by FSL News | 24 Jan, 2017 | African News
In-form DR Congo turned on the style as they thrashed Togo 3-1 to top group C with two wins and a draw in the African Nations Cup in Gabon.
Goals from Kabananga 29, Mubele 54, and Mpoku 80 helped DRC to eliminate Togo.
Tournament top scorer Junior Kabananga converted Chancel Mbemba’s pass for the opener, his third goal in three games.
DR Congo is expected to face the Group D runners-up in the quarter-finals, which will be one of Mali, Ghana or – most likely – Egypt.
In the same group, Morocco defeat holders Ivory Coast 1-0 to reach the knockout stage of the competition.
Rachid Alioui scored a brilliant goal at the Stade d’Oyem, to send Ivory Coast out of the Africa Cup of Nation in a 1-0 win for Morocco.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 22 Jan, 2017 | African News
Photo: Cameroon’s goalkeeper Fabrice Ondoa (C) blocks a shot on goal during the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations group A football match between Cameroon and Gabon at the Stade de l’Amitie Sino-Gabonaise in Libreville on January 22, 2017.
Burkina Faso and Cameroon secured progress to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday as hosts Gabon crashed out.
Gabon were held to a 0-0 draw by Cameroon in Libreville, and their opponents went through to the last eight as runners-up in Group A.
Burkina Faso won the group after a 2-0 victory against Guinea-Bissau in Franceville.
A Rudinilson Silva own goal and a Bertrand Traore effort gave 2013 runners-up Burkina Faso the win that saw them clinch qualification and top spot.
They will stay in Libreville for a quarter-final next Saturday while Cameroon will take on Senegal in Franceville the same day.
Ghana are the only other team to have clinched a place in the last eight so far.
Gabon, meanwhile, are only the fourth hosts to be eliminated from the Cup of Nations in the group stage, and the first since Tunisia in 1994.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 22 Jan, 2017 | African News
Ghanaian midfielder Sulley Muntari returns to Italy after completing a deal to join struggling Seria A side Pescara.
The former Sunderland midfielder joined the Dolphins as a free agent on a six-month contract after ending a one-year contract with Saudi Pro League Al Ittihad.
Muntari, 32, signed a short-term contract with Pescara to play till the end of the season.
He won his first senior cap for Ghana against Slovenia on 17 May 2002 and became a regular fixture in the team as Black Stars opened their 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign.
This is not his first Italian quest as he previously featured for Udinese, Inter Milan, and AC Milan. He scored 13 goals in all 83 matches with the Rossoneri.
Muntari aims to prove himself with his new club and aims to earn back a position with the Black Stars as he was indefinitely suspended following a physical attack on Ghana’s staff member Moses Armah at the 2014 World Cup.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 21 Jan, 2017 | African News
Abdallah El Said winner in the last-minute gave the Pharaohs of Egypt a 1-0 victory over Uganda in African Nations Cup Group D on Saturday.
An 89th minute assist from Mohamed Salah proved crucial for a place in the quarter-finals.
Egypt victory not only eliminated the East Africans from the competition but also moved them into second place in the group.
GROUP D STANDINGS Ghana lead the group and in the quarter-finals. Egypt occupy second place #ACON2017 #Gabon
El-Said was set up by Mohamed Salah just when it seemed the Egyptians were going to be held to a second successive draw, blasting through the legs of the Uganda goalkeeper Denis Onyango.
Uganda, without a point, cannot go through to the next round with one game still to play.
Earlier on Saturday, Ghana beat Mali 1-0 to secure a quarter-final berth.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 21 Jan, 2017 | African News
Africa Cup of Nations, Group D, Stade de Port-Gentil – Ghana 1 (Gyan 21′) Mali 0
Asamoah Gyan scored the only goal of the game as a 1-0 win for Ghana over Mali sent his side through to the knockout stages with a game to spare.
Gyan, 31, became Ghana’s all-time top scorer in the competition with eight goals, overtaking Osei Kofi. He has also now scored in six consecutive finals.
Ghana dominated from the first whistle, with Jordan and Andre Ayew, Christian Atsu and Gyan proving too fast and inventive in attack for Mali to ever rest easy.
Mali’s Moussa Marega missed several good chances with a header.
In the second half, Mali made changes and instantly put more pressure on their opponents, with a series of corners and attacks down the right wing that had Ghana on the back foot.
Brimah Razak pulled off a reflex save at the death from Khalifa Coulibaly, as Ghana scraped a victory.
@football_sierra
by FSL News | 19 Jan, 2017 | African News
Senegal sailed into the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations with a comfortable 2-0 victory over Zimbabwe.
Goals from Liverpool forward Sadio Mané and Henri Saivet ensured the 2002 finalists progressed from Group B with their final match against Algeria to spare, but the margin of victory should have been much larger.
“The goal today was to qualify, now it’s done,” said the head coach, Aliou Cissé, after early goals settled the game. “In the first game, even when we played badly, we got to win. Today, we played well and won, and we qualified. I’m very proud of the guys, we have to keep going like that.”
Meanwhile, An Aïssa Mandi own goal and a Naïm Sliti penalty gave Tunisia a deserved victory in this North African derby, leaving Algeria on the verge of an early exit from the tournament.
@football_sierra
Sierra Leone | Highlights -