by FSL News | 6 Nov, 2016 | African News
A Rainford Kalaba brace helped TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo to beat outplay Algeria’s MO Bejaia 4-1 Sunday to win the CAF Confederation Cup for the first time.
The Lubumbashi ‘Ravens’ won the second-tier African club competition 5-2 on aggregate after drawing the first leg against the ‘Crabs’ 1-1 in North Africa last weekend.
On Sunday, the DRC outfit went ahead in Lubumbashi after just seven minutes through Merveille Bope who reacted quickest to a Jean Kasusula free- kick which hit the woodwork.
Zambia international Kalaba scored home a volley on the stroke of halftime to make it 2-0 and scored again just after the hour mark to put the result beyond the Algerians, appearing in their first continental cup final.
Bejaia scored a consolation goal in the 75th minute from Sofiane Khadir but the three-goal advantage was restored within 60 seconds by Jonathan Bolingi.
TP Mazembe will receive $660,000 following their Confederation Cup triumph with Bejaia receiving the runners-up prize of $462,000.
Mazembe will now play this year’s African Champions League winners, Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa, in the 2017 African Super Cup on the weekend on 17-19 February.
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by FSL News | 4 Nov, 2016 | African News
Ivory Coast and Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure has apologised to the club and manager Pep Guardiola for “misunderstandings from the past”.
Guardiola a few weeks ago has said he will not include Toure in his side until his agent Dimitri Seluk apologises for criticising the decision to leave him out of the Champions League squad.
“I wish to apologise – on behalf of myself and those who represent me,” said the Ivory Coast player.
The 33-year-old added that he wants “to help City succeed further”.
Seluk said Toure, whose £200,000-a-week contract expires next summer, had been “humiliated” when he was not included in City’s Champions League squad.
Guardiola, who was Barcelona boss when Toure was sold to City in 2010, responded at the time by saying: “Seluk must apologise. If he doesn’t, he won’t play.
“I cannot accept as a coach, when his player doesn’t play, going to the media to speak and speak and speak.”
Asked by BBC Sport about Guardiola’s stance, Seluk then said: “What do I need to apologise for?”
“Those statements do not represent my views on the club or the people who work there,” added Toure on Friday, who has not played for City since 24 August.
“I have nothing but respect for Manchester City and only wish the best for the football club.
“I am immensely proud to have played a part in the club’s history and want to help City succeed further. I live to play football and entertain the fans.
“On that note, I would like to thank all of the fans for their messages through this difficult period. This means a great deal to me and my family.”
Toure, a four-time African Footballer of the Year, has scored 75 goals in 267 appearances for City since arriving from Barca for £24m.
He has won the Premier League twice, the FA Cup and two League Cups during his time in England.
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by FSL News | 1 Nov, 2016 | African News
Egypt Argentine boss Hector Cuper has named a 23-man squad for the Pharaohs’ 2018 World Cup qualifier against Ghana on 13 November.
The two continent heavyweights will meet at the Borg El-Arab Stadium in Alexandria and Egyptian authorities have announced 75,000 fans will be allowed to attend.
Cuper, 60, who was appointed as the new technician for the Pharaohs will be hoping to take full advantage of Group E with a two straight win.
Cuper has picked the same group of players who beat Congo in their opening qualifier in October.
The squad is headed by Roma winger Mohamed Salah and Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny.
Veteran goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary of Wadi Degla is among 13 locally-based players called up on Tuesday.
The Egyptians kicked off their Group E campaign with a 2-1 win over Congo in Brazzaville, while the Black Stars were held to a goalless draw by Uganda.
The Pharaohs are going into this tie as group leaders with three points, two ahead of the second-placed Black Stars.
Egypt squad:
Goalkeepers: Essam El-Hadary (Wadi Degla), Sherif Ekramy (Al Ahly), Ahmed El-Shennawy (Zamalek)
Defenders: Ahmed Hegazy (Al Ahly), Ahmed Fathy (Al Ahly), Ahmed Dweidar (Zamalek), Ali Gabr (Zamalek), Hamada Tolba (Al Masry), Mohamed Abdel-Shafy (Ahli Jeddah), Ahmed Elmohamady (Hull City), Omar Gaber (FC Basel)
Midfielders: Abdallah El-Said (Al Ahly), Momen Zakaria (Al Ahly), Ibrahim Salah (Zamalek), Tarek Hamed (Zamalek), Mostafa Fathy (Zamalek), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal), Mahmoud Hassan (Mouscron), Ramadan Sobhi (Stoke City), Mohamed Salah (AS Roma), Amr Warda (Panetolikos)
Forwards: Bassem Morsi (Zamalek), Ahmed Hassan Koka (SC Braga)
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by FSL News | 24 Oct, 2016 | African News
Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Ivorian centre-back Eric Bailly suffered a knee ligament injury during Manchester United’s 4-0 defeat to Chelsea on Sunday.
The 22-year-old Ivorian, who moved to Old Trafford in the summer from Villarreal in a £30million deal, sustained the problem in a collision with Eden Hazard and had to be replaced by Marcos Rojo in the 52nd minute.
“He is seriously injured on his knee, in the ligament area, he feels it is really bad,” Mourinho said after his side’s drubbing at Stamford Bridge.
United are seventh in the Premier League table after Sunday’s loss, six points behind leaders Manchester City after nine games of the season, but Mourinho insists his side can beat Burnley, and Swansea City in their next two matches to join title contenders.
He added: “We are six points from the top of the league, not 16 points. I don’t know, but three, maybe four from the top four, so we are there with very difficult fixtures.
“I am not saying the matches that are coming are easy ones, far from it, but we have to beat opponents in mid-table that we have now. Burnley, Swansea, Sunderland and Middlesbrough. They are difficult, but we need points from the upcoming matches.
“The top teams have to play each other so they have to lose points, so in the end, we will be around.”
Pedro, Gary Cahill, Hazard and N’Golo Kante scored for Chelsea as Mourinho endured a disastrous return to his former club.
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by FSL News | 23 Oct, 2016 | African News
Nigerian striker Ahmed Musa opened his Premier League account with his first goal of the season for the reigning Champions Leicester City, in their 3-1 win over Crystal Palace at the King Power stadium on Saturday.
Shinji Okazaki and Christian Fuchs extended the host lead before Yohan Cabaye scored a consolation for the Londoners as Palace pressurised the hosts in the final five minutes as they attempted an unlikely comeback.
Italian boss Claudio Ranieri signed the Nigerian international in July 2016 for a club record fee estimated at £16.6 million.
Musa, 24, also scored his first goal for the club in a friendly against Barcelona in the 2016 International Champions Cup which ended in a 4-2 loss.
The victory stretched their unbeaten home run to 20 league games as the Foxes followed up their midweek Champions League.
They headed into this encounter with more Champions League points from three games than Premier League points from eight games.
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by FSL News | 18 Oct, 2016 | African News
Premier League Champions Leicester City are one win away from Champions League Knockout stages after beating FC Copenhagen at the King Power Stadium to make it three wins in their group on Tuesday.
Algerian international Riyad Mahrez scored the only goal of the game in the 41st minute to register a third successive victory in the competition and move the English champions within touching distance of the knockout stage.
After three successive away defeats in the Premier League by Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea, there was a palpable edginess among the Leicester’s fans on Tuesday night.
However, Italian boss Claudio Ranieri made four changes to the Leicester side that lost heavily at Chelsea on Saturday, with Mahrez, Slimani, Andy King and Danny Simpson all restored to the manager’s starting XI.
It was little from the home team in the first half other than Mahrez’s goal, and they were fortunate not to concede just before half-time.
Leicester City, who won the English top flight with flying starts 2015/2016 season are languishing 13th position in this campaign.
In Ranieri’s post match interview he said: “I am very proud of my players in Europe but very angry with them in the Premier League,”
“And while it is normal that when you play in the big competition you lose something in the league, we want to change that now.”
Leicester will be hoping they win Group G, as they take on FC Copenhagen again in a fortnight.
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