Sports | Page 7 of 54 | African News Today

Barcelona’s Aubameyang Retires From International Football

20May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Gabon, News, Sports

Barcelona’s Aubameyang Retires From International Football

Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has retired from international football, his country’s federation has confirmed. Barcelona’s Aubameyang, who is Gabon’s all-time top scorer with 30 goals in 72 appearances, sent a letter to the federation on Tuesday, confirming his decision. “After 13 years of pride in representing my country, I announce I am ending my international career,” wrote the 32-year-old. “I would like to thank the Gabonese people and all those who have supported me in the good and bad times alike. “I will keep a lot of good memories like the day I made my debut… or the day I came back from Nigeria with the African Ballon d’Or. Read Also: Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Suspends All Matches Over Fan Violence “I would also like to thank all my coaches, s...

Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Suspends All Matches Over Fan Violence

18May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

News, Sports, Violence, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe Premier Soccer League Suspends All Matches Over Fan Violence

Zimbabwe's Premier Soccer League (PSL) has suspended all matches until further notice following pitch invasions, violence and vandalism at a game between Highlanders and Dynamos on Sunday. The biggest fixture in Zimbabwean football was abandoned as the scenes at Barbourfields Stadium in Bulawayo included a supporter attacking a referee, perimeter fences being pushed over and the net of one of the goals being torn by Dynamos fans, which also vandalised the posts. The incidents were sparked after Highlanders went 1-0 up in second-half injury time, with Dynamos protesting about a challenge on their goalkeeper. The PSL's decision means Zimbabwe has a suspension of domestic top-flight action and international football, with the country also under a FIFA ban. Football's world go...

Ghana Match-fixing: Ashanti Gold, Inter Allies Players, Officials Sanctioned

17May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Corruption, Ghana, News, Sports

Ghana Match-fixing: Ashanti Gold, Inter Allies Players, Officials Sanctioned

Ashanti Gold and Inter Allies have been relegated to the third tier of Ghanaian football, with players and officials of both clubs also sanctioned for match-fixing. A Ghana Premier League game between the two sides in September ended 7-0 to Ashanti Gold, with Hashmin Musah scoring two own goals as he claimed to try and prevent a pre-arranged 5-1 scoreline. Musah's claims and notifications of suspicious betting patterns were investigated by the Ghana Football Association (GFA), who has found both teams guilty of match manipulation. As well as both teams having to play Division Two football next season, several club officials, coaches and players were banned from football. The most severe sanction was given to Inter Allies volunteer Emmanuel Nii Amoah, also known a...

Super Eagles New Coach Peseiro Gets One-Year Short-Term Contract With Performance-Related Clauses

16May

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Super Eagles New Coach Peseiro Gets One-Year Short-Term Contract With Performance-Related Clauses

Super Eagles Newly-appointed coach of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, Jose Peseiro, has been handed a one-year short term contract, as he begins his reign as the head coach of Nigeria’s Senior Men’s National team. Contrary to speculations, the Portuguese coach was only handed a 12 months deal, which is subject to renewal based on performance-related clauses. With the NFF facing a legal battle on payments for the erstwhile coach of the team, Gernot Rohr, all pointers are the Federation are wary of allowing thunder strike in the same spot. Peseiro will lead the Eagles in the United States when the team faces Mexico and Ecuador in international friendly games. He will be assisted by Ex-Eagles winger Finidi George, Salisu Yusuf and Usman Abdallah. Read Also: Dare Regrets Super Eagles’...

Gabonese Football President Arrested In Child Sex Abuse Scandal

6May

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Gabon, Judiciary, News, Sports

Gabonese Football President Arrested In Child Sex Abuse Scandal

The president of the Gabonese Football Federation (Fégafoot), Pierre-Alain Mounguengui, has been arrested after being charged with failing to report allegations of sexual abuse of hundreds of children in the sport. The scandal, revealed by the British daily The Guardian in December 2021, broke when Patrick Assoumou Eyi, coach of the national under-17 team until 2017 and a well-known figure in Gabonese soccer circles under the nickname "Capello", was jailed after being accused of hundreds of rapes and sexual assaults on children for whom he was responsible in his duties for several years. Assoumou Eyi was, since 2017 and until his arrest, technical director of the soccer league of Estuaire, the province of the capital, Libreville. Since his arrest, two club coaches, Orph...

Didier Drogba Loses Ivorian FA Elections

24Apr

By Chukwuebuka FestusNo Comments

Cote d'Ivoire, Elections, News, Sports

Didier Drogba Loses Ivorian FA Elections

Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has lost his bid to become the president of the Ivorian Football Federation after failing to gain the required votes in the first round of the election. The former Chelsea star polled only 21 votes in a three-way race, with the two other candidates, Yacine Idriss Diallo (59) and Sory Diabate (50) polling more than double his tally. Diallo won a second round to decide the presidency of the federation. Drogba’s candidacy had been disputed last year when he first attempted to stand for election but did not receive the required support from clubs and other interest groups, such as the players' union and coaches’ association, whose nominations he needed to get on the ballot. Read Also: Ivory Coast FA Presidency: Players Refuse to Support Didier...

2023 AFCON Qualifiers: Eagles Are Favourites To Qualify In Group A –Kalou

20Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

AFCON, News, Nigeria, Sports

2023 AFCON Qualifiers: Eagles Are Favourites To Qualify In Group A –Kalou

Former Chelsea star, Salomon Kalou has tipped the Super Eagles to qualify for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, which will take place in Cote d’Ivoire.The former Ivory Coast international made this known in an interview with SuperSports on Tuesday.He said that the Super Eagles won’t find it difficult to qualify from Group A that consist of Sierra Leone, Guinea-Bissau and Sao Tome. Read Also: 2022 WCQ Playoffs: Was Referee Right To Cancel Penalty Awarded To Super Eagles?“I think it’s a good group [for the Super Eagles]. I think Nigeria is a team that will always qualify. “They will be the favourites of the group while the second place is open for the other three teams,” Kalou told SuperSport.The matches are expected to begin in May. Winners and runners-up in each group ex...

SD Huesca Reacts To Nwakali’s Allegations

7Apr

By Chinedu IbeakanmaNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

SD Huesca Reacts To Nwakali’s Allegations

Kelechi Nwakali Spanish Segunda Division club SD Huesca have reacted to allegations made by their former midfielder Kelechi Nwakali. Nwakali was initially suspended by Huesca after returning late from the Africa Cup of Nations in February. The Azulgranas announced the sacking of the player this week with few months to the end of the season. In a statement released by Nwakali on Wednesday, the player claimed that Ruben Garcia, Huesca’s sporting director, tried to prevent him from going to the African Cup of Nations as it wasn’t an important tournament in his book. Read Also: Nigerians Have Turned Super Eagles To Tribal War – Umar Sadiq The former Arsenal player also said Huesca pressured him to sign a new contract, even withholding pay to try and force his hand. The cl...

‘Eguavoen Never Supported NFF’s Decision To Sack Rohr’ –Ikpeba

5Apr

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

‘Eguavoen Never Supported NFF’s Decision To Sack Rohr’ –Ikpeba

Austin Eguavoen Former Nigerian forward, Victor Ikpeba has blamed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for the Super Eagles failure to qualify for the 2022 World Cup slated for Qatar. Speaking on Monday Night Football, the former international revealed that Eguavoen did not support NFF’s decision to terminate Gernot Rohr’s contract just few weeks to the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations. Recall that Rohr qualified the senior national team to the biannual tournament and also the 2022 World Cup qualifying playoffs. However, the team crashed out of AFCON in the Round of 16 after losing 1-0 to Tunisia before failing to qualify for the World Cup after been eliminated by the Black Stars of Ghana on the away goal rule. Read Also: Dare Regrets Super Eagles’ Failure to Qualify For World C...

Dare Regrets Super Eagles’ Failure to Qualify For World Cup, Condemns Vandalisation Of Abuja Stadium

31Mar

By Obiajulu Joel NwoluNo Comments

News, Nigeria, Sports

Dare Regrets Super Eagles’ Failure to Qualify For World Cup, Condemns Vandalisation Of Abuja Stadium

Abuja Fans Invasion Sports Minister Sunday Dare has expressed regrets over Super Eagles failure to qualify for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Russia. “We drew 0-0 in Kumasi and drew 1-1 here and that meant the away goal rule gave Ghana the edge. It is most unfortunate and regrettable that we are not going to Qatar, but that is sports. Nothing is 100% certain. “On our part, the Federal Government gave every support necessary. We got the stadium ready in all its glory. We mobilised Nigerians and other football lovers to fill up the stadium. The NFF called up a solid cast of players. 60,000 voices sang the National anthem in what must have been one of the most uplifting moments one could imagine. The fans gave their vocal support till the very end. The president of the nation, thou...