Ghana Crushed Egypt In The Play-Off

Ghana displayed a high quality performance and demolished Egypt 6 - 1 on Tuesday in Kumasi, in their first leg of two encounters, to the 2014 World Cup qualification play-offs.

In the game of football, one is never completely sure of the out-come of a match, no matter who you are playing. No one could've sincerely predicted, the crushing defeat of the mighty Pharaohs of Egypt. Yes, may be a 2 - 1 or 3 - 2 win, but certainly not what we saw on Tuesday. Die hard fans or not. This is one of the reasons, why football is the most beautiful game in the world.

Ghana Football Fans

All credit to the Black Stars and coach Kwesie Appiah, who understood the implication of not taking a good advantage of home game. If a team fail to take the advantage of home turff and fans, it may end up facing a Herculean task on away match. Ghana understood this reality in the game.

 

Ghana put up a five star performance, right from the kick-off time, to the final whistle and surprised not only the Egyptians, but many football fans watching the game around the world. It was the stuff of brave hearts.

In the 4th minute of the match, Gyan Asamoah, the captain, collected a pass from Waris and turned away from his marker with such a pace and struck the ball to the low, far left end of the post, which electrified the fans, with joy. It was the first of the avalanche of harvest of goals.

 

The second goal, though was an own goal by the Egyptian captain Gomaa, it was due to the individual effort and dribble skills of Michael Essien. The ball hit the captain and went into the net, for a 2 - 0 lead. But the tally was reduced, when the Ghanaian defender, Rashid Sumaila, brought down the pacey, Mohammed Salah in the box. The experienced Mohammed Aboutrika, did not miss the penalty shot, 2 - 1.

In the second half, Majeed Waris, headed the host to a 3 - 1 lead. And not very long after, the bicycle keep of Sulley Muntari, bouced up and Asamoah headed into the net for a 4 - 1 comfortable lead.

The Black Stars kept up the pressure, when the referee ruled that Majeed Waris, was brought down in the box by the Egyptian goalkeeper, Ahmed Elshenwi, who replaced the injured first choice keeper, Elramy. Sulley Muntari, calmly took the penalty and made it 5 - 1.

The second beautiful goal of the match came through the substitue, Christian Atsu. (The other was Asamoah first goal). Atsu took a good shot from the edge of the box, to the far end of the post and beat the keeper, to complete the score line to a 6 - 1 advantage. With this score, Ghana has put themselves in a very powerful position, before next month second leg in Cairo, Egypt.

All the Black Stars on the pitch played with urgency, dedication and the determination to win in a convincing manner. They played as a team, and it was worthy of emulation by some players in Africa, who play with much ego and selfishness. The players pace and passes were very impressive indeed.

The Egyptians were out-played, it was a situation that no one fore-saw. They did not look like a team, many countries wanted to avoid in the play-offs, because they were the only country with 100% record throughout the WC qualification process, untill this amazing humiliation in Kumasi.

Egypt has an uphill battle to surmount in November's second leg, while Ghana has a duty not to allow, their surprised huge advantage slip away. The Black Stars can now smell being part of soccer fiesta in Brazil 2014, their third World Cup qualification. Their qualification is in their hands.

Nigeria Beats Ethiopia In The WC Play-Off

The Super Eagles of Nigeria came from a goal down in the Saturday World Cup, first of the two leg play-offs to win the encounter 2 - 1 in Addis Ababa against a spirited home team - the Walya Antelopes of Ethiopia.

The Ethiopians dorminated the first half in a stadium full to its capacity with their fans. They had many opportunities to score goals, but had poor finishing. In the second half they started well again, but the Super Eagles had over come their nerves and calmed down. The Nigerians began to play better and took control of the second half.

The Antelopes were still doing well with their speed and passes, and in the 57th minute their persistence yielded the first goal of the match, when Behailu Assefa's crossing from the left flank was misjudged by the Nigerian keeper, Vincent Enyeama. The ball crossed the goal-line before he caught it.

 

Ten minutes later, on the 67th minutes, the Nigerian star of the game, Emmanuel Emenike, took an individual brilliant action, when he decided to take a stupendous dynamite of a shot that took the goalkeeper, Tassew by surprise at the right hand-side of the goal post, making it 1 - 1.

But the Super Eagles star striker, Emenike, was not yet done, even though he was being tightly marked by the Ethiopian defenders. At the last minute, he beat his maker, Aynalem Hailu, to a long thrust ball from midfield, the defender grabed his hand and pulled him down in the box, the referee awarded Nigeria penalty, which Emenike himself cooly sloted into the right side of the net, making it 2 - 1.

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It was a match that all credit should go to both teams. The Ethiopians played a great game, they were just unfortunate to loss, after some wonderful display of football. The Nigerians came back into the match with their experience in international football. The second leg will be played in Calabar, Nigeria on the 16th of November.

After the match, the Nigerian assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi, said to the media, ''We are happy with the result. And the boys did well to get this result from what was not an easy game.''

''But we have to tell the players, that there is still 90 minutes to go, so we still have to work hard, to make sure we win the second leg.''

''The first half wasn't very good, but we were happy that the first half ended 0 - 0 and the chief coach spoke to the boys and told them a few things and that helped them play better in the second half,'' the former Eagles striker said.

''We have to give credit to the team as everybody did their jobs,'' Amokachi added.

Jonathan Akpoborie, another former striker of the Super Eagles, said that it was the individual brilliance of Emmanuel Emenike, that gave Nigeria victory.

''I see it as the individual brilliance of Emenike, that took us over this hurdle called Ethiopia.''

''Congrats to the Eagles and Nigerians but they have to work harder ahead of the home tie,'' he said.

While the former Super Eagles captain, Sunday Oliseh, wrote in his twitter page, that Nigerians should stop arguing about the overall performance of the team, that what matters is qualification. He called the match winner,
''5 star Emenike.''

''Nigerians please stop arguing about the performance, at this stage, all that interest us is qualification. Don't worry be happy, ''5 star Emenike'', he tweeted.

''It was a difficult match, Addis Ababa is always a difficult place to play with fans all over the place supporting the home team,'' Akpoborie said.

''They gave us scare in the first half, but we survived it. In the second half we showed them the stuff of Africa champions. But it is not over, we still have 90 minutes to play before, we start the celebrations,'' Akpoborie added.

The second World Cup play-off of the day, was played between Tunisia and Cameroon in Tunisia. The match ended 0 - 0 and the second leg will be played in Cameroon next month, November. Both sides missed many opportunities to score, especially the home side, which dorminated the first half. The Indomitable Lions came into the match in the second half, and created opportunities which were not utilized.

Some Presidential Inspirations Before WC Play-Offs

This weekend begins the first of the two leg World Cup play-offs in the African zone. The second leg of the play-offs will be played in November, and the aggregate winner after the two legs, will go to the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

All the ten teams in contention are putting adequate preparations in place, in order to win the matches. And some of the presidents have tried to inspire their teams before the encounters.

The Nigerian President, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, paid a surprise visit today, to the training camp of the Super Eagles in Addis Ababa, where they will be taking on the Antelopes of Ethiopia tomorrow, Sunday the 13th of October in the first leg of the World Cup play-offs.

President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan

The President told both the players and their officials that he came to tell them that he will always support the national team. He then urged them to go all out and win the match there and also qualify for the World Cup.

He also told them that Nigerians both at home and the diaspora expects

 them to qualify for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. He added that they should not only qualify and make up the numbers in Brazil but have to make an impact in the tournament. He believes that they will qualify.

''I am sure that you will not only qualify for the World Cup, but we are going there not to add up the numbers but to make an impact at the championship,'' he added.

Earlier on this week it was reported in the Nigeria media that the President, has a reward package for the Super Eagles, if they qualify for the World Cup 2014.

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In the middle of this week, the Ghanian President John Mahama, also paid a surprise visit to the Ghanaian team (Black Stars) in their training ground to encourage the team, which will be playing against Egypt in Kumasi on Tuesday, 15th of October.

 After the training he told the players and officials, ''Lets focus on this match. I took time off to see you. I am the chief supporter of your team, the leader of this country and to tell you that the whole country is solidly behind you.''

''Whatever we will do, is to support you to win this match. We will do our bit but all of us can't go on the pitch so those who are going to represent us can expect nothing but our support.''

''I want to thank you very much, I wish you good luck. We count on you, we will pray for you, we know God is on our side. We will pray to the almighty God to give you victory,'' President John Mahama, said.

The Cameroonian President Paul Biya, intervened to bring back the Indormitable Lions captain, Samuel Etoo, who announced to his team-mates after their last match that he was retiring. The President sent a delegation to go and appeal to Etoo to reconsider his decision. After the meeting, he agreed to come back. So he is expected to lead the team in tomorrow's duel against Tunisia.

This was not the first time President Biya has acted to bring back a quality player who retired. In 1990, he brought back Roger Miller, to play in the world Cup. By bringing back the highly decorated Samuel Etoo, the President wants to make sure that the team has a more better chance of winning and qualifying.

Ivory Coast And Burkina Faso Wins Their First Play-offs

The first two of the five World Cup play-offs for this weekend were played today Saturday, the 12th of October. The Stallions of Burkina Faso triumphed 3 - 2 against the visiting Algerian team in Ouagadougou, while the Elephants of Ivory Coast won 3 - 1 at home in Abidjan.

At the last minutes of the encounter between Burkina Faso and Algeria, the home team was awarded a controversial penalty by the Zambian referee, Janny Sikazwe, which was taken after a strong protest from the Algerian players.

The referee thought that the ball touched, Essaid Belkalem, even though he had his hands behind him, when the ball was strucked. Anyway, the Burkinabe striker, Aristide Bance, stepped up and took the penalty and scored the time that it mattered most for his team.

Didier Drogba

 He had earlier in the first half missed a penalty, so it was brave of him to have decided to take another one, that was at that juncture of the encounter worth millions of dollers. Luckily for him and the country, he did not miss this time around.

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After the match the Algeria's assistant coach, Nourredine Kourichi, said that, ''If we win the second leg 1 - 0, it will be enough. The second leg will be difficult for Burkina and for us as well but we are hopeful. We are optimistic.''

In the other match between the Elephants of Ivory Coast and the Terenge Lions of Senegal, the Ivorians scored an early goal through a penalty, by their experienced captain Didier Drogba.

 Their second goal was scored by the former Arsenal striker, who now plays for AS Roma, while Salomon Kalou, put the cherry on the cake when he added the third goal. Demba Cisse scored the Senegalese consolation goal.

After the match the Ivorian striker, Salomon kalou, said to BBC, ''We showed today that we can be a team. We scored early, which gave us the confidence to go forward and score more.

''I think it's a good victory. We can be positive about the next round because there is one more game to go, but we did one step and we have to fight to get the second one,'' he added.

The Elephants, are in a good position for the second leg, of the play-offs next month, but you never know with football, anything can happen. The aggregate winner of the two matches will go to the World Cup in Brazil.

Lindsey Vonn Puts ''Sammy de Squirrel'' On Tiger Woods

The number one (Nr 1) golfer in the world, Tiger Woods, was playing in the 2013 President Cup, which he helped USA to eventually win, while his skiing champion girl friend, Lindsey Vonn, was busy having fun by putting a live squirrel on his shoulder as he was seriously watching the game.

 

Lindsey decided to lighten the atmosphere at the golf course, she borrowed the squirrel from the golfer David Love (111), and placed it on Tiger while everyone around was laughing, Tiger was focused on the game he was watching.

He did not look at what Lindsey was putting on his shoulder, but he did try to push it off without looking at all to see what it was. It was a real funny stuff though, Tiger did not find it so funny initially. But he later laughed about the joke. The name of the squirrel was Sammy. 

 

 

 

Herve Renard Leaves Zambia By Agreement

Herve Renard (45), the national football coach of Zambia has reached an agreement with the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) for an early released from his contract which is due to expire in 2014, so that he can take up the coaching job of the French ligue 1 club FC Sochaux.

A statement in the Zambia's football association's site read, ''The Football Association of Zambia, hereby announces the release of Herve Renard, from the job of national coach of the Zambia national football team.''

''FAZ and Herve have consulted and it has been agreed not to stand in his way. It is a compliment for a coach working in Africa to be head-hunted, by a top European club. It makes us proud to be able to take ownership, of Herve's rise as a successful international coach.''

Herve Renard

 

''FAZ wishes to thank Renard for his dedication to duty, hard work, proficiency and wish him well, as he takes up his new coaching job,'' the statement added.

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The assistant coach Patrice Beaumelle, will now be incharge of the national team (The Chipolopolo), with immediate effect. His first assignment is the
friendly match, next week on Tuesday (Oct. 15), in Beijing   against Brazil.                                         

Mr Renard, led Zambia to win their first ever African Cup of Nations trophy last year (2012). He also won a personal award of African coach of the year.

After the agreement to let him go and take up the FC Sochaux job, he expressed his appreciation for the opportunity given to him, by the president of the Football Association of Zambia, Mr Kalusha Bwalya, (who is a football legend in the country).

''I would like to thank Kalusha for this opportunity and for allowing me to further my career. I enjoyed working with him and together we did the best to further the development and rise of the Chipolopolo. I wish the team well,'' the coach said.

Mr Renard, began his coaching career in 1999 with SC Dragnignan and left in 2001. From 2002 to 2003 he was the assistant coach to the Chief coach of the Chinese club Shanghai Cosco, Mr Claude le Roy. His fellow country man. In 2004, he became the coach of the English club Cambridge United.

 A year later, he became the coach of AS Cherbourg, 2005 to 2007. Herve joined his former boss, Mr Le Roy, again as his assist to the Ghanian national team.

In 2008, he was appointed the coach of Zambia national team. Two years later in 2010, he left and became the coach of Angola national team. The next year, 2011, he became the coach of Zambia for a second time.

Then in 2012, he won the African Cup of Nations trophy with the team, beating along the way, the favourites - Senegal in the group phase, Ghana in the semi-final and Ivory Coast in the final.

The Europa League Results (03/10/13)

Didier Zokora

Anzhi                       0  -  2   Tottenham
Kuban Krasnoda      0  -  2   Valencia
Legia Warsaw          0  -  1   Apollon Limassol
Trabzonspor             3  -  3   Lazio
Tromso                     1  -  1   Sheriff Tiraspol
Shakhter Karagandy 2  -  2   Maccabi Haifa
AZ Alkmaar             1  -  1   Paok Salonika
Chornomor Odesa    0  -  2   PSV
Ludogorets Razgrad 3  -  0   Dinamo Zagreb
Elfsborg                    1  -  1   Standard Liege
Swansea City            1  -  0   St Gallen


Fiorentina                 2  -  1   Dnipro
Rapid Vienna           2  -  2   Dynamo Kiev
Genk                        2  -  1   Thun
Salsburg                   2  -  1   Esbjerg
E. Frankfurt             3  -   0   Apoel Nicosia
Bordeaux                 1  -  2    Maccabi Tel Aviv
Seville                     2  -  0    Freiburg
Lyon                        1  -  1   Guimaraes

Cape Verde's Play-Offs Disqualification Upheld

The appeal of Cape Verde to FIFA over their disqualification from the 2014 World Cup play-offs due to fielding an ineligible player in a match has been upheld by the football governing body in Zurich, Switzerland.

In the last World Cup, African zone qualification match, between Cape Verde and Tunisia, Cape Verde won the match 2 - 0 and finshed on top of the table. But were disqualified from participating in the play-offs, because a player, Fernando Varela, was given a four match ban in March this year and did not complete it before playing in the duel with Tunisia.

Fernando Varela

FIFA ordered the forfeiture of the match and awarded Tunisia 3 - 0 and three points which put them on top of the table instead of the Cape Verdeans. The Play-offs has been drawn, Tunisia will be playing Cameroon in a two leg encounter in October and November, the winner of both matches will qualify for the World Cup.

It was strenge, Cape Verde themselves had earlier on benefited in such FIFA punishment of Equatorial Guinea in a World Cup qualification match, in which they lost 4 - 3, but were awarded the forfeiture of the match with the same 3 - 0 and three points, because Equatorial Guinea used an ineligible player, Emilio Nsue, even though he scored a hat-trick in the match.

Cape Verde can still take the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS), if they choose to, but the out come of that may not be known on time, as the play-offs is beginning next week, unless CAS will give the case priority attention and hear it immediately, which is doubtful due to many cases before them.

Kalu Uche Joins Qatari Club El Jaish

Kalu Uche (30), the kasimpasa top scorer last season and the Nigerian international, has signed a two year contract deal with the Qatari club El Jaish.

Though both the player and the club, refused to disclose the amount of the deal, the Turkish media reported that his former club, Kasimpasa, will receive an estimated amount between $4m to $5m. But the amount the player will be earning per annum was not mentioned.

According to media report, the dispute over wages with Kasimpasa prompted his departure. It was reported a couple of months ago, that Uche Kalu, who scored 19 goals in the Turkey Super Lig, last season and was the second highest scorer in the league, demanded for increase in his salary. Ineffect, a new improved contract, but both sides could not agree.

Kalu Uche for  FC Almeria

After signing with EL Jaish, Uche said, ''I have been in Europe for 12 years now and this was a great chance for me to play in another continent with such a big club.''

''I am delighted to have joined EL Jaish, because I am still hungry for success and hopeful I can make a big contribution to the club,'' he told BBC.

''I had a fantastic one season in Istanbul and Turkey. The fans and team-mates were extremely nice to me and my family.''

''I can only wish the team all the best this season and for the future.''

''Everyday is a new beginning and what you've done elsewhere is in the past.''
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''I am happy that we could sort everything out, before the end of the Qatar transfer window (which was midnight local time 30th September),'' the rejuvenated striker added.

Kalu has played in many countries in Europe - Poland, France, Spain, Switzerland and Turkey. He scored two goals for Nigeria in the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The goals were against South Korea and Greece.

Injury kept him out of the last African Cup of Nations, but his junior brother, Ikechukwu, who plays for the Spanish club Villarreal, was part of the squad that won the trophy.

Danny Jordaan Is The New SAFA President

The former chief executive officer (CEO) of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, local organising committee, Mr Danny Jordaan (62), has been elected with a two third majority, as the new president of the South African Football Association (SAFA).

The very experienced sports administartor and former vice-president of SAFA, Jordaan, won the election by beating his opponent, Mr Mandla Mazibuko, with 162 votes to 88 votes. The out-going president, Mr Kirsten Nematandani did not contest in the election.

This election was conducted by the Independent Electoral Commission which was observed by FIFA and CAF, the African football governing body.

Mr Danny Jordaan

Also elected to govern football in South Africa with Danny Jordaan are, three vice - presidents namely - Chief Mwelo Nonkonyana (197 votes),

Lucas Nhlapo (173 votes), Elvis Shishana (167 votes. The fourth vice - president for the football association is the premier soccer league chairman, Dr Irvin Khoza.

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There were also 10 national list members of the National Executive Committee. They are as follows: Mr Gladwin White, Mr Kwenzakwakhe Ngwenya, Ms Nomsa Mahlangu, Mr Poobalan Govindasamy, Mr xolile Nkompela, Mr Truman Prince, Ms Rita Ledwaba, Mr Aubrey Baartman,
Advocate Norman Arendse, and Ms Anastasia Tsichlas.

Danny Jordaan, who was newly appointed the advisor to the President of CAF,
after many attempts to be elected into the executive committee of the organisation failed, has his work cut out for him.

Mr Jordaan ran his campaign for the top job, promising to improve the over-all performance of the national team - Bafana Bafana, youth development, improve women football and the finance of the association. So now that he has got the job, the work begins. All eyes are now on him to deliver.