Egypt´s Motaeb doubtful for Nations Cup final

January 30, 2010


Egypt striker Emad Motaeb is likely to miss the final of the Africa Cup of Nations against Ghana on Sunday due to a hamstring strain, team officials said.

“He picked up a hamstring injury and he’s likely to miss the final,” said Egypt assistant coach, Hamada Sedki.

“There is not enough time between the semi-finals and the final, so his chances to be fit for the game are slim.”

The Al Ahly star suffered the injury in Egypt’s 4-0 trouncing of fierce rivals Algeria in the semi-finals on Thursday.

Motaeb, who is reported to have interested English Premier League side Portsmouth after scoring twice thus far in Angola, was forced to give way to Hossam Ghaly in the second half.

His place could well be taken by ENPPI striker Ahmed Raouf as tournament top scorer with four goals, Mohamed ‘Gedo’ Nagy has been used as a substitute. Six-time African champions Egypt are on course to win a third successive Nations Cup title when they tackle Ghana on Sunday in Luanda’s November 11 Stadium.

LUANDA (AFP)

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Algeria´s Saadane: “I have nothing to prove”

January 22, 2010


Algeria are into their first World Cup finals in 24 years and the Africa Cup of Nations quarter finals – yet the architect behind those twin achievements feels undervalued, unappreciated and underfire.

Coach Rabah Saadane has nothing to prove, yet his critics, sections of the Algerian media, have rounded on him here in Angola leaving him embattled and bitter.

Born months after the end of World War II, the father of four who graduated from university with a degree in science is on his fifth ‘marriage’ with the national team.

He was assistant coach at the 1982 World Cup, and head coach at the 1986 World Cup when Algeria failed to make it out of the first round after a draw with Northern Ireland and losses to Brazil and Spain.

Saadane, who cuts a doleful figure with his droopy eyes and walrus moustache, served his country again for an unhappy four month spell in 1999 and returned for a fourth time in 2003, leading the Desert Foxes to a quarter-final at the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations in Tunisia.

Hired again in 2007 this latest tenure has proved his most successful, with qualification to South Africa 2010 and now a last eight date with Ivory Coast on Sunday.

He has achieved mission impossible as none of his critics believed either of those two feats were possible, especially Algeria’s progress through the Africa Cup of Nations’ first round after their opening 3-0 loss to Malawi.

That led to calls for his sacking.

“After that defeat I discovered who were my friends and who were my enemies,” Saadane, who has clearly been hurt by the press onslaught, told AFP.

“I was attacked before we came to Angola for choosing Toulon as our training base, and attacked again when we lost to Malawi.

“The criticism became personal, this was disrespectful after the sacrifice made to help put Algeria back on the continental and international stage.

“I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. My record speaks for itself.”

“I feel unappreciated,” added the man who is called ‘Cheikh’ by his players.

“No one dreamed we could qualify for the World Cup. All those who criticise me know nothing – we lost one game and nobody will forgive us.

“My critics forget who is Rabah Saadane – if they want to know who he is they must look back to the past, or to just a few months.

“I have nothing to prove.

“Training the national team is an honour for me – but it is also a huge responsibility. Eevery time I am asked to become coach I answer the challenge and I make a successful job of it.”

When he was summoned to become coach for the fifth time in 2007 his wife begged him not to accept, as when times get rough fans can get rough too.

“I took on the job again even though I know the risk it presents on my family, on my life – I do not give up easily.”

After their rocky start Algeria went on to beat Mali 1-0 and draw 0-0 with Angola to reach the quarter-finals as Group A runners-up, leaving Saadane satisfied that his team are on the right path.

“We have reached our objective of making the quarter-finals.

“We have a good team, who are making progress with each match. We will continue to work hard, to concentrate, to try to go far in this tournament.”

The North Africans are drawn in the same World Cup first round group as England, the United States and Slovenia, and Saadane, a former defender with French side Rennes, believes this Angola dress rehearsal will prove an invaluable experience for South Africa.

“We have shown here in Angola that we are on the right path for the World Cup.

“But what we have done here shouldn’t be regarded as a message to England, USA and Slovenia. The conditions at the World Cup will be very different to here in terms of weather, tactics and our preparation.

LUANDA (AFP)

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Politics plays its part at the African Nations Cup

January 18, 2010


Being in Cabinda for the African Nations Cup should have been fun. At first, it was not, to say the least. The Togo team bus came under fire, with the assistant coach and a press officer being shot to death by a group of separatists as they were on their way to Cabinda from Pointe Noire, Congo.

It was only after long talks and multiple changes of minds that the Sparrowhawks decided to leave the Angolan northern enclave to fly back home and mourn their dead.

We would get calls from players saying they wanted to leave — that was on Saturday. Calls from the same players saying they wanted to stay after all — that was on Sunday.

Eventually, the prime minister got the last word, urging the Togo team to come back home. Until the last minute, some players tried to stay in Angola.

A plane sent by Togo touched down at Cabinda airport but it took off to Lome with the players on board only 10 hours later.

Angolan and Togolese officials locked themselves in a Cabinda airport office for hours as the host nation did all it could to try and persuade Togo to stay.

It failed and as so often in Africa, politics got the better of sport. The attack in itself was evidence of that, as was the situation afterwards.

A few days later, Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halilhodzic, on the eve of his side’s stylish 3-1 win over Ghana in Cabinda, said he had received a letter from the president.

“We know what he is expecting from us,” said the Bosnian, who has never lost a competitive game with the Elephants since he took charge in 2008. “I was under huge pressure, you can’t imagine.”

For those who know him, Halilhodzic is a stubborn character and not exactly the kind of coach you can easily pressure.

Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu is also already under intense scrutiny after a 3-1 defeat by Egypt in his team’s Nations Cup opener.

He may be expecting a call some time soon.

PHOTO: A security guard stands beside a mural advertising the African Cup of Nation being held in the Angolan city of Lubango, January 15, 2010. Lubango is hosting the African Cup of Nations Group D soccer matches. REUTERS/Finbarr O’Reilly

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Champions Egypt, Nigeria in top spot battle

January 12, 2010


Defending champions Egypt and Nigeria clash in the Africa Cup of Nations Group C curtain raiser under the scorching afternoon sun at the brand-new Ombaka Stadium here on Tuesday.

Both teams are expected to progress to the knockout of stage of the continental showpiece at the expense of Mozambique and Benin in the sleepy town of Benguela, about 600 kilometres (370 miles) from the capital Luanda known for its bananas and great beaches.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are using Angola 2010 as a dress rehearsal for the World Cup, while six-times African champions Egypt again failed to qualify for the global finals after they were upset by fierce regional rivals Algeria in a play-off.

Egypt have not beaten Nigeria since 1977 and the last time both sides clashed at this competition was 16 years ago, when they drew 0-0 in a group match as Nigeria went on to win their second Nations Cup title in Tunisia.

“Egypt are in a decline now and we have one of the best teams for a Nations Cup in a long time,” boasted Nigeria assistant coach, Daniel Amokachi, who played in that game in Tunis in 1994.

However, Amokachi’s teammate in that same game, Austin ‘Jay Jay’ Okocha, has warned the Pharaohs have to be taken seriously.

“They are double champions for a reason and a skillful midfield could carry them to a hat-trick,” warned Okocha.

Egypt are clear that this clash will go a long way in determining how well they will fare in their title defence in Angola.

“Our match against Nigeria will show how we will perform in the following matches, just like the 2008 tournament,” said Egypt skipper Ahmed Hassan.

At Ghana 2008, Egypt got off to a flying start with an impressive 4-2 opening group win over Cameroon in Kumasi and they then went all the way to clinch a record sixth Nations Cup crown at the expense of the same team three weeks later in Accra.

“Nigeria are a strong team, but we are now familiar with all African teams. I told the players they should do their best to realise their own dreams.

“Personally, I want to win a fourth African title with the national team,” said Hassan.

Despite a dramatic qualification for their fourth World Cup in November, there remains a growing dissatisfaction by the public with both the Nigeria coach, Shuaibu Amodu, and the performance of the Eagles.

Amodu may have now qualified Nigeria for the World Cup a second time, but his tactics and team selection continue to be questioned as pressure mounts for him to be replaeced with a foreign coach for the World Cup in June.

He may well be sacked if they do not reach at least the semi-finals in Angola.

The Eagles barely managed to beat South African first division side Thanda Royal Zulu courtesy of a penalty goal before they were held to a goalless draw by Zambia in the build-up.

Locomotiv Moscow striker Osaze Odemwingie is likely to miss out after suffering from an infection, meaning Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni will either be partnered upfront by Obafemi Martins or Obinna Nsofor, who scored four goals as Nigeria booked their flight to South Africa 2010.

At 33, Skipper Nwankwo Kanu is also pressing for a place on the starting line-up after an eye-catching display against Zambia in Durban last week.

This would be his last Nations Cup and it would therefore be a most fitting farewell gift should he finally break his goal scoring duck at this tournament in Angola.

Egypt are missing striker Amr Zaki, Mohamed Barakat and Mohamed Aboutrika, who have been sidelined by injury.

Al Ahly defence strongman Wael Gomaa made the final squad to Angola, but he is a major injury doubt too.

Borussia Dortmund striker Mohamed Zidan, who made his Nations Cup debut two years ago, will also be leading a relatively inexperienced attack.

BENGUELA, Angola (AFP)

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Angola police hold 2 after Togo team attack

January 11, 2010


Police in Angola are holding two suspects in connection with the shooting of the Togolese football team which left two squad members dead, officials told AFP on Monday.

“Two assailants were captured on Friday, one a few minutes after the attack and the second at the border while crossing into Congo-Brazzaville,” said Macario Lembe, the deputy governor of Cabinda, an Angolan enclave inside the Democratic Republic of Congo where Friday?s attack took place.

“The first suspect was injured in his left thigh by police who responded when he opened fire from a tree at the Togolese bus,” said Lembe.

The two suspects belonged to a group of five people who launched the attack and were on Monday still in the hands of police.

The attack occurred as the team bus headed into the oil-rich province of Cabinda from the Republic of Congo where they were to take part in the Africa Cup of Nations tournament which opened Sunday.

Togo’s assistant coach Amalete Abalo and the team?s media spokesman Stanislas Ocloo died in Friday’s attack.

Nine other people were injured including Togo?s reserve goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale, who was flown to South Africa for surgery. Related article: Togo goalkeeper stable

The Togolese team withdrew from the tournament following the attack and left Angola on Sunday evening to return home.

A splinter group of the independence movement FLEC (Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda) has claimed responsibility for the attack. Related article: Rebels fight for independence from Angola

Cabinda has been the scene of a long-running independence struggle. A peace deal was signed in 2006 but low-level insurgency continues in more remote areas of the province.

Calls to scrap the cup matches scheduled to be held in Cabinda, one of four host locations for the three-week competition, have been dismissed by the Angolan government, despite claims by FLEC that they may strike again.

Togo had been due to play Ghana in Cabinda on Monday evening but that match has now been cancelled.

However the match between Burkina Faso and tournament favourites Ivory Coast, the first of the tournament in Cabinda, is due to kick off at 1600 GMT Monday.

CABINDA (AFP)

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Togo football team must come home: government

January 10, 2010


Togo’s government is sticking by its decision to recall the national football team from the African Nations Cup after a deadly attack, despite the players’ wish to play, a government minister said Sunday.

“The government is maintaining its decision to call the team back home,” administration minister and government spokesman Pascal Bodjona told AFP.

Hours before the competition starts Sunday, players said they wanted to stay in Angola.

“In memory of the dead, the national team has decided to play in the African Nations Cup,” Thomas Dossevi, who plays for French side Nantes, told AFP.

But Bodjona said “the best thing to do is not to stay”.

“People are dead. The goalkeeper (Kodjovi) Obilale is in intensive care,” he said.

Hooded gunmen opened fire on the teams’ buses as they crossed into the restive Angolan enclave of Cabinda, killing the assistant coach and squad spokesman.

The attack was claimed by a faction of the Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC) separatist group embroiled in a struggle for independence in the oil-rich territory.

LOME (AFP)

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Togo players decide to compete in Cup of Nations

January 10, 2010

The Togo national football side will play in the African Cup of Nations, one of the players Thomas Dossevi told AFP on Sunday, despite an earlier decision to pull out.

The players had initially said they didn’t want to play in the tournament, and the government recalled the team, following Friday’s machine gun ambush by Cabinda separatists that killed an assistant coach and squad spokesman.

“In memory of the dead, the national team has decided to play in the African Cup of Nations,” said Dossevi.

“We are all heartbroken, it is no longer a party, but we want to show our national colours, our values and that we are men.”

CABINDA, Angola (AFP)

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Togo withdraw from ANC

January 9, 2010


Togo have withdrawn from the African Nations Cup in Angola following the machine gun attack on their team bus on Friday, with the death toll now understood to have risen to four.

The team bus was attacked by rebels after crossing the border from the Democratic Republic of Congo into the Angolan enclave of Cabinda ahead of the tournament.

There have been conflicting reports about the identity of those shot, but Togo assistant coach Abalo Amelete and a spokesperson, Stanislas Ocloo, have died along with goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale. The bus driver is also understood to have been killed in the attack.

Kodjo Samlan, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) official, confirmed that Ocloo and Amnalate had died.

“Communications chief Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Abalo Amnalete died at four o’clock this morning,” he said.

Striker Jonathan Ayite confirmed that Obilale had been killed. He was reported to have been taken to hospital in South Africa.

Ayite told French radio station RMC: “He (Obilale) is dead and even if you bring the president and even (Barack) Obama himself, we’re leaving immediately. We’re going back home. Ghana and the Ivory Coast are in solidarity with us.”

Defender Serge Akakpo, who plays his club football in Romania, was confirmed by his club last night as the other player shot in the attack.

Reports in France suggested early on Saturday that the players had taken the decision not to take part in the competition, which starts on Sunday, and midfielder Alaixys Romao later confirmed they had withdrawn.

“We’re waiting for the plane to return to Lome,” the Grenoble player told L’Equipe. “We’re also talking to the other teams in our group to try to convince them to boycott the competition, too.”

A statement on Manchester City’s website also stated that Emmanuel Adebayor and his team-mates were returning to their clubs.

It read: “Togo has pulled out of the Africa Cup of Nations after their team bus came under gunfire in Angola. City star Emmanuel Adebayor, who is captain of the Togo side, was unharmed in the ambush and he and his team-mates met this morning before deciding that they wished to pull out of the tournament.

“Their first game in the tournament had been scheduled to take place on Monday against Ghana, but they are now heading home to their families.

“Two players were shot and injured in the attack in the northern province of Cabinda, and the coach driver was killed. Seven others were wounded. Organisers have so far insisted the tournament will go ahead.

“The club is in regular contact with Emmanuel, his advisors and the English Football Association. It has been made clear by manager Roberto Mancini and senior officials that Emmanuel will now be given as much time as he needs to recover from the horrific attack.”

Coach Hubert Velud had earlier claimed the authorities should seriously consider whether to call off the tournament after the attack.

Angola insist their country is committed to hosting a secure tournament and said they would step up security.

Officials are set to hold a meeting with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Saturday and Velud believes the future of the competition should be called into question.

“We can at least pose ourselves that question,” Velud told French radio station RMC on Saturday morning. “It’s an act of barbarism while we are here to celebrate African football.

“We left the hospital a short time ago to come to the centre for the teams in the competition. We stayed in the hospital a long time so that we could be very united. In these situations, you become a bit paranoid, you doubt everything. We don’t feel that the authorities are taking this very seriously.

“I don’t mean that they want to hush up the matter, but almost. What will happen I don’t know. We will have a meeting with the players and technical staff to take a decision.”

While Velud was disappointed with the way the authorities are dealing with the incident, he was full of praise for the army.

“What’s sure is that the army saved our lives,” he said. “Without them, the rebels would have destroyed us because we didn’t have any defence. And I wouldn’t be here to speak to you now.

“I was hit in the arm but it’s nothing compared to what happened to the assistant coach, who took a bullet in the stomach, as did the press attache.

“Goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale took one in the kidney. My case is minor in comparison to them, but we are all in shock because it’s an act of war. There was a lot of blood and fear in the bus. I’m thinking of people I know but there is also a huge thought for the driver, who was killed.”

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UPDATE: Should the African Nations Cup be called off?

January 9, 2010


UPDATE:  The death toll has risen to three. The bus driver died on Friday and an assistant coach and press officer died on Saturday. Togo are now considering pulling out.

——————————–

African Nations Cup organisers are adamant that the tournament will go ahead in Angola despite Friday’s ambush of the Togo team bus.

The bus had just entered the Angolan enclave of Cabinda, where separatists have waged a three-decade long war, when it came under heavy gunfire. Players said that the attack lasted for around 20 to 30 minutes.

Local organisers (COCAN) criticised the Togolese for the incident.

“The rules are clear: no team should travel by bus. I don’t know what led them to do this. The incident would not have happened in the city,” said Virgilio Santos, an official with COCAN.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) put out a verbose statement which seemed to promise lots of meetings and assessments.

“Immediately after the news, CAF held an emergency meeting on that issue,” said CAF.

“According to information sent to CAF again late in the afternoon, another meeting was held. The Angolan Football Association president who is also the director general of the Local Organising Committee, Mr. Justino Fernandes, informed the CAF Executive Committee that the incident happened 10 kilometers within the Angolan territory.

“The Angolan authority deployed immediately a team down there to assess the exact situation. According to the information provided by the director general, all injured people were taken to a hospital in Cabinda.

“On Saturday morning, 9 January 2010, an important delegation be headed by the Angolan Minister on Internal Affairs, Ministers of Youth and Sports, members from the Prime Ministers office as well as a powerful delegation from CAF will be in Cabinda. The Angolan Prime Minister will meet on Saturday CAF President, Mr Issa Hayatou, to take decisions to guarantee the smooth running of the competition.”

A similar incident happened last year when the Sri Lankan cricket team was ambushed by gunmen in Lahore, Pakistan. Six policemen were killed and eight people –six cricketers and two Sri Lankan officials — were injured.

International sporting events in Pakistan were immediately cancelled. The International Cricket Council (ICC) moved last year’s Champions Trophy out of Pakistan and said it would do the same for matches at the 2011 World Cup.

Should the football authorities follow that example?

PHOTO: Manchester City and Togo soccer player Emmanuel Adebayor leaves his hotel in Manchester, northern England, September 15, 2009. REUTERS/Nigel Roddis

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Two dead in Togo football team bus attack: official

January 9, 2010


Two members of Togo’s football squad died after Friday’s machine-gun attack on the team’s vehicles in northern Angola, an official said, on the eve of the African Nations Cup kick-off.

The Togo assistant coach and the squad spokesman died in the assault by hooded gunmen who sprayed the buses with gunfire as they travelled through the restive northern Cabinda enclave.

The attack was claimed by the separatist Front for the Liberation of the Enclave of Cabinda (FLEC), which has been fighting for decades for the independence of the oil-rich territory.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) official, Kodjo Samlan, speaking from Cabinda, said that earlier reports that one of the bus drivers had been killed were incorrect.

“Communications chief Stanislas Ocloo and assistant coach Abalo Amnalete died at four o’clock this morning,” he said.

Players and others on board, fearing for their lives, cowered under seats for 20 minutes to escape the hail of bullets during the ambush. Squad member Thomas Dossevi said afterwards they had been “fired on like dogs.”

“We are all a little shocked and we’re asking why CAF (the competition organisers) were holding games in Cabinda. How can you organise a tournament in a state of war?” Dossevi told AFP Saturday.

Football teams competing in the 22-day tournament expressed deep unease about the shooting but backed the decision to continue with Sunday’s opening match.

African football officials were in Cabinda on Saturday to review security and probe the circumstances surrounding the deadly attack which was initally reported to have wounded nine in the Togo squad, including two players.

Angola’s Prime Minister Paulo Kassoma was also set to meet CAF president Issa Haytou on Saturday. His government also vowed to “reinforce and strengthen all security mechanisms” for the games.

“The CAF is continuing with its schedule and the sovereign authorities of the country (Angola) are taking the adequate measures surrounding security,” said Constant Omari, a member of the local organising committee.

Related article: English clubs concerned Earlier Saturday, Togo team captain and Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor said he would convene a meeting for the squad would discuss whether to stay in the tournament.

“I think a lot of players want to leave,” he told BBC Radio Five Live.

“They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything,” said Adebayor, who was shown on Angolan television looking dazed and in tears shortly after the attack.

“If the security is not sure then we will be leaving tomorrow… I don’t think they will be ready to give their life.”

Two English Premiership players — Adebayor and Aston Villa midfielder Moustapha Salifou — emerged unharmed from the attack, which came after the two buses crossed into Cabinda from Republic of Congo on Friday.

FLEC said it had been aiming at their police escort, and warned, “This operation is only the start of a series of targeted actions that will continue in all the territory of Cabinda.”

FLEC signed a peace deal with Angola’s government in 2006, but has recently claimed a spate of attacks in the province, which is physically separated from the rest of the country by a strip of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

CAF spokesman Souleymane Habuba questioned why Togo had elected to travel by road.

Nations Cup teams worried, but the show goes on “CAF’s regulations are clear: teams are required to fly rather than travel by bus,” he said.

He added: “Our great concern is for the players, but the championship goes ahead.”

Togo are scheduled to play Ghana on Monday in Cabinda.

LUANDA (AFP)

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