Goalkeeper Enyeama takes 10-man Nigeria into semis

January 26, 2010

Nigeria goalkeeper Victor Enyeama turned Africa Cup of Nations matchwinner by converting the decisive kick in a 5-4 penalty shootout win over Zambia on Monday after a goalless quarter-final.

John Obi Mikel, Obafemi Martins, Obinna Nsofor and Osaze Odemwingie also scored from the spot to give the ‘Super Eagles’ a 100 percent success rate from five kicks.

Thomas Nyirenda was the unconsolable Zambian at the end after Enyeama saved his kick – the seventh of the shootout – and Nigeria scraped through despite having Onyekachi Apam sent off during extra time.

The ultra-negative last quarter-final of the biennial African football showcase was a massive disappointment after victories for Ghana, Algeria and Egypt in thrillers.

Defending champions Egypt made the penultimate stage a few hours before Nigeria thanks to a 3-1 extra-time triumph over Cameroon with 170-cap midfielder Ahmed Hassan scoring twice for his side and once for his opponents.

Back in the knockout phase of the competition for the first time since 1996, Zambia had to make two enforced changes from the side that defeated Gabon to reach the quarter-finals as shock Group D table-toppers.

Defender Chintu Kampamba and midfielder Rainford Kalaba collected two yellow cards each in the mini-league stage and young French coach Herve Renard drafted in Hichani Himonde and William Njobvu.

Nigeria retained the starting line-up from their final pool match against Mozambique that delivered an ultimately convincing 3-0 win and justification that they could go far in the tournament after a sluggish start.

Jubilant that his pre-tournament promise of a quarter-finals place had been met, Renard saw the game as a chance to embellish his reputation amid reports that he desires a more attractive African coaching post.

Rival coach Shaibu Amodu is 10 years older at 51 and under constant stress from public and media criticism despite just one competitive loss since taking charge of the national team a third time a couple of years ago.

The countries had come face to face four previous times in the Nations Cup with Nigeria winning two and Zambia one after a goalless first meeting in Ghana 32 years ago.

And after a goalless first half in this central Angolan town it was hard to fathom who would prevail this time and book a semi-finals date with the Black Stars of Ghana in Luanda on Thursday afternoon.

Chelsea midfielder Mikel ended a lot of cagey early combat with a sweetly struck drive after some slick passing, but Kennedy Mweene dived swiftly to his left and pushed the ball away with a strong one-hand save.

Zambia became more adventurous as time passed and after Enyeama rose to grasp a deep, dangerous cross, striker James Chamanga just failed to connect with a threatening ball across the six-yard box.

It was not a half for the faint hearted with some borderline tackling and by the break Zambians Felix Katongo, Himonde and Joseph Musonda had been shown yellow cards by the Egyptian referee.

The second half began as the first ended with more than fouls than thrills for a less-than-capacity crowd in the 20,000-seat venue and Apam joined the yellow-card offenders via a rash tackle on Chamanga.

Midway through the half and finally the crowd had something to cheer as Yusuf Mohammed cleared off the line to rescue Nigeria and hesitant captain Yakubu Aiyegbeni squandered a close-range opportunity at the other end.

It was painful watching the closing stages of regulation time as two teams far more concerned with not losing than winning rarely mounted threatening attacks and full-time came without a goal.

LUBANGO, Angola (AFP)

Tags: africa cup of nations, african football, ahmed hassan, algeria, Angola, apam, cameroon, central Angolan, Egypt, extra time, Felix Katongo, french coach, ghana, herve renard, James Chamanga, John Obi, Joseph Musonda, league stage, Luanda, media criticism, nigeria, obafemi martins, obinna, penalty shootout, quarter finals, rainford kalaba, Renard, rival coach, starting line, success, table toppers, Thomas Nyirenda, William Njobvu, yellow cards, Zambia

Rusty Ivory Coast tackle angry Algeria

January 24, 2010

Rusty Ivory Coast will face an angered Algerian side at Chiazi Stadium on Sunday with an Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals place at stake.

An Ivorian ‘Elephants’ squad boasting stars like Didier Drogba and brothers Kolo and Yara Toure are fancied to defeat the star-less Algerian ‘Desert Foxes’ in the second quarter-final of the biennial African football showpiece.

Tradition also tilts toward the west Africans, who have won four of five matches at this stage while Algeria have lost all three, ahead of a game that sees two of the five African qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup square off.

Ivory Coast also shade previous clashes between the countries, winning two, losing one while the 1988 clash was drawn 1-1 in Morocco where Ivory Coast suffered the agony of being ousted by a draw of lots after the first round.

But Bosnian coach Vahid Halilhodzic has his concerns ahead of the fixture, the last of four to be staged at a new 20,000-seat stadium in this oil-rich northern enclave where a fatal pre-tournament ambush led to Togo withdrawing.

Chief among them is rustiness brought about by an eight-day gap between beating Ghana 3-1 to ultimately finish top of Group B and facing Algeria, Group A runners-up to Angola.

Only once before has this occurred and Halilhodzic will not be cheered to know Liberia suffered a 2-0 defeat by Democratic Republic of Congo in South Africa and were eliminated.

The absence of Togo created the schedule gap and Halilhodzic admitted to reporters this could upset plans to return the Nations Cup back to Ivory Coast after an 18-year absence.

“So many days without playing a competitive match – that is no good,” said the man who took charge after a fourth-place 2008 Nations Cup finish in Ghana triggered the sacking of German Uli Stielike.

Refereeing and the state of the Chiazi Stadium pitch are other issues that trouble Halilhodzic, who fears failure to capture the trophy will lead to his dismissal before the World Cup.

“I’m really angry about the refereeing – it’s too much,” he said after a cynical foul by Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue brought a red card and an automatic one-game ban that rules him out of the Algeria fixture.

“The poor quality of the Cabinda turf hampers attacking teams. It is really demanding to play in very hot temperatures and the state of the pitch does not help my players.”

Algeria coach Rabah Saadane is not particularly happy either despite achieving his primary goal of qualifying for the last eight of a tournament first staged 53 years ago in Sudan.

The five-time ‘Foxes’ coach, who cuts a doleful figure with droopy eyes and a walrus moustache, has been angered by negative domestic media coverage and allegations of a ‘fixed’ draw with Angola.

“I feel unappreciated,” said the coach who sprang the shock of the 2010 World Cup qualifiers on the continent by taking Algeria to South Africa at the expense of African champions and bitter rivals Egypt.

Saadane admitted telling his players to “take it easy” as a dour defensive duel with the host nation petered out, knowing a draw would take them through at the expense of Mali on head-to-head record.

But he angrily rejected the suggestion of a Malian journalist that the result had been contrived as Algeria reached the quarter-finals after scoring just one goal in 270 minutes, and that from a defender.

The winners face Egypt, chasing a record third consecutive title and seventh overall, or four-time champions Cameroon in a January 28 semi-final scheduled for the central coastal city of Benguela.

CABINDA, Angola (AFP)

Tags: Africa, africa cup of nations, african football, Angola, benguela, cameroon, Chiazi Stadium, coach vahid, Congo, day gap, Democratic Republic, democratic republic of congo, Egypt, emmanuel eboue, enclave, ghana, Ivory Coast, Kolo, Liberia, mali, morocco, nations cup, refereeing, republic of congo, Rusty Ivory Coast, seat stadium, semi finals, showpiece, South Africa, Togo, west africans

S.Africans warm to Nations Cup and fancy Angola

January 24, 2010

South Africa are shock absentees from the 2010 African Cup of Nations in Angola, but interest in the competition remains high around the World Cup host nation.

Pay channel SuperSport is screening all 29 fixtures live while public broadcaster SABC shows most long after they finished to the great annoyance of football viewers.

Soap operas rule the roost at three-channel SABC and even the South African national team Bafana Bafana (The Boys) often have to accept late kick-offs to fit programme schedules.

SuperSport have provided a 30-minute build-up to each game, hired three-time African Footballer of the Year Abedi Pele as an analyst, and allow their continent-wide audience to air views soon after full-time.

Johannesburg newspapers did not send reporters to the three-week tournament, but there is a large daily dose of news agency copy in all titles to satisfy even the most avid African football follower.

Business Day, a title with little appetite for African football a few years ago, led their main sports page with a report and picture of the thrilling climax to Group D that saw Zambia and Cameroon squeeze through.

Where South Africans differ from most of Africa is the likely outcome with current star Steven Pienaar and 1996 Nations Cup-winning midfielder Innocent Buthelezi backing Angola rather than Ivory Coast for the title.

Everton midfielder Pienaar, the slightly built star on whom so much will hinge come June 11 and the opening World Cup fixture against Mexico, told the Sowetan Angola can become the second Nations Cup champions from the region.

“Angola have been the most impressive team since the tournament started, working as a unit with an incredible appetite for goals. I choose them to emulate 1996 champions Bafana Bafana.”

Buthelezi, who created international headlines for an Old Trafford tackle on Paul Gascoigne that led to the England midfielder being carried off during a friendly, backs Pienaar.

“Most matches are won or lost in midfield and this is where Angola are so powerful. They are aggressive, creative, agile and communicate well,” 40-year-old Johannesburg company owner Buthelezi told AFP.

“I am most impressed with how positive Angola have been and they just need to avoid the common African football pitfall of losing concentration in the closing minutes as happened against Mali when they gave away four goals.”

Buthelezi said Ivory Coast captain Didier Drogba, fellow striker Flavio Amado of Angola and Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel were individuals who caught his eye.

“Being a former midfielder I really enjoy Mikel. He has an arrogance on the ball and lack of respect for opponents that I appreciate. I never respected opponents – how can you respect the enemy?”

Multi-award-winning football analyst Matshelane Mamabolo of the Johannesburg Star said the number of early upsets in the tournament caught him by surprise, but believes title holders Egypt remain the team to beat.

“The ‘Pharaohs’ lack so many stars like Mohamed Aboutraika, Mohamed Barakat, Ahmed ‘Mido’ Hossam and Amr Zaki, fall behind to Nigeria in their opening match and still cruise to victory. That is the stamp of a great team.

“I also believe Ghana will benefit a lot from the Nations Cup. With so many first choices injured they are blooding stars of the youth team that won the world championship last year and this could pay off come the World Cup.”

South Africa were eliminated in the second of three qualifying rounds for Angola, finishing second behind Nigeria in one of four groups where the runners-up did not make the cut.

Democratic Republic of Congo, Morocco and 2002 World Cup quarter-finalists Senegal were other notable omissions from the line-up for the biennial African football showpiece.

JOHANNESBURG (AFP)

Tags: absentees, african cup of nations, african football, african footballer of the year, Amado, Angola, bafana bafana, cup champions, England, footballer of the year, ghana, host nation, impressive team, international headlines, Ivory Coast, main sports, mali, Mexico, Mikel, morocco, nations cup, nigeria, paul gascoigne, public broadcaster, S.Africans, sabc, Senegal, soap operas, South Africa, south africans, sowetan, steven pienaar

Star skipper Eto’o backs his Cameroon fighters

January 21, 2010

African superstar Samuel Eto’o is banking on fighting spirit driving Cameroon into the Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Thursday.

The ‘Indomitable Lions’ tackle fellow former champions Tunisia at the new 20,000-seat Tundavala Stadium in this southern Angola town and the stakes are sky high.

Victory for four-time title holders Cameroon over the ‘Carthage Eagles’ and they are definitely through to the last-eight phase of the biennial African football showcase.

A draw might suffice, depending on what happens between leaders Gabon and lowly Zambia at Ombaka Stadium in Benguela; a loss will condemn one of the pre-tournament title favourites to a humiliating early exit.

But three-time African Footballer of the Year and Inter Milan striker Eto’o says the thrilling come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Zambia last Sunday rekindled his pride in the national team.

“I was so proud to be Cameroonian that night, to be part of a team that displayed so much character and could rise to the occasion in the most difficult of situations,” said the ‘Lions’ captain.

“It was a very difficult match for us with Zambia playing so well and defeat stared us in the face midway through the second half, but we fought on knowing the implications of not securing maximum points.”

The striker who succeeded long-serving defender Rigobert Song as skipper when French coach Paul Le Guen took control last August, played a central role in the recovery by scoring the second goal with a trademark clinical finish.

And Eto’o, who helped Cameroon conquer Africa in 2000 and 2002, and is the leading all-time Cup of Nations scorer with 17 goals, has reason to be hopeful against a Tunisian side that must triumph to survive the group-phase cull.

The countries have clashed three times in the 53-year Africa Cup of Nations with a 1-1 stalemate in 1982 followed by Cameroon victories in a 2000 semi-final and a 2008 quarter-final.

It was 3-0 in Nigeria 10 years ago and 3-2 after extra time in Ghana two years ago after one of greatest games of a great tournament was settled by a Stephane Mbia strike on 92 minutes.

This Nations Cup may have kicked off with Ivory Coast the almost unanimous media favourites, but few rejected the possibility that Cameroon could go all the way and come within one title of six-time champions Egypt.

Captain and defender Karim Haggui accepts Tunisia came into the Cup wearing a work-in-progress tag as caretaker coach Faouzi Benzarti put his faith in youth after a shock failure to reach the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

“We have a young team in Angola that is improving with every game. Chances were missed in our draws against Zambia and Gabon due to inexperience,” confessed the sole survivor of the 2004 Cup-winning squad.

“However, the outcome of this group is far from settled. We still have to face Cameroon and a win takes us through to the knockout stage,” added the 25-year-old ‘veteran’ of the ‘Eagles’ squad.

LUBANGO, Angola (AFP)

Tags: africa cup of nations, african football, african footballer of the year, angola town, cameroon, Carthage, coach paul, early exit, fighting spirit, french coach, Gabon, ghana, greatest games, group phase, indomitable lions, inter milan, Ivory Coast, Karim Haggui, maximum points, Milan, nigeria, Ombaka Stadium, Paul Le, paul le guen, quarter finals, samuel eto, South Africa, southern angola, time in ghana, time title, Tundavala Stadium, Tunisia, Zambia

Amodu faces rival for Nigeria World Cup coach post

January 20, 2010

Shuaibu Amodu faces the man who could succeed him as coach of Nigeria when they play Mozambique in a key Africa Cup of Nations game at Tundavala Stadium on Wednesday.

Reports have linked Mart Nooij from the Netherlands with the awesome task of leading Nigeria against Argentina, Greece and South Korea at the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

And if Mozambique win the Group C match and qualify for the quarter-finals at the expense of Nigeria, Amodu seems certain to be sacked while the shares of Nooij will inevitably soar.

Pressure on Amodu heightened after a 3-1 loss to defending champions Egypt in their first match before surviving a win-or-quit ultimatum as a Yakubu Aiyegbeni penalty delivered a laboured victory over Benin.

Nigerian football officials have told the coach nothing less than a Nations Cup semi-finals place will do although he was fired ahead of the 2002 World Cup despite finishing third at the African tournament the same year.

Nooij caught the eye of Nigeria after his Mambas (Snakes) were unlucky to be held in Maputo and lost to a stoppage-time goal in Abuja when the countries met in 2010 Nations Cup qualifiers.

Before heading south to Mozambique the Dutch coach had a major impact at youth level in the west African state of Burkina Faso, leading the national team to the world championship for the first time.

Egypt, who face Benin in the other group fixture to be staged at the same time in Benguela, have a maximum six points from two outings and are certain of a quarter-finals slot.

The other three countries remain in contention to join the ‘Pharaohs’ with twice champions Nigeria favoured because a draw will suffice while Benin and Mozambique must win to have any chance of surviving the mini-league cull.

Although collecting a solitary point from a possible six and lying bottom of the standings, Mozambique have impressed during their fourth appearance at the biennial African football showcase.

They came from two goals behind to draw 2-2 with Benin and matched Egypt for 48 minutes before a second Dario Khan own goal in as many games gifted the title holders a lead they doubled via a late volley.

“We made it very hard for Egypt despite giving away a soft goal that forced us to chase the game. Otherwise it would have been a lot more difficult for the reigning champions to beat us,” said Nooij.

But Nigeria midfielder and man of the match against Benin Osaze Odemwingie is convinced his team-mates will emerge victorious and reach the knockout phase as they seek a first African title since beating Zambia 16 years ago in Tunis.

“We lacked confidence against Egypt in our first game but were much more relaxed when beating Benin and I believe we will deliver an even better performance on Wednesday,” promised the Moscow-based star.

“Mozambique are a team we know having played them twice last year and I am confident we will give our best display so far in Angola, win the match and advance to the last eight.”

LUBANGO, Angola (AFP)

Tags: abuja, africa cup of nations, african football, Argentina, Benin, Burkina, burkina faso, cull, cup qualifiers, Egypt, football officials, greece, heading south, lubango, Maputo, nations cup, nigeria, nigerian football, pharaohs, quarter finals, six points, South Africa, stoppage time, the Netherlands, time egypt, time goal, Tundavala Stadium, tunis, west African, yakubu aiyegbeni, Zambia

Huge blow for Ghana as Essien ruled out

January 18, 2010

Ghana suffered a collossal blow to their hopes of qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations’ quarter-finals when their best player, Michael Essien, was ruled out of Tuesday’s game against Burkina Faso.

Chelsea’s star midfielder misses the final Group B game in Luanda after injuring his right knee in training on Saturday.

Randy Abbey, Ghana’s team spokesman, told AFP: “Unfortunately we have had the results of the scan back and the coach has confirmed that Michael will definitely miss Tuesday’s game.”

It was unclear how serious this latest setback was and whether Essien might recover in time to play any further role in Ghana’s Nations Cup campaign should they progress to the last eight.

Reports suggest he has torn the medial collateral ligament in his right knee and damage to his meniscus leaving him facing at least one month on the sidelines.

The 27-year-old is walking with the aid of crutches.

World Cup qualifiers Ghana are one point behind Burkina Faso and the four-time champions need a win to avoid being eliminated after the first round of the biennial African football showpiece.

Ivory Coast are already qualified.

Togo, the other country drawn in Group B, withdrew before the tournament kicked off last Sunday after the bus convoy carrying them into Angola was attacked in this restive northern Angolan enclave.

It is impossible to underestimate the effect Essien’s absence will have on a side already ravaged by injury.

With a raft of key players missing the Black Stars fell 3-1 to competition favourites Ivory Coast in their opening game with coach Milovan Rajevac having to field a largely inexperienced side.

Ghana kicked off without first-choice players like defenders John Pantsil and John Mensah, midfielders Anthony Annan, Stephen Appiah, Essien, who came on as a substitute, Laryea Kingson, Sulley Muntari and striker Asamoah Gyan.

A fully fit Essien would have given Ghana strength and experience in midfield against a Burkina Faso side that was good enough to hold the Ivory Coast to a goalless draw in their opening Group C game.

Essien, who arrived in Angola late for the tournament because snow delayed his flight from London, has been struggling to recover from a hamstring injury sustained playing for Chelsea in the Champions League last month.

He was kept on the bench until half-time against Ivory Coast last Friday in Cabinda to avoid aggravating the injury and his second-half presence on the pitch could not prevent a 3-1 loss.

This new injury is completely unconnected to his previous problem and represents a cruel twist of fate for the Ghana international.

Ghana striker Matthew Amoah told BBC Sport: “This is a big blow because Michael is so important to our team.

“We’ve lost the motor in our midfield, and this is very bad.”

LUANDA (AFP)

Tags: africa cup of nations, african football, Angola, Anthony Annan, asamoah gyan, black stars, burkina faso, CHELSEA, cup campaign, final group, ghana, Ivory Coast, john mensah, latest setback, london, Luanda, matthew amoah, medial collateral ligament, meniscus, Michael, Michael Essien, midfielders, northern Angolan, Randy Abbey, showpiece, stephen appiah, sulley muntari, team spokesman, time champions, Togo, world cup qualifiers

Algeria first World Cup team to win in Angola

January 15, 2010

Algeria became the first World Cup qualifiers to win at the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations on Thursday while hosts Angola also took maximum points.

Nigeria lost to defending champions Egypt, Cameroon were shocked by Gabon and Ivory Coast could only draw with Burkina Faso as South Africa-bound teams found the going tough this week.

A 1-0 victory for Algeria over Mali in the first half of a Luanda double-header was followed by a 2-0 success for Angola against Malawi to set up an intriguing Group A climax next Monday.

All four countries can still finish among the top two on the final mini-league standings and reach the quarter-finals in the biennial African football showpiece.

Angola host Algeria at the 50,000-seat November 11 Stadium in the Angolan capital while Malawi and Mali fly north to the restive enclave of Cabinda where the Togo squad was ambushed last Friday for a Chiazi Stadium showdown.

The host nation finished the second series of group matches on top with four points, Malawi (plus one goal difference) and Algeria (minus two) have three points each and Mali one.

“This win has given the perfect answer to all our critics. We played like a team today and got the result we wanted,” said veteran Algeria coach Rabah Saadane as his team recovered from a three-goal drubbing by Malawi.

“It takes a long time to build a team of excellent players and I did not put any pressure on them today. I just told them to go out, enjoy themselves and defeat Mali.

“We started off this match on the wrong foot but managed to increase our confidence and the goal came at the perfect time,” said the coach who will guide Algeria at a third World Cup in South Africa this June.

Algeria will be in the same group as England, the United States and Slovenia and few outside the North African country give the ‘Desert Foxes’ a chance of making the second round.

Portugal-based defender Rafik Halliche starred against Mali, nodding in a free kick two minutes before half-time for the lone goal of a match that never caught fire.

Early second-half goals from Flavio Amado and Mateus ‘Manucho’ Alberto brought victory to Angola before a capacity 50,000 crowd that included President Jose Eduardo dos Santos.

The diminutive Flavio once more demonstrated his remarkable heading prowess by steering in a Djalma Campos cross on 48 minutes while slapstick Malawi defending gifted the second goal to Manucho soon after.

This time the Palancas Negras (Black Antelopes) defence stood firm to ensure no repeat of the remarkable collapse last Sunday when they surrendered a four-goal lead against Mali after 79 minutes and had to settle for a draw.

Malawi, lowest ranked of the 15 title contenders, stroked the ball about impressively in the first half and created a few half chances, but were starved of possession after the break.

LUANDA (AFP)

Tags: africa cup of nations, african football, algeria, Angola, angolan capital, burkina faso, cabinda, cameroon, desert foxes, double header, drubbing, Egypt, England, goal difference, host nation, intriguing group, Ivory Coast, kick two, league standings, lone goal, Luanda, Malawi, mali, maximum points, North African, perfect answer, portugal, President Jose Eduardo, quarter finals, Santos, showpiece, South Africa, Togo, United States, wrong foot

Does Angola attack really endanger the World Cup or just Africa’s image?

January 12, 2010

The bloody attack on Togo’s team bus in Angola is a huge tragedy for African football and like it or not, has cast a shadow over the World Cup in South Africa in five months time — the biggest sports event ever staged on the continent.

It is highly debatable whether the attack, which killed two members of the Togolese delegation as they arrived for the African Nations Cup and forced the squad’s evacuation on Sunday, really increases the risk to teams and spectators in South Africa.

Without a doubt, however, it has struck a blow against Africa’s concerted efforts to improve its image and reverse decades of gloomy stereotypes painting the entire continent as racked by conflict, disease and despair. Both the Nations Cup, held in a country which only emerged from a 27-year civil war in 2002, and the World Cup were intended to help the process of rehabilitating the continent’s image.

South African organisers reacted with undisguised irritation to immediate suggestions that the Angolan attack should raise concerns over the globe’s most watched event. Over the weekend, Hull City Manager Phil Brown was quoted as saying the attack threw a question mark over the World Cup and other Premier League coaches were said to have called for their expensive African players to be called back from Angola. In contrast, Arsenal’s Arsene Wenger said the players should stay, suggesting other managers were motivated more by club self interest than a genuine security concern.

Chief World Cup organiser Danny Jordaan described suggestions that the Angolan attack had implications for the global event as “nonsensical”, tartly pointing out that South Africa does not even have a border with Angola. The attack in the enclave of Cabinda took place thousands of kilometres from South Africa, and the reaction in some European countries reinforces a tendency which regularly causes anger and frustration on a continent where many countries are enjoying stability and attracting unprecedented investment. A while back some Kenyan friends of mine established a Facebook group called “Africa is not one country” in reaction to the common failure of Europeans and Americans to distinguish between vastly different African nations with traditions, geographical location and cultures as diverse or more diverse than those in Europe.

Jordaan’s angry reaction to attempts to taint the World Cup with the Angolan attack clearly revealed this irritation and perhaps also anxiety that such suggestions might stick. “To say what happened in Angola impacts on the World Cup in South Africa is the same as suggesting that when a bomb goes off in Spain, it threatens London’s ability to host the next Olympics,” he said.

Security analysts seem divided over whether the Angolan attack means the World Cup faces an increased risk. Most see the parallels as stretched to say the least–South Africa is a country with a multitude of social problems but at peace since the end of apartheid 15 years ago, with no rebel movements and no record of recent terrorist attacks. Africa’s richest economy, it enjoys impeccable credentials in the Third World and among radical movements because of its unaligned foreign policy and criticism, for example, of the Iraq war. It also has a much more highly developed security apparatus and crime fighting resources than Angola, even if the police are regularly accused of corruption. It boasts of organising at least 150 international events, including rugby and cricket world cups, without problems.

Until the Angolan attack, concern about World Cup security had focused primarily on the threat from criminal gangs, given that South Africa has one of the world’s highest rates of violent crime, including around 50 murders a day. But South African police say they have also trained intensively in techniques to fight both terrorism and football hooligans and are ready for any threat.

However, police spokesman Vish Naidoo has acknowledged that the presence of high profile teams from known terrorist targets, like England and the United States, does present a risk, while analysts say the greatest danger of the Angolan attack is that it will encourage copycat actions from groups who have seen the dramatic impact of a comparatively small and easily-organised action against a team during a high-profile tournament. While teams and officials will be heavily guarded, foreign fans will be more vulnerable.

However well-prepared they think they are, South African authorities would do well to reinforce their preparations and assess whether new threats now exist. Many critics have said Angola’s biggest mistake was complacency over the situation in Cabinda and a politically-motivated decision to stage Nations Cup matches in the only part of the country where a real threat still existed.

Even if South Africa’s preparations are impeccable, the biggest casualty beyond the Togolese victims of the attack will be Africa’s image among the majority of uninformed people in West who too often tar one country with the troubles of another and whose prejudices have been sadly reinforced by events in a place many had never heard of before last Friday.

Source

Tags: african football, african nations cup, arsene wenger, bloody attack, concerted efforts, Danny Jordaan, enclave, genuine security, global event, hull city, league coaches, phil brown, place thousands, question mark, security concern, sports event, team bus, watched event

FIFA opens disciplinary action against Egypt

November 20, 2009

FIFA has opened disciplinary proceedings against Egypt following the violence before their World Cup qualifier with Algeria in Cairo last week, world football’s governing body said.

“According to the official reports received by FIFA, on 12 November, there were incidents affecting the Algerian team on its way from the airport to the hotel,” a statement posted on FIFA’s website said.

“Consequently, disciplinary proceedings have been opened against the Egyptian Football Association. The FIFA Disciplinary Committee will decide on the case,” it added.

FIFA officials had already acknowledged that three Algerian players and the goalkeeping coach suffered injuries that “weren’t superficial” when their coach was attacked.

Egypt later won that match, leading to a tie in their group and a play-off in Sudan on Wednesday that Algeria won 1-0 to secure a berth in the World Cup finals.

The incidents and subsequent row over the play-off have triggered a diplomatic spat between the two countries.

Egypt also announced it was suspending its membership of the Union of North African Football Federations, complaining that Algerian fans had thrown stones at its fans in Sudan.

The Egyptian Football Federation wrote to its counterparts in Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia charging that its fans had come under sustained assault during the make-or-break qualification play-off on Wednesday, the state MENA news agency reported.

ZURICH (AFP)

Tags: 12 november, african football, berth, Cairo, counterparts, disciplinary action, disciplinary committee, disciplinary proceedings, egyptian football federation, football association, goalkeeping coach, governing body, match, news agency, world cup finals, world cup qualifier, world football, ZURICH

Egypt quits N. Africa league after Algeria defeat

November 20, 2009

Egypt suspended its membership of the Union of North African Football Federations on Thursday, complaining that Algerian fans had thrown stones at their supporters during the country’s World Cup exit.

Egypt had already called in the Algerian ambassador and recalled its own envoy from Algiers for consultations in protest.

The game’s Sudanese hosts strongly contested Egypt’s version of events insisting just four Egyptian fans had sustained minor injuries and calling in the Egyptian ambassador in Khartoum in its own protest.

By contrast, world football’s governing body FIFA said that three Algerian players and the goalkeeping coach suffered injuries that “weren’t superficial” ahead of Egypt’s 2-0 victory in Cairo on Saturday that forced the play-off.

A number of Algerian fans were also injured after the game, triggering attacks against Egyptians and Egyptian interests in Algeria.

CAIRO (AFP)

Tags: african football, algiers, body fifa, Cairo, consultations, counterparts, egyptian ambassador, egyptian football federation, egyptian interests, egyptians, goalkeeping coach, governing body, khartoum, Libya, minor injuries, news agency, sudanese, world cup exit, world football

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25	26	27	28	29	30	31

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