against Namibia and Mali.”

    Chad were playing in Group A alongside Mali, Guinea and Namibia. After four match days, Mali tops the group on 10 points, followed by Guinea (8 points) and Namibia (3 points). Chad were trailing the group on one point.

  • CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba defeat Al-Ahli Benghazi in group opener

    CAF Confederation Cup: Enyimba defeat Al-Ahli Benghazi in group opener

    Enyimba International Football Club of Aba on Wednesday began their CAF Confederation Cup group stage campaign on a positive note with a 2-1 win over Al-Ahli Benghazi of Libya in Aba.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goals from Enyimba’s Captain Austin Oladapo and Victor Mbaoma as well as a consolation goal from Imhamed Abd’Allah for the visitors saw the hosts record their first win in Group A.

    Oladapo had put the Elephants ahead in the 10th minute, but the visitors hit back eight minutes later through Abd’Allah’s spot kick.

    Mbaoma however restored the hosts’ lead with what proved to be the winner in the 43rd minute as Enyimba held on to claim all three points in their group opener.

    Two-time CAF Champions League winners Enyimba are attempting to be the first Nigerian side to win the competition.

    The result sees Enyimba move top of Group A with ES Setif of Algeria set to take on Orlando Pirates of South Africa later today in the group’s other game.

    The Peoples Elephants would be the guests of Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium on March 17.

    The top two teams in each group will qualify for the quarter finals.

  • CAF cancels 2021 U17 AFCON

    CAF cancels 2021 U17 AFCON

    The CAF Emergency Committee rose from a meeting on Monday, March 8, 2021, in Rabat, Morocco, to cancel the 2021 Under-17 Total Africa Cup of Nations.

    The Committee cited constraints faced by some of the participating member associations as well as the host country, including the fact that the coronavirus pandemic continues to present significant challenges for the organization of international sporting events.

    “We took into account the cancellation by FIFA of the Under-17 World Cup for which the U-17 CAN would have been the qualifying event,” the Committee further noted:

    For all these reasons, the Committee decided to cancel the 2021 edition of the Total U17 Africa Cup of Nations, originally scheduled for 13-31 of March, 2021.

  • CAF lifts restriction on hosting official matches on Libyan territory

    CAF lifts restriction on hosting official matches on Libyan territory

    The Emergency Committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has lifted restrictions on hosting of CAF international matches on Libyan territory.

    A report on the CAF website on Friday indicated that the development followed a CAF safety, security and stadium inspection of the cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the inspection was carried out from Feb. 8 to Feb. 15, while a further deliberation on the situation in the country followed.

    The report also stated that officials saddled with the mission were further mandated to assess the level of safety and security preparedness in the cities of Tripoli and Benghazi.

    They were also to evaluate the compliance of the hotels selected for reception of teams and officials, from the safety and security point of view.

    “They are also to assess the level of compliance of the two stadiums with club licensing requirements and CAF safety and security guidelines,” the report indicated.

    NAN reports that football matches will now return to Libya, beginning from Benghazi Stadium, subject to a number of conditions being met on stadium suitability to host CAF matches.

    The Emergency Committee has set March 10 as deadline for Libya to comply with the CAF club licensing, safety and security requirements and to satisfy follow-up inspections on the stadium suitability.

  • CAF fines Aubameyang $10,000 for tarnishing its “honour and image”

    CAF fines Aubameyang $10,000 for tarnishing its “honour and image”

    The Confederation of African Football (CAF) Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been fined $10,000 for social media posts.

    CAF said the post had tarnished its “honour and image”.

    Aubameyang posted in the social media after Gabon spent the night on an airport floor ahead of an African Cup of Nations qualifier in November.

    The player and his team mates were stuck at the airport in the Gambia after arriving for a qualifying game. They were not allowed to leave as officials argued over COVID-19 testing.

    The Arsenal striker posted pictures of players sleeping on the airport floor and wrote: “Nice job CAF, it’s as if we were back in the 1990s.”

    He later added: “This will not demotivate us but people need to know and CAF need to take responsibility.

    “It is 2020 and we want Africa to grow but this is not how we will get there.”

    CAF’s disciplinary committee said the content was offensive and degrading.

    African football’s governing body also fined Gambia’s FA $100,000, half of which was suspended for 24 months.

    “The Gambian federation did not comply to the loyalty, integrity and sportsmanship values and rules of fair play concerning the reception of the Gabonese delegation,” CAF said in a statement.

    Gabon arrived shortly before midnight and were allowed to go to their hotel about five hours later. They lost 2-1 to Gambia later in the day.

  • CAF: Fans to be shut out of Plateau United, Simba FC encounter

    CAF: Fans to be shut out of Plateau United, Simba FC encounter

    Mr Pius Hewan, the General Manager of Jos-based Plateau United, has appealed for understanding by the club’s fans over the decision to keep them out of the match venue for the Plateau United versus Simba FC of Tanzania clash on Sunday, due to the enforcement of COVID-19 safety protocols.

    A statement issued on Saturday by Albert Dakup, the Media officer of Plateau United, said the match, slated to kick off at 4pm on Sunday, would be played under strict compliance with the safety protocols issued by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).

    “Fans will not be allowed into the Jos international stadium to watch our preliminary first leg tie against Simba FC of Tanzania on Sunday.

    “This is because there is no clearance from NCDC and the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 to have fans in the stadium.

    “As a law abiding club, we will not do anything that will violate the order which may put the lives of the club’s most cherished fans and spectators at risk,” he said.

    Dakup quoted Hewan, as regretting the decision and the disappointment this may have caused the general public, especially the club’s teeming supporters.

    “The GM appeals for understanding and urged fans to accept the decision in good faith and pray for the team’s resounding victory against the East African powerhouse,” Dakup said.

    The media officer, however, said journalists, officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), the Plateau State Football Association, as well as some invited VIPs, would be allowed into the stadium, after proper screening.

    Dakup warned unauthorized persons to stay away from the stadium in their own interest, as security agents have been properly briefed to deal decisively with anyone found violating the directive.