Cameroonian striker Leonel Wamba scored the only goal of the game in Cairo as Algerian champions CR Belouizdad defeated Egyptian giants Zamalek 1-0 in Cairo in their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League group stage opener on Friday.

The goal sealed the victory for the visitors to set the early pace in Group D by taking them to the top.

The 20-year-old was brilliant as he calmly slotted the winning goal in the 57th minute to help his side grade their third win in a row across all competitions.

Belouizdad will also take on Sudan’s Al Merreikh and Esperance of Tunisia in Group D.

Zamalek, who failed to make it off the group stages last season, now have work to do again, to gain ground in the group.

Elsewhere in Group C, Moroccan giants, Raja Club Athletic proved too strong for debutants Ugandan champions Vipers SC after scoring 5-0 past their visitors in the group stage opener of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League on Friday night.

Goals from Hamza Khabba, Jamal Harkass, Mohamed Zrida, Yousri Bouzouk and Roger Aholou in each half as Raja kicked off their campaign with an emphatic victory that puts them comfortably in charge, top of Group C.

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⏱️ FULL-TIME

🇪🇬 @ZSCOfficial 0-1 @Crbelouizdadoff 🇩🇿

Wamba’s goal from the spot grant the visitors important 3 points!#TotalEnergiesCAFCL | #ZSCCRB pic.twitter.com/E3kA4YHN5B

— TotalEnergies CAFCL – TotalEnergies CAFCC 🏆 (@CAFCLCC) February 10, 2023

The TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations opening game will take place at the Cairo International Stadium at 16h00 local time (14h00 GMT). 

Hosts Egypt and Southern African side Mozambique will kick start the competition at Cairo International Stadium at 16h00 local time (14h00 GMT) on 19 February 2023.

CAF has said the Egyptian Football Association (EFA) and the Local Organising (LOC) are putting the final touches to the preparations for the TotalEnergies U20 Africa Cup of Nations – one of the flagship youth events of CAF. 

Cairo Internation, Alexandria and Suez Canal are the three stadiums that will host the competition that will run until 11 March 2023. 

About the Venues: 

Cairo International Stadium – the 75,000 capacity was Built-in 1960 – the home of the Egyptian national team. The venue is used by the two Egyptian giants, Al Ahly and Zamalek.  

Suez Canal Authority Stadium – Ismailia. (21,000 capacity). The newly-built stadium was inaugurated in September 2022.  

Alexandria Stadium – Alexandria 20,000 capacity – This is one of the venues that hosted the 2019 TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Egypt.  

The full groups:  

Group A: Egypt, Mozambique, Senegal, Nigeria 

Group B: Uganda, Central Africa Republic, South Sudan, Congo 

Group C: The Gambia, Tunisia, Benin, Zambia 

FULL FIXTURE HERE

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Christian Atsu’s agent says the footballer’s whereabouts are unknown, a day after it was reported he was pulled from the rubble of a building “with injuries” after the Turkey earthquakes, BBC sport reports. 

More than 11,000 people in southern Turkey and northern Syria are now known to have been killed.

Ghana forward Atsu plays for Hatayspor and the club’s vice-president Mustafa Özat had said the player was rescued.

“We are doing everything we can to locate Christian,” said Nana Sechere.

“As you can imagine, this continues to be a devastating time for his family.”

In a social media post, the agent added: “Following yesterday’s update from the club that Christian had been pulled out alive, we are yet to confirm Christian’s whereabouts.”

Hatayspor manager Volkan Demirel told Turkish sport website Spor Arena there was “no news yet” on either Atsu or sporting director Taner Savut, who was reported missing on Monday along with the player.

Savut’s location and condition is currently unknown.

“If they were in hospital, don’t you think I would share this? Please don’t be sure that he survived. This should not be written as he survived,” he said.

Ghana’s Ambassador to Turkey, Francisca Ashietey-Odunton, told radio station Joy FM there was “confusion” as to where Atsu had been sent.

“Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here informed me that they wanted to confirm if Christian Atsu had been found and rescued and sent to a medical centre,” she said.

“However, in all the confusion – which is understandable under the circumstances [as you are rescued you are put in an ambulance and sent to the hospital] – they are not sure yet which particular hospital or health facility he has been sent to.

“This morning again, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has assured me they are working feverishly to find out which facility he was sent to and will get back to me as soon as possible because I have been on them that I need to go and see him.”

Atsu, 31, played 107 games for Newcastle and had spells with Chelsea, Everton and Bournemouth.

He has won 65 caps for Ghana and joined Hatayspor in September after a season with Saudi Arabian team Al-Raed.

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• Rodney Michael pens deal with Montenegrin side FK Mornar.

Montenegro top tier side FK Mornar have confirmed the signing of Sierra Leone International Rodney Michael. The 23-year-old attacker joins the Montenegrin side on Tuesday, 07 February 2023, until the summer.

Michael, who last played for Indy Eleven in the USA, has been handed a new chance to revive his professional career in the Southeastern Europe country.

Michael was part coach of John Keister’s Sierra Leone squads for the last three friendlies in a 4-0 defeat to South Africa, DR Congo 3-0 and 3-0 against the Algeria B team in South Africa, Morocco and Dubai, respectively.

In March last year, Indy Eleven announced it had acquired forward Rodney Michael from USL League One club South Georgia Tormenta FC. 

He made his professional debut on June 19, 2021, appearing as a 56th-minute substitute during a 3–1 win over Greenville Triumph. He netted his first professional goal on 30 June 2021, scoring Tormenta’s lone goal in a 2–1 loss to Toronto FC II.

On March 22, 2022, Michael was transferred from Tormenta to USL Championship side Indy Eleven. He left Indy Eleven following their 2022 season.

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The win on Sunday leaves them in 10th, two places above the drop zone. And the Sierra Leone-born has assured that they will compete to avoid demotion.

Experience defender David Simbo has said his side Neroca will continue their fight to stay in the Indian I League after their 2-1 win over former club Gokulam Kerala FC on Sunday.

The former Mighty Blackpool, Motala, and Trelleborg defender has been a revelation for Neroca FC in the India second tier.

“It was a difficult win, but we were pleased with the result. We are going to continue this fight until the end. In the end, we must stay in the Indian I League,” the Neroca skipper told FSL News.

After RoundGlass Punjab’s wobble in Delhi, it was Gokulam Kerala’s turn, the Malabarians suffering a 2-1 loss to NEROCA on Sunday.

NEROCA went into this game with back-to-back wins at home and yet were unfancied against opposition who have been on an upward curve at the business end of the season. 

Sweden Fernandes and Mirjalol Kosimov scored for the home side in the 11th and 64th minute, respectively, before Aminou Bouba reduced the deficit for the away side.

However, the home side held to win their fourth straight home game.

Read complete match reports.

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