by FSL News | 30 Sep, 2016 | African News
Kwesi Nyantakyi and Almamy Kabele Camara have been elected to fill two new Confederation of African Football seats on the Fifa Council.
Nyantakyi is president of the Ghana Football Association and Camara, from Guinea, is a Caf vice-president.
Nyantakyi secured 31 votes and Camara got 37 to defeat Ahmad of Madagascar and Austin Senghor of Senegal.
Both men will hold the position until March 2017. The duo thus joins CAF President Issa Hayatou (Cameroon), Hani Abo Rida (Egypt), Constant Omari (DR Congo), Tarek Bouchamaoui (Tunisia) and Lydia Nsekera (Burundi) as the Africans on the FIFA Council.
The Caf’s seven-member African delegation will be at a meeting of the expanded Fifa Council on 13-14 October.
The election took place at the CAF Extra-Ordinary General Assembly in Cairo on Thursday.
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by FSL News | 26 Sep, 2016 | African News
Ghana international midfielder Kwadwo Asamoah (pictured) will need surgery after tearing cartilage and Rugani has a strained ligament.
The hardworking, energetic and tactically versatile player Asamoah and Juventus’ Italian defender Daniele Rugani were injured following the 1-0 win at Palermo in Serie A.
The Italian giants (Juventus) said on Sunday that both players are expected to return in 45 days.
Asamoah, 27, will also rule out for Ghana’s 2018 World Cup qualifier against Uganda on 7 October.
A double blow for the five-time Serie A champions with Medhi Benatia and Claudio Marchisio still out injured.
“Asamoah has suffered a rupture of the medial meniscus ligament in his right knee, while Rugani has a strained collateral lateral ligament in his right knee,” said the club statement.
Asamoah is expected to “undergo keyhole surgery”, while Rugani is set for more “moderate treatment”, added the statement.
Asamoah made his debut for the Ghana national team, Black Stars, in 2006, under French manager Claude Le Roy.
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by FSL News | 18 Sep, 2016 | African News
Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a 2-1 defeat to Zesco United in the first leg of their CAF Champions League semi-final on Saturday.
The game got off to a good start, with both sides showing their attacking intent in the opening minutes.
The home side was ahead in the opening 10 minutes into the second half, as Jackson Mwanza rose above Wayne Arendse to send a glancing header into the far corner.
Jackson Mwanza’s second goal was enough to give the Zambian champions an edge over the South African soccer club based in Pretoria.
All three goals came in the second half Sundowns midfielder Khama Billiat snatching Sundowns insurance ahead of the return leg decider in Pretoria.
The Zambian side is in pole position towards reaching their debut 2016 CAF Champions League final.
The return leg is slated for September 24, with a final against Egyptian side Zamalek likely on the cards after they demolished Wydad Casablanca 4-0 in the first leg of the other last-four clash.
Friday, 16 September
Zamalek 4 -0 WAC Casablanca
Saturday, 17 September
Zesco United 2 – 1 Mamelodi Sundowns
Second Leg: Saturday, 24 September
Mamelodi Sundowns v ZESCO United
WAC Casablanca v Zamalek
Here’s how they lined up:
Zesco:Â Silwimba, Banh, Owino Odhiambo, Oluwafemi, Mwelwa, Mtonga, Chaila, Ching’andu, Mwanza, Were.
Sundowns: Onyango, S.Zwane, Arendse, Nthethe, Langerman, Kekana, Mabunda, Tau, T. Zwane, Dolly, Billiat.
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by FSL News | 12 Sep, 2016 | African News
Former Burkina Faso international Ben Idrissa Derme, 34, has died after suffering a heart attack, as reported by the club.
“With great sadness, we announce that Ben Idrissa Derme has been the victim of a heart attack at the beginning of the second half of a match during the third round of the French Cup,” the club said in a statement.
The 34-year-old collapsed early in the second half of the third-round tie while playing for the French sixth-division side AJ Biguglia.
The medical services treated him on the pitch but were unable to revive him.
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by FSL News | 5 Sep, 2016 | African News
Uganda have qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 1978 after beating Comoros on Sunday.
Uganda Cranes 1-0 victory over Comoros secured their place at next year’s finals in Gabon as one of the two best group runners-up.
Farouk Miya scored the winning goal as they qualified with 13 points from their six group games.
Uganda’s last appearance at the Nations Cup ended in a runners-up spot when they lost to Ghana in the final.
Sixteen teams will compete at the tournament, which runs from 14 January to 5 February: the 13 group winners and two best group runners-up, plus hosts Gabon.
The Last 16 Nations
Gabon, Algeria, Burkina Faso, Cameroon
Cote d’Ivoire, DR Congo, Egypt, Ghana
Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Morocco, Senegal
Tunisia, Togo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
by FSL News | 4 Sep, 2016 | African News
Manchester City ace Kelechi Iheanacho scored the only goal of the game to give Nigeria their first win of an underwhelming Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign on Saturday in Uyo.
With the 1-0 success, Nigeria finished the group stage on five points, while Tanzania were bottom of a three-team group already won by Egypt.
The Super Eagles created a rash of chances in this dead rubber game, but wasteful finishing and the brilliance of goalkeeper Aishi Manula ensured they had to wait until the 78th minute to snatch victory at the Akwa Ibom International Stadium.
It was a winning start for new manager Gernot Rohr, but he certainly knows his team will have to improve their shooting in time for next month’s World Cup qualifier in Zambia.
The Eagles created a rash of chances in the first 45 minutes, but couldn’t not make any of them count against an inspired Manula.
In the 12th minute, captain John Obi Mikel released Ahmed Musa, but the Leicester City forward failed to tuck away the opening.
On 24 minutes, Manula denied Iheanacho, before Victor Moses fluffed another chance two minutes later.
Three minutes from half time, Manula pulled off a big save to deny Odion Ighalo.
It was a similar story in the second half with Mikel denied by Manula after 59 minutes but Iheanacho, 19, conjured a wonder strike 12 minutes from time to finally break the deadlock.
Champions Ivory Coast to defend their crown
Title-holders Ivory Coast cleared a header off their goal-line in stoppage time to hang on to a 1-1 draw with Sierra Leone on Saturday to squeeze into the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations finals.
Jonathan Kodjia scored via a bicycle kick after 35 minutes for the Ivorians before a sell-out 25,000 crowd in Bouake but Kei Kamara equalised on 67 minutes with a glancing header following a free kick.
It was Kamara, back after a self-imposed one-year exile having accused Sierra Leone officials of disrespecting him, who almost took his country to the finals after a 20-year absence.
Sierra Leone were awarded a corner five minutes into stoppage time but a far-post Kamara header was cleared off the line.
Ivory Coast qualified for a seventh straight Cup of Nations by winning Group I with six points after drawing twice against Sierra Leone and taking four points off Sudan.
Sierra Leone finished with five points and Sudan with four.
Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Morocco, Senegal and Zimbabwe secured places ahead of the final round and hosts Gabon are automatic participants as hosts.
Another 14 matches are scheduled for Sunday with the remaining five places up for grabs.
Ethiopia fell behind against Seychelles in Hawassa before goals from Getaneh Kebede and Saladin Said either side of half time brought a 2-1 win and hope of qualification as one of the best two runners-up.
It was the sixth goal of the qualifying campaign for Kebede in Group J and moved him to the top of the scorers charts.
Fouad Al Triki scored a late goal as Libya shocked Cape Verde 1-0 in a Group F match interrupted when a dog wandered onto the pitch in Praia.
Defeat eliminated Cape Verde, who were briefly ranked No 1 in Africa this year and had been seeking a third consecutive Cup of Nations appearance.
Group H winners Ghana lacked numerous first choices, including Andre Ayew and Asamoah Gyan, and were held 1-1 in Accra by Rwanda.
Samuel Tettah put the Black Stars ahead midway through the opening half with a low shot and Muhadjir Hakizimana levelled off a free-kick seven minutes from time.
Mozambique jumped from fourth to second in the same mini-league after a last-gasp goal earned a 1-0 win over Mauritius in Maputo.
Cameroon cruised to a 2-0 victory over bottom-of-the-table Group M team Gambia in Limbe.
Benjamin Moukandjo converted a first-half penalty for a foul on Karl Toko Ekambi, who scored the second goal soon after half-time.
A dismal run by Angola in Group B extended to five matches without a win when they were held 1-1 by Madagascar in Luanda.
Bapasy put the visitors ahead during the opening half with a glancing header off a corner and Gelson levelled nine minutes into the second half.
Senegal finished with a perfect Group K record thanks to a predictable 2-0 win over Namibia in Dakar through goals from Balde Keita and Famara Diedhiou.
(Credit The National)
Sierra Leone | Highlights -Â