by FSL News | 19 Nov, 2018 | African News
Mauritania qualified for its first major soccer tournament on Sunday after a 2-1 victory over Botswana to claim a place at next year’s African Cup of Nations.
It was the second major surprise of the 2019 qualifiers after Madagascar sealed a spot at the African Cup for the first time last month.
Mauritania, a country in northwest Africa covered almost completely by the Sahara desert, came from behind to beat Botswana 2-1 with two goals from Ismael Diakite.
It means a nation that waited 17 years after its first international game for its first win will finally play among the continent’s best teams next June and July.
13 OF 24 PLACES SETTLED
Mauritania is one of 13 countries to have now qualified for an expanded 24-team Cup of Nations hosted by Cameroon. Eight of them qualified this weekend, the penultimate round of games, led by former champions Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Morocco and Algeria.
Nigeria is back at the tournament — for the first time since it won the title in 2013 — after a 1-1 draw with South Africa in Johannesburg on Saturday. A Nigerian state governor promised the team $25,000 for every goal in the crucial game but one was enough as Nigeria secured the point it needed to guarantee it one of the two qualifying places from the group.
Qualified countries so far:
Cameroon ??
Egypt ??
Madagascar ??
Mali ??
Morocco ??
Nigeria ??
Senegal ??
Tunisia ??
Uganda ??
Algeria ??
Guinea ??
Ivory Coast ??
Mauritania ??
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by FSL News | 18 Nov, 2018 | African News
A brace from Jordan Ayew helps the Black Stars revive their quest for an eighth successive appearance at the African Cup of Nations finals.
Ghana beat Ethiopia 2-0 at the Addis Ababa stadium in their 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on Sunday afternoon.
Ayew made his return to Kwesi Appiah’s side for the first time since featuring in the Black Stars World Cup qualifying draw with Congo Brazzaville in October 2017.
For the second time in the qualifiers, the Black Stars have proven too strong for the Ethiopians.
The Crystal Palace on-loan attackers scored in the 3rd and 23rd minutes respectively to give his side a two-goal cushion.
The win means they are guaranteed a top spot finish if they can beat Kenya in Ghana march next year even without playing Sierra Leone.
Ghana doubleheader was cancelled due to FIFA’s suspension on Sierra Leone in October.
In the first leg at Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi, Ghana walloped their visitors 5-0 thanks to goals from Asamoah Gyan, John Boye and Ebenezer Ofori, as well as a brace from Rafael Dwamena.
Elsewhere, the Confederation of African Football also cancelled Kenya v Sierra Leone this weekend qualifier. However, the Harambee Stars, are still top of the group, following a back to back victory over Ghana and Ethiopia.
AFCON 2019 Group F Standings
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by FSL News | 17 Nov, 2018 | African News
Nigeria, Uganda and Morocco qualified for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations Saturday while Libya registered eight goals to keep qualifying hopes alive.
Nigeria scored first as they managed a 1-1 scoreline with South Africa in Soweto.
The draw was enough for the three-time African champions as they book a spot in next year’s continental finals in Cameroon with a game to spare.
Uganda beat Cape Verde 1-0 in Kampala and Morocco qualified after rivals Malawi lost 2-1 in Comoros.
“Congratulations to players and staff for this brilliant qualification,” tweeted Morocco coach Herve Renard.
Libya thrashed Seychelles 8-1 and will host South Africa next March needed a win if they are to accompany Nigeria from Group E.
Eight nations have secured places at the 24-team finals with hosts Cameroon, Madagascar, Senegal, Egypt and Tunisia securing places before this weekend.
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by FSL News | 17 Nov, 2018 | African News
Mohamed Salah scored a last-minute winner as Egypt beat Tunisia 3-2 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match at the Borg El Arab Stadium, Alexandria on Friday.
Both countries have secured their spots in next year’s Africa Cup of Nations scheduled to hold in Cameroon, and they paired on 12 points with one match to play.
Naim Sliti opened the scoring in the 14th minute for the visitors, but his opener was cancelled out when Trezeguet levelled the match for the hosts just after the half-hour mark.
Baher El Mohamady fired Egypt ahead on 60 minutes, but Sliti thought he’d rescued a point for the Carthage Eagles with his second in the 72nd minute.
However, there was a final twist as Salah dinked the ball about the sprawling Farouk Ben Mustapha after a neat interplay with Salah Mohsen.
After celebrating his fourth goal of the qualifying campaign, the Liverpool superstar was then booked for removing his shirt.
His strike was the 39th of his international career, taking him above Mohamed Aboutrika into third outright in Egypt’s all-time scoring charts.
Group J’s two other teams, eliminated Eswatini and Niger, meet in Manzini on Sunday.
The tournament will be hosted in Cameroon from 15 June to 13 July, a change from the usual January/February schedule.
Africa Cup of Nations qualifier Group J standings
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by FSL News | 16 Nov, 2018 | African News
Experienced Ethiopian referee Lidya Tafesse will take charge of the 2018 Total Women’s Africa Cup of Nations opener between Ghana and Algeria this weekend.
Host nation Ghana and Algeria will kick off this year’s tournament on Saturday, 17 November 2018 at the Sports Stadium, Accra, with the final set for 1 December.
Tafesse, 38, making her fourth appearance at the showpiece women’s football tournament (2012, 2014, 2016 & 2018) will be supervising the opening match for the successive time.
She will be assisted by Queency Victoire (Mauritius) and Mary Wanjiru (Kenya) with Maria Packuita Rivet (Mauritius) as Fourth Official.
The Queens competed in the inaugural edition in 1998 edition hosted in Nigeria, lost to the latter in the final.
Draw for 2018 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations
Group A: Ghana (hosts), Algeria, Mali, Cameroon
Group B: Nigeria (holders), South Africa, Zambia and
Equatorial Guinea.
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by FSL News | 16 Nov, 2018 | African News
The Mauritanians sitting pretty at the top of Group I
Mauritania will qualify for the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in their history this weekend with a win against Botswana in Nouakchott.
The Mauritanians defeat Botswana in their AFCON qualifier opener in June 2017 won 1-0 through an Abdallahi Soudani goal.
A team guided by French coach Corentin Martins will be assured of a top-two finish in Group I and qualification if they defeat bottom side Botswana in Nouakchott.
While Mauritania impressively won three of their four group games, Botswana lost three, drawn one, and not scored a single goal.
Botswana’s only previous Nations Cup visit to Nouakchott resulted in a 4-0 defeat 12 years ago.
Meanwhile. Host Cameroon automatically qualifies and already joined by Madagascar who secured their place at a Nations Cup also for the first time after qualifying last month along with Egypt, Senegal and Tunisia.
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