International Friendlies Round II: How did Africa’s world cup five perform?

Tunisia and Morocco made it two wins in two matches after seeing off Costa Rica and Uzbekistan. Tunisia edged the Central Americans 1-0 courtesy of Wahbi Khazri’s goal who also finished the job in Eagles of the Carthage’s 1-0 win over Iran a few days ago. Morocco continued their impeccable form by comfortably beating Uzbekistan by two goals to nothing even after fielding a second-best team. So far they seem to be the favorites to write history for Africa at the FIFA World Cup finals in June but with Spain, Portugal, and Iran in their way to the knockout stages, it is easier said than done.

Nigeria narrowly escaped the onslaught of Lewandowski and friends against Poland, in their 1-0 win but they wouldn’t be so lucky this team. Mitrovic’s brace revealed the Super Eagles’ weakness which might actually be a blessing in disguise for Nigeria as the world urges closer. Salah-less Egypt were humbled 1- 0 by Greece and capped off the international break with no wins in two. Injury-hit Senegal drew 0-0 with Bosnia Herzegovina, finishing the break with only stalemate score sheets.

In the light of these recent events, are you still confident in your world cup team? Let us know in the comments below!

Uganda: CAF Commissions FUFA Beach Soccer Arena ahead of the regionals in May

The CAF Committee for Development of Futsal and Beach Soccer Committee were in Uganda for a historic one-day meeting, the first to be conducted outside its Cairo, Egypt headquarters on Monday, 26 March. Amongst other things, the delegation discussed the preparations for the third edition of the Beach Soccer Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2018, Youth Olympics Futsal Tournament and bidding process for the Futsal Africa Cup of Nations 2020.

The delegation then signed off with a visit to the venue for the inaugural CECAFA Beach Soccer Challenge scheduled to take place in May featuring the east African nations. The proposed three-acre facility at Kitubulu on the shores of Lake Victoria in Entebbe is currently under construction and the project is earmarked at $200 000 and expected to have a 2000 sitting capacity.

Morocco: Inside their 2018 FIFA World Cup bid

The North African country is making a fifth attempt at hosting the world’s biggest soccer tournament, the FIFA World Cup. Their fifth bid couldn’t be any easier as they have to outbid a USA, Canada and Mexico’s joint bid. In their 193 paged document submitted to FIFA, Morocco presented a case of them being "one of the safest countries in the world" and will offer "an ideal security environment" for the tournament. It is an interesting point to make especially during the period when gun law and policy is one of the key political debates.

"Exceptionally low murder rates (three per 100,000 people), benefitting from very low gun circulation, are reflected in a United Nations Office of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) study ranking Morocco among the best-performing nations in the world - at the same level as both Denmark and Japan." - The Moroccan bid.

Mexico’s murder-rate stood at 21 per 100, 000 in 2017 (the highest in modern records) ; USA was at 5.3 per 100, 000 IN 2015 according to the FBI while Canada was at 1.68 per 100, 000 in the same year.

Abroad: Nigeria’s Ighalo talks about life in China

The Super Eagles and the Changchun Yatai striker has opened up about what it is like playing in the Chinese Super League. Odion Ighalo moved to Asia in 2017 from English side, Watford. He seems to have adapted to life in China, alluding that football is actually competitive in CSL than he initially thought or what most people would think because of the influx of foreign players and managers. Ighalo scored 15 goals in 27 appearances in his first season and now he has 1 in 3 matches.

"When I went there I was expecting a lower class of the league but when I arrived I saw how tough it is and said this is not what I had heard about.” - Odion Ighalo

The Super Eagles striker is also encouraging other African players to consider a move to the CSL should the opportunity beckon.

"If the opportunity jumps on them and they think properly about it, they should go because it's an opportunity to make some money, play in Asia and to experience the life and culture there." - Odion Ighalo

DRC: Frustrated quartet walk out of the squad

Four players left the Democratic Republic of Congo camp before their friendly against the Taifa Stars of Tanzania. This was perhaps a case too many for West Ham United’s Arthur Masuaku, Paul-Jose Mpoku of Belgian club Standard Liege, Jordan Ikoko from En Avant Guingamp and Gael Kakuta of Ligue 1 outfit Amiens. The cited reasons for the protest were repeated logistical and organizational problems.

As the four left for their clubs, the faithful had to endure the flight delays, poor quality accommodation with a stern warning that they would follow suit if conditions would remain unchanged. DRC Congo have lost the ensuing match 2-0 in Tanzania to Tanzania. Logistical issues and non-payment of promised allowances are not exactly new in some other African countries and the players seem to be pushing for a revolution to change things. Here is what a Congo Brazzaville striker said last week after he had ditched the team in France over poor treatment of players:

"We will remain vigilant. We will now check a month before our next international to find out what the conditions are. I think a message has been conveyed to the country. And that the conditions will be much better in the future." - Thievy Bifouma

The Spanish club is coming to terms with the likelihood of Griezmann’s departure

Guillem Balague, SkySports’ Spanish football expert talks about Atletico Madrid’s situation with Griezmann. It is believed that they are coming to terms with the fact that the player could be leaving in the summer and should be on the hunt for a replacement. Rumors of Barcelona being the favorites to land the striker have increased in recent weeks and they do not look like they will vaporize until the player signs a new contract extension before the World Cup. Griezmann is currently away with his national team France but will return to his club to play in La Liga at the weekend. Where do you think Griezmann should go? Don’t forget to drop your comments below.

Bayern Munich more attractive than Arsenal for the former Borussia Dortmund coach

The former Borussia Dortmund boss, Thomas Tuchel has today confirmed that he is interest taking the job at his old club’s rivals. Even with an enticing prospect of joining Arsenal, Tuchel showed that he prioritizes the Bayern Munich job because of how big the club is. Arsenal might be an interesting option considering how competitive the English Premier League is but the prospect of joining the biggest club in Germany gives joy to any sensible coach because they are capable to challenge with the very best in the world. Bayern Munich are currently on the lookout for a replacement for interim boss Heynckes who will step down in the summer. Tuchel who turned down the opportunity to work at Southampton a fortnight ago is believed not to be interested also in the structure at Arsenal because it does not suit him. Only he knows what he means by that. He would even prefer the Chelsea role over the one at the Emirates. Tuchel seems to be very ambitious and it would be wise if he picked any role from the aforementioned 3 clubs when it comes up because they do not just come along for they are very big clubs.

Ramos sneaks up on record cap holder Casillas

Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos has been a joy to watch for the Spanish national side in over a decade now. He started out as a right-back but has since converted into one of the greatest centre-backs the national side have ever seen. This means that the player has been called up more often to wear the Spanish colors and he is about to become the highest caps holder for the country. The record is currently sitting with former club mate Iker Casillas who appeared in the Spanish colors on 167 occasions. Ramos currently lies at 150 and believes that the goalkeeper is shaking because he is edging close since he is still an integral part of the national team. Ramos has admitted that the feat could be tough to reach and he is just proud of what he has already achieved so far. He is hopeful of claiming the record with time. Do you think he deserves the record? Drop your thoughts in the comment section.

The young defender does not mind the increased competition

England International Joe Gomez continues his development after joining the first team fold at his club last year. The defender sees himself as a sponge who is learning a lot from the experienced Virgil Van Dijk who joined the club in a record deal. Some questions were being raised about his future and what this meant for Gomez but he has since proved that he is still important as he has filled in for the injured Clyne in the right-back position. Van Dijk’s move might have slowed the young player’s progress as a central defender but the player sees this as an opportunity to learn from the world’s most expensive defender. He commends the experienced player’s presence and quality on the ball. That is something he hopes will rub onto himself after an impressive season which has resulted in him being called to represent his country England in the friendlies against Netherlands and Italy.

Russia 2018: Africa’s world cup five out to cap off friendlies in style on Tuesday

Nigeria: After snatching a 1-0 win against Poland (sixth-ranked team in the world), away from home, courtesy of a Victor Moses penalty, the Super Eagles will be out to prove their doubters wrong by putting up a more convincing performance against Serbia.

Morocco: The Atlas of the Lions have been a great revelation under Herve Renard and they continued that streak by dominating Serbia in a 2-1 win at home. With their recent performances and the backing of legend, El Hadji Diouf to write history for Africa in Russia, Morocco will be expected to come out on top against Uzbekistan.

Egypt: The Pharaoh's performances against Portugal were not too bad. They fell out by two goals to one, thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo’ stoppage time brace after Mohamed Salah had opened the scoring. Anyone would tip them to bounce back against Greece.

Tunisia: The Carthage Eagles won hearts with their 1-0 victory over Asia’s surprise package, Iran, who will also face North Africans, Morocco in the June world cup finals. Whether or not they are not they will do the same against the challenge of Costa Rica tomorrow, one would be brave to pick a winner there.

Senegal: The Lions of Teranga shared the spoils with Uzbekistan in 1 -1 draw on Friday in Casablanca. With at least three key players expected to be on sidelines through injury, the Senegal camp will be desperate to show that they have enough depth in their squad to overcome any opponent as they face Edin Dzeko’s Bosnia-Herzegovina.

Internationals: Iran-Sierra Leone friendly subject to match-fixing scrutiny

Sierra Leone FA’s (SLFA) president, Isha Johansen has petitioned FIFA’s Match-Fixing Enquiry Committee to investigate the Iran-Sierra Leone friendly that took place in Tehran, in February 2018. Isha claims that an under-strength side left the country without her consent and suspects that all the logistics and communications between SLFA and the Iranian federation( FFIRI) were handled by rival cabals in the SLFA.

FFIRI funded Sierra Leone ’s flights and accommodation in this arrangement and alluded that they would have canceled the match if they had known of its alleged true nature.

"My fear is that activities may have already taken place unknowingly to me for which I may one day [have] to account for." - Isha Johansen, SLFA President
Iran won the match 4-0 and is currently in its final phases of their world cup appearance in June 2018 where they will play Portugal, Morocco, and Spain in Group B.

Women’s African cup of Nations: Ghana gives the tournament a USD $8 million boost

During the launch of the Women’s African Cup of Nations tournament in Accra on Friday, the Minister of Youth and Sports, Isaac Asiamah revealed that the government has approved eight million dollars to be channeled towards a successful delivery of the games.

The honorable minister praised the Local Organizing community and the women world in their relentless efforts to deliver a world-class football tournament in the West African nation. He has also highlighted that the facilities will be ready to hosts all the eight visiting nations and assured the nation that preparations were underway to ensure the Black Queens of Ghana have a strong campaign and perhaps win the top prize.

"The women have demonstrated that they could sometimes do better than men as far as organization of such tournaments are concerned. They are ensuring that Ghana emerges as one of the best destinations for hosting football in the world." - Isaac Asiamah, Ghana’s Minister of Youth and Sports

The first and second ladies of the country, Rebecca Akufo-Addo, and Samira Bawumia are also on board to renovate some facilities for the tournament.

Four Nations Tournament: South Africa wins gold medal

Bafana Bafana claimed the ultimate prize in Ndola after overcoming the hosts, Zambia, 2-0 in the final on Saturday, 25 March. South Africa booked a place in the final by narrowingly beating Angola 4-3 in penalty shootouts but after fielding a different team for the match, the visitors were fairly comfortable against Zambia. Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter was elated with his charges’ performance and will be keen to use this as a springboard to take South Africa back to glory days with the first stop being the AFCON 2019.

“This was indeed a fruitful exercise for the technical team as well as the players. We had two highly competitive opponents in a short space of time and did well in both games. We played two different teams because we wanted everyone to play, especially the kids and they really held their own in tough conditions,” - Stuart Baxter.

In a bronze medal match played on the same day, Angola beat Zimbabwe 4-2 on penalties after playing out to a 2-2 in which the Warriors of Zimbabwe gave up the lead twice as they did against Zambia.

Zimbabwe: Senior women’s team coach appeals for support

Head coach, Sithethelelwe “Kwinji 15” Sibanda has made a familiar cry surrounding the exploits of the Mighty Warriors camp. Kwinji 15 who is a former Zimbabwean international has called upon the corporate world and any willing hearts to lend a hand as they prepare to tackle Namibia on April 5 for a place in the Women’s African Cup of Nations scheduled for November 2018 in Ghana. In particular, the Mighty Warriors mentor mentioned the lack of competitive matches in the form of international friendlies or a challenge-free domestic league as the main pain points before revealing that all the issues stem out of underinvestment into the women’s game.

"I think the whole thing is about sponsorship. My plea really is if there are any companies out there who can put their money in women football, it can go a long way in helping our girls. So that at least our national league is kept going." - Sithethelelwe Sibanda

Mighty Warriors enjoyed a fruitful 2016 that saw them qualify for the Rio Olympic games as well as the African Women Cup of Nations (AWCON) finals in Yaounde, Cameroon.

Abroad: Arsenal tie down Egypt’s Mohamed Elneny

The Gunners and Pharaohs midfielder has signed a contract extension with the club which will see him stay in North London for a “long time.” The length of the contract has not been revealed but Elneny was not shy to share his commitment and focus to the twitter world.

"Officially we will be together for a longer time, in order to reach what we started, and to put Arsenal in its deserved spot in Europe and the whole world." - Elneny

Mohamed joined Arsenal in January 2016 from FC Basel and has since made 65 appearances for the club. He has not featured regularly for the Gunners this season but still remains an integral part of the midfield. He is currently with the Egyptian squad in Switzerland for a series of friendlies in preparation for the FIFA World Cup finals in June, Russia.

The Arsenal boss believes he is being discriminated by his age

Arsene Wenger has commented about his situation at Arsenal and he feels that criticism directed at him is not fair. He believes that the negative energy towards him is discrimination and that is coming because of his age. The manager has faced calls to leave the club after 21 years in charge and is convinced that he is on the spotlight because of his age more than it is because of bad results. Rumors have been going around that the manager will finally step down this summer because of his failure to bring the Premier League to the Emirates in 14 years. Wenger, however, has accepted that he will be criticized since he is in a public job. The 68-year old is trying his best to bring success to the club. He has the experience. Do you think time is up for him?

Teammate Delaney talks about the importance of the Ivorian

Damien Delaney is lamenting on the injury woes that are keeping their star man on the sidelines. The 36-year old believes that Wilfried Zaha is the man to take Crystal Palace to safety. The Ivorian forward is currently struggling to remain fit but has dazzled the fans with some fantastic displays which have resulted in 4 goals and two assists. Delaney is quoted as having said, “Without him, we lose someone with the ability to release pressure.” Such is the dependence of a club on a young African forward who has a promising future. Palace is currently sitting on 16th position with a 2 point advantage over Southampton who are also in the relegation battle.  

Carvalhal says the Manchester United manager enjoys fights with players

Carlos Carvalhal says that the Manchester United boss enjoys fighting with people. The Swansea City boss used to work under Mourinho during his second tenure at Chelsea and the two managers will have a clash this weekend when Swansea face Manchester United. Carvalhal admits to having some similarities with the Portuguese but says Mourinho is more confrontational than him. He observed how the manager picked up fights with a lot of people and how it propels him to succeed under those circumstances. Some reports have surfaced about a possible clash between Mourinho and Pogba which has resulted in the player’s below par performances in recent weeks. I guess this explains why Pogba is not happy at the current situation and we know that Mourinho is to blame. It is just a matter of time before Mourinho picks another fight at United. Could that one be his last since he is failing to live up to the hype he created for himself when he arrived? Have your say below.