The Confederation of African Football, CAF, has appointed the former Nigeria Football Federation, NFF Chairman, Amaju Pinnick to resume the post of CAF’s 1st Vice-President following the resignation of Mr. Kwesi Nyantakyi.
CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad, after consulting the members of the Emergency Committee, appointed Mr. Amaju Melvin Pinnick as 1st Vice-President.
This decision is immediately applicable, in accordance with article 27 para. 2 of the Statutes, which will be ratified by the Executive Committee in its session scheduled on the 27 and 28 of September 2018.
Plateau United FC of Jos on Saturday defeated USM Algiers 2-1 at the Agege Stadium in the elimination match of the CAF Confederation Cup.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that goals from King Osanga in the 7th minute and Emma James’ strike in the 75th minutes gave the necessary three points to the reigning Nigeria Professional Football League Champions.
Plateau United playing away from their traditional ground Ruwang Pam Stadium, Jos, due to the unapproval by CAF was however given a home support by Lagos fans who trooped to the stadium to cheer them.
The Kennedy Boboye-tutored team were in control of the match in the first half forcing the visitors to their own half but were unable to convert their chances as the lead striker, Tosin Omoyele, was sandwiched among the bulky defenders.
Plateau goalkeeper Okiemute Odah was, however, called to action many times to deny the rampaging USM Algiers strikers.
The second half also saw the visitor mounted pressure on Plateau United which later resulted in a goal by Yaya Faouzi in the 71st minute after a defensive error.
Plateau made two tactical substitutions, with the introduction of veteran Peter Eneji who came in to replace Raphael Ayagwa and Emma James who scored the decider.
After the match, Plateau United midfielder, Elisha Golbe, was full of praises for the Lagos fans for their support, adding that the team would do its best to record a decent outing in Algiers.
“I want to appreciate Lagos fans first of all for their support, we are really surprised with what we got here, it is like playing at home.
“The result today is not a result that we are playing away from our ground because we tried to control the game but we were unlucky in front of the goal.
“We will get our acts together in the second round because we now have the experience of how they play because that was what we lacked before, we knew little about them,’’ he said.
An 81st-minute goal courtesy of Chijioke Akuneto was all MFM FC needed to qualify for the next stage of African Champions League.
The second leg of the first round of the 2018 CAF Champions League was played on Wednesday at the Agege Stadium.
The Adekoya boys had played a draw with AS Real Bamako in the first leg played in Bamako.
The match which had in attendance the 1st and 2nd vice-presidents of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Barrister Seyi Akinwunmi and Shehu Dikko, saw both teams playing cautiously but the home side made efforts to score an early goal.
The effort never paid off until nine minutes to the end of the match when Akuneto headed home the only goal of the match to put smiles on the faces of the over 5,000 spectators in the stadium.
Speaking to Tribunesport after the match, MFM coach, Fidelis Ilechukwu, though was happy with the result said they had to work on their attack if they intended to go far in the competition.
“The absence of my two key players affected us today and the fact that we missed so many scoring chances also means that we need to work on our attack against our future matches,” the coach said.
Akuneto, in a chat with Tribunesport, said he dedicated the goal to the memory of his late parents and that he was highly elated to score in the match having realised that it is a long time a continental match was last played in Lagos.
In another match involving Nigeria’s other representatives in the CAF Champions League, Plateau United defeated Eding Sport of Cameroon 1-0 to qualify for the next round on 4-0 aggregate.
The only goal of Wednesday’s match played in Cameroon was scored by Raphael Ayagwa in the early minutes of the second half. The Nigerian league champions had earlier defeated the Cameroonians 3-0 in the first played in Jos.
Nigeria’s Professional Football League champions, Plateau United FC Jos on Sunday defeated Eding Sports FC of Cameroun 3-0 in their first CAF champions league match.
In the match played at the Zaria Road Stadium in Jos, the host scored their first goal from the spot in the 21st minute
Plateau United doubled their lead in the 84th minute through Sunday Ingbede who wrapped up the game in the 90th minute with another beautiful grounder.
The capital of Ghana, Accra is abuzz and bracing up for unarguably the biggest football gathering of the new year, Aiteo CAF Awards 2017.
The Awards Gala that will see the decoration of players, officials and administrators for their achievement in 2017 is scheduled for Thursday, 4 January 2018 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Stakeholders of the game are looking forward to the event as nominees and legends flock the Ghanaian capital for the much awaited event.
From Abedi Pele, winner of the maiden edition in 1992 through to Riyad Mahrez, crowned in 2016, the winners who represent various generations will be given prominence at the ceremony designed to celebrate the key players of African football.
Others are Nigerian trio, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, Cameroonian and four-time winner, Samuel Eto’o Fils and compatriot Patrick Mboma, Ivorian Yaya Toure, a four-time winner and countryman Didier Drogba and El Hadji Diouf of Senegal.
The rest are Mustapha Hadji of Morocco, Malian Frederic Kanoute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor.
Also, the women are not left out as previous Queens of African football are also penciled for the biggest assemblage of football stakeholders.
The list of invitees is not only limited to previous winners, but also to other players and officials whose contribution towards the progress of African football cannot be overlooked.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Gabon’s Aubameyang and Sadio Mane of Senegal are the contenders for the prestigious African Player of the Year whilst the trio of Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa) and Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon) battle it out for the Women’s Player of the Year.
Ahead of the event, CAF President Ahmad will address a press conference on Wednesday, 3 January 2017 at the Accra International Conference Centre.
Enyimba’s record goalscorer Mfon Udoh has his eyes on next year’s CAF Confederation Cup after helping the club finish third in the 2016/2017 NPFL campaign.Udoh was in spectacular form for Enyimba, scoring 12 crucial goals until an injury on Matchday 33 ruled him out for the rest of the season.
“I am happy that we were able to secure a CAF Confederation Cup ticket,” he told EnyimbaFC.net. “It was a tough season but we got important results that helped us.”
“To play away from Aba was not easy, but we got good support in Calabar. People came out to support us like we were a Cross River State team and this is why never lost a game in the town.
“Besides, as players we wanted to make sure we gave our very best because we had to get something at the end, either the title or a continental ticket. We have gotten the ticket and I can see how much it means to all our fans,” he said.
Having secured qualification, excelling in the tournament is vital for the forward.
“Going very far in the competition is very important because this is a trophy that has not been won by Enyimba. We can’t just go there to make up numbers. Enyimba is always about winning so I believe the mentality will not be different next year. The focus for everyone is on this CAF Confederation Cup and how to be the best.”
All previous winners of the African Player of the Year since its inception by CAF in 1992 are expected to grace the Aiteo CAF Awards Gala 2017, scheduled for Thursday, 4 January 2018, at the International Conference Centre in Accra, Ghana.
From Abedi Pele, winner of the maiden edition in 1992 through to Riyad Mahrez, crowned in 2016, the winners who represent various generations will be given prominence at the ceremony designed to celebrate the key stakeholders of African football.
Others are Nigerian trio, Emmanuel Amuneke, Nwankwo Kanu and Victor Ikpeba, Cameroonian and four-time winner, Samuel Eto’o Fils and compatriot Patrick Mboma, Ivorian Yaya Toure, a four-time winner and countryman Didier Drogba and El Hadji Diouf of Senegal.
The rest are George Weah of Liberia, Mustapha Hadji of Morocco, Malian Frederic Kanoute, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Togolese Emmanuel Adebayor.
Also, the women are not left out as previous Queens of African football are also penciled for the biggest assemblage of football stakeholders.
The list of invitees is not only limited to previous winners, but also to other players and officials whose contribution towards the progress of African football cannot be overlooked.
Meanwhile, Egyptian Mohamed Salah, Gabon’s Aubameyang and Sadio Mane of Senegal are the contenders for the prestigious African Player of the Year whilst the trio of Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria), Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa) and Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon) battle it out for the Women’s Player of the Year.
The top three nominees for all the seven categories of the Aiteo CAF Awards 2017 were unveiled on Monday in Accra, Ghana.Nigeria however got four places in the nominations, with Super Eagles Technical Adviser Gernot Rohr and Super Falcons star forward Asisat Oshoala being among those for the individual awards.
While Rohr got the nomination for the Coach of the Year Award, Oshoala was among the top three in the Woman Player of the Year Award.
Nigeria was also nominated for the Male Team of the Year Award, while the country’s women’s under-20 team was also nominated for the Women’s Team of the Year Award.
The ceremony was attended by CAF President Ahmad, CAF First Vice President Kwesi Nyantakyi, CAF Executive Committee member Amaju Pinnick, with Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah, the Guest-of-Honour.
Also present were sponsors Aiteo, represented by Senior Vice President, Commercial and Gas, Victor Okoronkwo.
The sponsors’ representative expressed his outfit’s pride in partnership of the event that celebrates the various stakeholders of African football.
The shortlists for the topmost award, African Player of the Year, were unveiled by ex-Ghana defender, Sammy Kuffour.
The Awards Gala will take place on Jan. 4 in Accra.
Below are the top three (Nominees are listed in alphabetical order):
African Player of the Year —-
Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Gabon and Borussia Dortmund)
Sadio Mane (Senegal and Liverpool)
Women’s Player of the Year —-
Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria and Dalian Quanjian)
Chrestina Kgatlana (South Africa and UWC Ladies)
Gabrielle Aboudi Onguene (Cameroon and CSKA Moscow)
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has said it would grant financial subsidy of $500,000 (about N175 million) to all five African representatives at the forthcoming 2018 FIFA World Cup.
The continental football governing body said the decision was taken by its Executive Committee and other stakeholders on the sidelines of the 2018 FIFA World Cup draws in Moscow on Friday.
“At its last meeting held on Nov. 16 in Rabat, Morocco the CAF Executive Committee decided to set up an ad hoc committee chaired by the CAF First Vice President, Kwesi Nyantakyi.
“The committee was told to map out a kind of support to be provided to African representatives to the FIFA World Cup Russia 2018.
“The committee, which has CAF Executive Committee member Kalusha Bwalya and presidents of the Football Associations of the five qualified countries as members, met in Moscow, Russia on the sidelines of Friday’s draw for the FIFA World Cup finals.
“At the meeting, it was decided that CAF will grant a financial subsidy of $500,000 to each of the five African teams.
“The financial package will be used mainly to strengthen and improve the technical supervision of each team.
“In addition, CAF will provide each African representative with `fieldwiz’ equipment, a technological device and physical performance measuring tool for outdoor team sports players,” the continental football body said in a statement on Friday.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the five African representatives at the FIFA World Cup in Russia are Nigeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Senegal.
Football stakeholders in Nigeria hosted a dinner party in Lagos, yesterday, as part of the several ceremonies outlined in reception of the President, Confederation of African Football (CAF), Ahmad Ahmad .
The cozy event took place at the Lagos residence of the President of Nigerian Football Federation [NFF], Amaju Pinnick, in the evening, following CAF’s emergency meeting in Lagos, which outcome led to the emergence of Morocco as the host of 2018 African Nations Championship (CHAN), with Kenya stripped of same hosting rights for failing to provide facilities needed for the competition.
Throughout the night, Pinnik who coordinated the occasion [assisted by comedian, Bovi and singer, Darey Art Alade], thrilled guests with short jokes, karaoke and of course fetes them with sumptuous meals and drinks.
In the course of the event, CAF’s boss, Ahmad had a brief chat with TheNewsGuru.com, on his plans to improve the handling of football business in Africa.
Starting the conversations on his promises for football development in Africa, Ahmad said, “I promised to make Africa a big family and now we organise meetings everywhere in Africa, that is one big dream fulfilled”
CAF President, Ahmad Ahmad
Asked if CAF’s recent initiative of changing the date of AFCON from January to June is best for the continent, he replied, “all stakeholders thought about football in Africa and saw that our style of campaign in the region is different from the world and this is what prompted the change”
He emphasised that CAF recognises that playing group matches of the Champions League in May‚ June and July – where the continent’s top leagues are supposed to be off on holiday – badly impacts on clubs from top leagues.
“Europe gives our players the biggest opportunities and we cannot afford to miss that, so we need to the change in order to allow our own footballers get the best of such gains” He added.
Speaking on the outcome of his meeting in Lagos, Ahmad noted that CAF’s rules of engagement are golden and remains the only benchmark upon which it will partner with stakeholders, stressing that Kenya’s inability to meet up with infrastructural requirement forced the football association to give the 2018 CHAN hosting rights to Morocco.
He furthered, “That is why we always tell our stakeholders that there is CAF standard. If you follow it, we protect you…if you don”t, then you lose it”
Ahmad also gave insights on how he intends to sell Africa to the world at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.
“Football in Africa is not only a business of CAF, it belongs to every one of us, so we are going to ensure we facilitate a clear communication with governments at all relevant levels, corporate organisations, among other football stakeholders to help the continent achieve an awesome representation in Russia. ”
Among those who graced the occasion include, eggheads in Nigeria’s football space, some members of CAF’s Emergency Committee; football club owners, members of the diplomatic community, NFF’s sponsors, media associates and partners.
