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Tag: Ivory Coast

  • BREAKING: Super Falcons safely lands in Cote d’Ivoire ahead of 2022 AWCON fixture

    BREAKING: Super Falcons safely lands in Cote d’Ivoire ahead of 2022 AWCON fixture

    The Super Falcons of Nigeria have safely landed in Cote d’Ivoire ahead of Wednesday’s 2022 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifier clash with the Lady Elephants.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Super Falcons landed in Cote d’Ivoire on Sunday for the reverse leg of the first encounter played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja, which the Super Falcons won 2:0.

    The second leg clash is scheduled for the Stade Robert Champroux in Abidjan as the Super Falcons, nine-time champions of AWCON seek to book a place for 2022 AWCON scheduled to be held in Morocco in July.

    2022 AWCON qualifiers: How we will approach Cote d’Ivoire’s second leg fixture – Super Falcons coach

    Meanwhile, Chief coach, Randy Waldrum had said the Nigerian Super Falcons will approach the second leg fixture of the AWCON qualifier match against the Lady Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire differently.

    Waldrum, the Super Falcons chief coach made this known at a press conference on Friday, following the impressive win in the first leg match of their final round fixture in the 2022 AWCON qualifiers.

    In the first leg, the Ivorian ladies showed physical strength, and tried to overpower the Super Falcons. However, the Nigerian ladies showed courage and won the match by two (2) goals from debutant Ifeoma Onumonu in a match that saw Ashleigh Plumptre also debut for her grandparent nation.

    Following the nature of the first leg, Waldrum has said the second leg would be approached differently and that the Super Falcons will go for the win.

    “We understand what they want to do. They want to be physical; they want to be fouled; they want to disrupt the game; they want to roll around; they want to disrupt what we do. We understand that.

    “I think the thing we will do, technically, we will just prepare our players not to let that stuff affect them. We will go to their place on the front foot. We can’t go in there and sit back.

    “We understand if we go there and get a goal, we will make things very difficult for them. We will go after the win in Ivory Coast,” Waldrum said.

  • 2022 AWCON qualifiers: How we will approach Cote d’Ivoire’s second leg fixture – Super Falcons coach

    2022 AWCON qualifiers: How we will approach Cote d’Ivoire’s second leg fixture – Super Falcons coach

    Chief coach, Randy Waldrum has said the Nigerian Super Falcons will approach the second leg fixture of the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifier match against the Lady Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire differently.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Waldrum, the Super Falcons chief coach made this known at a press conference on Friday, following an impressive win in the first leg match of their final round fixture in the 2022 AWCON qualifiers.

    In the first leg played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, the Ivorian ladies showed physical strength, and tried to overpower the Super Falcons.

    However, the Nigerian ladies showed courage and won the match by two (2) goals from debutant Ifeoma Onumonu in a match that saw Ashleigh Plumptre also debut for her grandparent nation.

    Following the nature of the first leg, Waldrum has said the second leg would be approached differently and that the Super Falcons will go for the win.

    “We understand what they want to do. They want to be physical; they want to be fouled; they want to disrupt the game; they want to roll around; they want to disrupt what we do. We understand that.

    “I think the thing we will do, technically, we will just prepare our players not to let that stuff affect them. We will go to their place on the front foot. We can’t go in there and sit back.

    “We understand if we go there and get a goal, we will make things very difficult for them. We will go after the win in Ivory Coast,” Waldrum said.

  • 2022 AWCON qualifiers: Super Falcons coach hails Ashleigh Plumptre

    2022 AWCON qualifiers: Super Falcons coach hails Ashleigh Plumptre

    Super Falcons chief coach, Randy Waldrum has hailed Ashleigh Plumptre’s performance as she debuted for Nigeria against Cote d’Ivoire in the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifier match played on Friday.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Super Falcons defeated the Lady Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire 2-0, with debutant Plumptre playing all 90 minutes and showing a star performance.

    “I thought that we had a good control of the game, so I am really proud of the players.

    “Ashleigh gave a good account of herself and it was really a solid performance,” Waldrum said.

    The win over the Lady Elephants was in the first leg match of their final round fixture in the 2022 AWCON qualifiers.

    Ifeoma Onumonu, also a debutant, scored twice to give her team a good head start in the pairing.

    In the match played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium in Abuja, Nigeria’s persistence saw them opening scoring in the 21st minute.

    That was when Esther Okoronkwo set up Onumonu inside the penalty box to fire the Super Falcons in front from close range.

    Seven minutes later, Falcons goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie was put to the test when Zote Nina sent a shot towards goal but she was quick to save it.

    The Ivorians began to pile huge pressure from the commencement of the second half, in a bid to get an equaliser but the Falcons stood determined to extend the lead.

    Team head coach Randy Waldrum sent in striker Uchenna Kanu for midfielder Amanda Mbadinuji in the 55th minute to bolster their play.

    A minute later, the U.S-based Onumonu, who was making her debut national team appearance, latched on to another debutant’s floated pass.

    Plumtree repulsed an Ivorian attack to float the ball from the left side to the right, and Onumonu only needed to lob over Ivorian goalkeeper Cynthia Djohore.

    Falcons tried to register a more resounding victory with striker Gift Monday coming in for Okoronkwo in the 84th minute but Cote D’Ivoire put up a solid defence.

    The visitors looked to score a consolation goal thereafter, but France-based Nnadozie made impressive saves just as defender Plumtree ensured the hosts maintained a clean sheet.

    After the match, coach Waldrum said he was happy with the team’s performance.

    “We have Nnadozie, making a huge save at the end, keeping a clean sheet and we all know that it’s very important.

    “We are also proud of this lady (Onumonu). This is her first opportunity to come to Nigeria and represent her country and she scored a brace,” Waldrum said.

    The coach also added that he was positive ahead of the return leg in Abidjan on Wednesday.

    For Onumonu, she was excited to be making her debut, adding that she had always desired to play for the country.

    “It’s an honour to play for this team, I have been watching them for years and I dreamt about playing for the Super Falcons and am excited to have scored a brace.

    “I really just want to to make impact in this team,” Onumonu added.

    Winners of the fixture will qualify for the 2022 AWCON in Morocco in July.

  • BREAKING: Super Falcons thrash Cote d’Ivoire as Plumptre debut for Nigeria

    BREAKING: Super Falcons thrash Cote d’Ivoire as Plumptre debut for Nigeria

    Nigeria’s Super Falcons on Friday thrashed the Lady Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire in a 2022 African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) qualifier match.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Super Falcons beat the Lady Elephants 2:0 in a thrilling encounter that was played at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja.

    The Super Falcons first put one past the Ivorian ladies at the 13th minute of play but was disallowed by a foul call by the centre referee, giving the Super Falcons a free kick instead.

    However, in the 21st minute of play, Esther Okoronkwo set up Ifeoma Onumonu inside the box to fire the Super Falcons in front from close range.

    Going into the second half, in the 56th minute, Onumonu bagged a brace as she lobbed the ball over the Ivorian goalkeeper to double the lead of the Super Falcons.

    TNG reports former England youth international, Ashleigh Plumptre made her international debut for Nigeria in the encounter.

  • AFCON: Egypt defeat Ivory Coast on penalties

    AFCON: Egypt defeat Ivory Coast on penalties

    Egypt defeat Ivory Coast 5-4 on penalties to reach the quarter-finals at the Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon following a 0-0 draw.

    The North Africans got the upper hand in the shoot-out when substitute keeper Gabaski saved Eric Bailly’s effort in the third round of spot-kicks.

    And Pharaohs captain Mohamed Salah netted the decisive penalty to send the record seven-time champions through.

    Egypt will face Morocco in the last eight in Yaounde on Sunday.

    The finale was somewhat harsh on Manchester United defender Bailly, who had performed superbly at the back while sporting a rugby scrum cap on his return from a head injury.

    Yet he took a short run-up for his penalty and placed his effort too close to Gabaski, who dived to his right and stuck out his left hand to push the ball onto the bar.

    The Zamalek keeper had come on right at the end of the second half after Mohamed El Shenawy picked up a leg injury, and may well start against Morocco depending on the extent of the injury suffered by Egypt’s number one.

    BBC

  • Wilfried Zaha set to make international history

    Wilfried Zaha set to make international history

    Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha is set to make international history this season.

    The FA have announced England will play Ivory Coast for the first time in March.

    And Zaha can became the first England international to appear against the Three Lions in an official friendly at Wembley on March 29.

    Zaha, 29, won two England caps under Roy Hodgson.

    He made his debut as a replacement for Raheem Sterling in the 4-2 friendly defeat in Sweden in November 2012 and was then a late substitute for Theo Walcott in the 3-2 Wembley win over Scotland the following August.

    But Abidjan-born Zaha later took advantage of FIFA rules allowing him to switch to the land of his birth because he had not played a competitive game for the Three Lions.

    Zaha has now earned 23 caps for Ivory Coast, scoring five goals, and is currently involved in the Africa Cup of Nations where he has featured three times and bagged an assist.

  • Outrage as Nigerian lady illegally jailed in Ivory Coast dies

    Outrage as Nigerian lady illegally jailed in Ivory Coast dies

    Enraged Nigerians have taken to social media to express deep irritation over the death of a illegally jailed Nigerian lady, Itunu Babalola.

    According to reports, 21-year-old Babalola from Oyo State was a trader based in Bondoukou, Cote d’Ivoire. Her apartment had been burgled by an Ivorian in September 2019 and she had reported the incident to the police but DPO informed her that the suspect was his nephew. He reportedly offered her a settlement worth roughly N100,000 to drop the case, an amount lesser than the N300,000 worth of stolen effects.

    Babalola was afterward arrested when she refused the settlement, charged to court for human trafficking and sentenced to 10 years in prison.

    A journalist, David Hundeyin, had shared the story of Babalola on Twitter in March 2021 and the Nigerians In Diaspora Commission had said it was working to prove the innocence of Babalola.

    NIDCOM, headed by Abike Dabiri-Erewa, had confirmed that the lady was charged and incarcerated for a crime she didn’t commit.

    “Following painstaking investigations by the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission and the Nigeria Mission in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, it is now confirmed that Itunu Babalola, a Nigerian living in Abidjan was wrongfully charged and incarcerated for a crime she did not commit.

    “Plans are underway to engage the services of a legal luminary to prove the innocence of Itunu Babalola at the Court of Appeal after the accused had spent two years out of a ten-year jail term for an offence she did not commit,” the commission had promised in a statement.

    However, many Nigerians were surprised on Sunday night when Hundeyin, who had been following the case, gave serial updates that Babalola’s contracted an infection in the Ivorian prison. The journalist uploaded photos of the young lady in an emergency situation being attended to on a stretcher by medical personnel.

    Some were devastated that eight months after NIDCOM promised to ensure justice was served on the matter and secure the lady’s liberty, Babalola still remained behind bars .

    Many were equally sad when Hundeyin said hours later that the young lady died.

    “I have just received a message from Cote d’Ivoire about Itunu Babalola. She is still in prison in Abidjan where she has contracted a serious infection and apparently she is dying. All those promises by NIDCOM, Abike Dabiri, OYSG etc – audio. She’s finally dying,” Hundeyin wrote.

    “Itunu is dead. She died this night. Just confirmed,” he later tweeted.

    @DavidHundeyin stated, “Nigeria does absolutely nothing for the citizens, especially southerners but expects the citizens to love the country and uphold some magical patriotism. RIP Itunu. So sorry to her family.”

    @DrOlufunmilayo tweeted, “This same govt that abandoned Itunu to die will suddenly arrange and pay huge money to transport her corpse home. Money they never had to save her from jail. Energy they never had to fight for her. The money they never had to treat her.”

    “Someone needs to call out that country’s judicial system! Someone needs to call out Nigerian Govt who can’t help their citizens home or abroad,” @DanielRegha demanded.

     

     

  • Ivory Coast records first case of Ebola in 25 years

    Ivory Coast records first case of Ebola in 25 years

    Ivory Coast has recorded its first case of the Ebola hemorrhagic virus in 25 years, according to the country’s health minister.

    Pierre N’Gou Dimba said on national television on Saturday that officials confirmed the case after testing samples from an 18-year-old girl who travelled from neighbouring Guinea.

    “This is an isolated and imported case,” he said, adding that the patient was currently being treated in intensive care in the commercial capital, Abidjan.

    In a separate statement, the World Health Organization (WHO) said the case was Ivory Coast’s first Ebola infection since 1994.

    “This came after the Institut Pasteur in Ivory Coast confirmed the Ebola Virus Disease in samples collected from a patient, who was hospitalized in the commercial capital of Abidjan, after arriving from Guinea,” the WHO said in the statement.

    The WHO said initial investigations found the patient had travelled to Ivory Coast by road and arrived in Abidjan on August 12.

    “The patient was admitted to a hospital after experiencing a fever and is currently receiving treatment,” it said.

    Guinea – site of the 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak, the deadliest on record – experienced a four-month Ebola outbreak earlier this year that was declared over on June 19.

    Guinea early this week also confirmed a first case of Marburg virus in West Africa. Marburg virus disease is highly infectious haemorrhagic fever similar to Ebola.

    Transmission of both deadly diseases occurs through contact with infected bodily fluids and tissue, while symptoms include headache, vomiting blood, muscle pains and bleeding.

    The WHO said there was no indication the current case in Ivory Coast is linked to the outbreak in Guinea earlier this year. It said further investigation and genomic sequencing will identify the strain and determine if there was a connection.

    “It is of immense concern that this outbreak has been declared in Abidjan, a metropolis of more than 4 million people,” Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, said in the statement.

    “However, much of the world’s expertise in tackling Ebola is here on the continent and Ivory Coast can tap into this experience and bring the response to full speed,” she said.

    The WHO said it was helping to coordinate a cross-border response, which included transferring 5,000 doses of Ebola vaccine from Guinea to Ivory Coast.

  • Ivory Coast’s former President returns from exile after 10 years

    Ivory Coast’s former President returns from exile after 10 years

    A Former President of Côte d’Ivoire, Laurent Gbagbo boarded a flight in Brussels on Thursday to return home for the first time since he was ousted from power in 2011.

    Gbagbo was sent to The Hague for war crimes charges of which he was later acquitted.

    There was a heavy police presence around Ivory Coast’s commercial capital Abidjan to head off any violence, even as President Alassane Ouattara’s government and Gbagbo’s supporters say they hope his return can help reconcile the country.

    In Abidjan’s Yopougon district, considered Gbangbo’s political stronghold, hundreds took to the streets to demonstrate in support of his arrival. Police fired teargas in other neighbourhoods to disperse similar crowds.

    One group chanted “Gbagbo is coming, we will install him,” while others shouted “Respect the power of Gbagbo” from mini-vans heading towards the airport.

    “It’s a great day for me to go and welcome Gbagbo,” said Liliane Kokora, who wore a t-shirt with Gbagbo’s face printed on it. “He is finally arriving in his country to give us hope.”

    Gbagbo, who came to office in 2000, was arrested after a brief civil war prompted by his refusal to concede defeat to Ouattara in the 2010 election.

    More than 3,000 people were killed in the conflict, which was fought largely along ethnic and regional lines.

    He was acquitted in 2019 of war crimes and crimes against humanity charges by the International Criminal Court for his role in the violence.

    Ivory Coast, the world’s top cocoa producer, has experienced rapid economic growth over the last decade but continues to experience occasional bouts of political and ethnic violence.

    At least 85 people died in unrest surrounding bitterly contested October 2020 presidential election, in which Ouattara won a third term.

    Gbagbo’s return comes after protracted negotiations between his camp and the government, which delayed granting him a passport until after the 2020 election had passed.

    After Gbagbo announced the date of his return, the government initially complained that it had not been consulted but later said he would be welcomed back in the interest of national reconciliation.

    Gbagbo 76, has said little about what political role he might play on his return.

    He retains firm support among his base of supporters, particularly in the country’s south and west.

    He also faces an outstanding 20-year prison sentence that was handed down in November 2019 on charges he misappropriated funds from the regional central bank.

    Ouattara said in April that Gbagbo was free to return, but the government has not said whether he has been pardoned.

    At the airport in Brussels, a small group of Gbango’s supporters from Paris waited to see him off. Some wore T-shirts bearing his effigy, including one with text reading “Gbagbo the Unavoidable”.

    “Why would an individual seek to return to their country? Because it is his country. It is where he belongs,” said Habiba Toure, one of Gbagbo’s lawyers, before entering the terminal.

  • AFCON qualifiers: Referee collapses in middle of football match

    AFCON qualifiers: Referee collapses in middle of football match

    On Tuesday, the match between Ivory Coast and Ethiopia was abandoned 10 minutes from time after the match referee collapsed.

    The match referee, a Ghanaian named Charles Bulu collapsed at the 80th minute of the Group K fixture in Abidjan.

    He was removed on a stretcher and taken to hospital, and the state of his condition was not immediately known.

    Originally chosen as the fourth official, Bulu handled the game because a fellow Ghanaian failed to arrive at the match venue.

    An Ivorian was drafted in as the fourth official, but Ethiopia questioned his neutrality as a replacement for Bulu and refused to continue playing.