NEWS
A selection of FirstTouch's best football writing, brought to you by emerging journalists, collaborators, and fans.
Derby Weekend-Sunday: Which Real Madrid will show up against a resurgent Atletico
How many goals do you think Ronaldo and Griezmann will score combined on Sunday? Let us know in the comments section!
Los Blancos are now clearly one of the favorites to win the Uefa Champions League for the third time in a row after Cristiano Ronaldo helped them dismiss PSG 5-2 and also put them in position to qualify for the semi-finals in bicycle style, winning 3-0 at Juventus. However, the prospects have not been as exciting back home, after a slow start to the La Liga season that saw them fail to beat any of their main title rivals, losing 3-0 to Barcelona at home and drawing 0-0 with Atletico at Wanda Metropolitano. They now sit third on the log, four points adrift of Atletico and thirteen behind the Catalans. Their form has drastically improved, winning 8 of their previous 9 league games but the title is now realistically out of reach and a second place finish might save Zidane some blushes. Sunday’s derby will be what it has always been about, pride more than the points.
Real will face a tricky Atletico who are also fairly confident after putting themselves in a good position to qualify for the Europa League semi-finals after beating Sporting CP 2-0 on Thursday. Atletico might still be looking bag as many points as possible hoping that Barcelona might unlikely slip giving them second chance at the title. Diego Simeone’s men have won the three of the last eleven at the Bernabeu after having waited since 1999 to beat Los Blancos away from home.
Griezmann, Costa, Ronaldo, Bale or Isco? Who will draw first blood? Join the conversation in the comment box below.
Derby Weekend - Sunday: Chelsea out to settle two scores with West Ham
How many games does Conte have left at Chelsea?
Seven games remain the 2017/18 English Premier League season. Time is running out for the Blues to book a Champions League spot by making it into the top four and the Hammers have to continue fighting tooth and nail in every single match to stay alive in England’s top flight. Realistically, top four might now be out of reach for Chelsea who sit in 5th, eight points behind Spurs who humbled them to a 3-1 defeat at the bridge, last timeout.
Heading into this match, it will be about two things for Chelsea; avenging their 1-0 loss at West Ham in December 2017 and secondly restoring some pride. They have fallen to several London opponents this campaign including Crystal Palace, Arsenal in the Carabao Cup and most recently Spurs. The Champions will need to make a statement and give the fans something especially now that a trophyless season might be dawning given that they will have to beat Spurs in the FA cup semi-final should they want a chance to get their hands on some silverware. Antonio Conte’s men will be boosted by the return of goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois and the Spaniard, Pedro from injury.
West Ham will be without Michail Antonio, who will miss the rest of the season following his injury in their 3-0 win demolishing of strugglers Southampton. The possible return of talisman Manuel Lanzini is, however, an exciting prospect for the Hammers fans.
Manager remarks:
“We have to try to do everything to continue to have the possibility to fight for a place in the Champions League. It won’t be easy, we have to be realistic, but at the same time we have to give all of ourselves. We must show pride, desire, will to fight until the end of the season - this must be our target now.”
“We’ll go there and give them great respect but with a game-plan to bring points back here to West Ham. They have to win all their games as a top club so don’t think for a minute that they will switch off. We have to hope we catch them on an off-day and we perform well. If we do, I hope we can give them a really good game.”
International Women’s Friendlies: Nigeria loses big to Les Bleues
The Falcons punished 8-0 by Les Bleus
Prior to the match held in Le Mans, the Super Falcons had vowed to put up a fight against the team which is 33 places above them in the latest FIFA/Coca-Cola World Rankings on the 5th spot. The match result, however, seems to suggest that they might have done the exact opposite or maybe perhaps fortune departed them yesterday. What’s true is that the match was a horror show to Nigerian eyes as they fell 8-0 at the hands of the merciless French team. Eugenie Le Sommer opened the scoring 20 minutes into the match followed by Montpellier’s Valerie Gauvin who then took the match ball home after completing her hat-trick in the 78th minute. Diallo, Thiney, and Leger were also on the score sheet together with Faith Ikidi who capped off the horrendous evening by putting the ball in her own net.
The Super Falcons have now equaled their worst defeat in football history, 8-0 against Norway in 1995 and 8-0 against Germany, 15 years later. Swede Coach Thomas Dennerby’s first day on the job will be one he will be anxious to put past him after he had to field an experimental squad due to the absence of key players, in particular, the African Women’s player of the year, Asisat Oshoala who was facing alleged disciplinary issues with her Chinese club.
Nigeria will play the winner of the match between Gambia and Burkina Faso to book a spot at this year’s Women Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Ghana from November 17 to the 3rd of December.
Abroad: Lacina Traore speaks out on false identity allegations
"The law will speak. And the truth will win out."
The Monaco forward, on loan at Amiens, has been involved in a spat with the president of Etoile Sportive d'Abobo (ES Abobo) over claims that he had changed his name and reduced his age in order to jump ship into Europe. Kone claimed that Lacina was called Traore Menene when his Ivorian club signed him in 2005 and that his real age is 29, not 27 as the records say. He also added that ES Abobo should receive cuts of the transfer fees he has accumulated whenever he switched clubs.
The Ivorian forward nicknamed the “Big Tree” for his 203cm body frame has hit out at the outspoken Kone, denying coaching relations with the “prosecutor” though recognizing his relevance in the West African nation football world. Traore also added that his family back in Ivory Coast would visit the ES Abobo boss though his solution to fix the situation is to have his lawyers deal with this in court once the season is over. He remains level headed and hopes for a strong Ligue 1 finish for Amiens.
“He’s tarnishing the honor of my family. My parents call me all the time. They want to go and meet him, but that’s not the solution. The law will speak. And the truth will win out. I’ll never accept what he says. He can’t say I’m someone I’m not.”
It’s not uncommon to hear reports of African players reducing their ages to play more rewarding football abroad, but there’s no substantial evidence to validate or nullify the claims. What do you think of such reports? Join the conversation using the comment box below.
Lara Dickenmann leads Switzerland to a 1-0 win against Scotland Women
Scotland loss a setback in their ambitions to qualify for 2019 World Cup
A well-organised Swiss side grinded out a 1-0 win against Scotland to make their perfect record of 5 wins in 5 matches so far. Switzerland are top of the group with Scotland in third and the race for top spot was up for grabs. Every team wishes for a captain fantastic like Sergio Ramos does for Real Madrid to come to the rescue in desperate times. In this match, the Swiss captain, Lara Dickenmann came through and scored the decider past Lee Alexander on the 32nd minute. Dickenmann almost scored the second in a match where the Scottish team struggled to break down their opponents.
Scotland coach Shelley Kerr had this to say after the match, “Switzerland are higher ranked than us, they’ve been to a World Cup before, so there are positives to take because we matched them in the second half.”
So who qualifies for the World Cup? There are two possible ways to make it to the tournament finals. First, there is an option of topping the group. These teams will be guaranteed a place in the 2019 World Cup tournament being hosted by France. Scotland’s chances of doing so are looking unlikely and they might need to consider the second option. The other option is a playoff for one final place by the 4 best runners-up.
Scotland will be hosting Poland on Tuesday and will have all this at the back of their minds. They cannot afford to lose focus on qualifying for the most prestigious soccer tournament.
What happened to Ben Arfa?
The story of a player in exile
The French forward Hatem Ben Arfa is celebrating over a year without playing football ever since his fallout with the president of the club. The player was brought in from Nice on a Bosnian transfer after a stellar season which produced 17 goals in Ligue 1 and produced 6 assists. The 31 year old was pretty much in Unai Emery’s plans right until a joke he made angered his bosses. A joke to the Emir of Qatar about not being able to get in contact with President AL Khelaifi placed the player in hot soup and the president swore that the player would not set foot in the Parc De Prince again wearing the PSG colors. His manager was forced to just accept the players fate because he also is employed and holds no power in such decisions.
The player then shared a picture of himself on his birthday with a caption which read, “Here goes to one year without football. This calls for celebration.”
He’s now counting down to the day he leaves the club when his contract expires this June and he just can’t wait. The player has also turned down some offers from clubs in Europe in exchange to stay at PSG and collect his weekly salaries which proves that he is somehow paying back to the harsh decision of not paying him. He is believed to be planning on buying pizza for the whole squad as he squanders the last pennies of the club that have damaged his career. Do you think that both parties have been mature in dealing with this situation? Drop your thoughts below
Ozil artistry saw Arsenal beat CSKA Moscow by 4 goals to 1
Arsenal vs CSKA Moscow match report
A master class from Ozil stunned the Russian side in the first leg of the Quarter-Final clash between the two teams. The artistry of the German was the highlight of the match as we were at the heart of almost all the action that led to goals for the Arsenal side. Arsenal started well in the match and managed to score early in the first half with a goal from Ramsey in the 9th minute. This came 2 minutes after the player put the ball in the net but was correctly ruled offside as Ozil, the man who found him in the box, was just offside before squaring for the Welshman. CSKA Moscow were having none of this as they replied with a beautifully taken free kick from 25 yards out by Golovin in the 15th minute. Game on, it was. About ten minutes later, Ozil found himself in the box and was brought down before he could pull the trigger. The resulting penalty was converted by Lacazette who recently returned from injury. Ozil was at it again when he provided a dinked pass to Ramsey who lifted himself up and flicked past Akinfeev. A 2 goal advantage for Arsenal and the home side were not satisfied. Mesut Ozil got to the byline and pulled the ball back for Lacazette to finish his second of the night from 15 yards out. This meant that Arsenal went into the break with a 4-1 lead. Ramsey found other opportunities to score the third but spared them and one curler hit the far post in a match that was dominated by the Arsenal side. Wenger’s men have started to play beautiful football again. Can they replicate this performance in the away leg and qualify for the next round?
On the same night, Atletico Madrid played against Sporting Lisbon and ran away with a 2-0 win courtesy to goals from Koke and Griezmann.
Lazio won 4-2 against Salzburg with Lulic, Parolo, Anderson and Immobile scoring a goal apiece while Berisha and Minamino scored the two for the away side.
Timo Werner scored the decider for RB Leipzig in their match against Marseille which leaves the clash very open and up for grabs in the return clash.
Libya: Ban on hosting matches could be lifted after FIFA’s visit
Libya: Fifa visits and the prospect of lifting the ban on hosting matches is on the cards
FIFA’s director of African and Caribbean member associations, Veron Mosengo-Omba is in Tripoli, Libya on a two-day visit to discuss and get first-hand experience of how football has developed in Libya since the 2011 ban. The civil war which constituted the death of President Muammar Gaddafi attributed to the unrest and since then the Libyan national team have played home international matches in countries such as Mali, Egypt, and Tunisia over the past five years. Club football was not an exception as the clubs had to use neutral venues for their matches.
The visit by Libyan Football Federation (LFF) has increased hopes that the visit by Mosengo-Omba will provide leeway for the North African to get approval to host international matches in their backyard once more.
“The delegation will check the security situation in Libya so it can report back positively to Fifa and help lift the stadium ban that has been imposed since 2013,” the statement continued.”
Earlier on, the FIFA director had not been shy to declare the intention of his visit:
“It is not me who will take the decision, but I will report because I’m the envy of the Fifa president. I will address the report of my visit to him, and then the competent body of Fifa will decide how and when to bring international matches in Libya”
Despite the not so ideal conditions, the Mediterranean Knights of Libya qualified for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations and won their first senior African title in the form of the 2014 African Nations Championship (CHAN). They finished fourth in 2018 CHAN finals in Morocco.
Abroad: Naby Keita earns new nickname at Die Rotten Bullen
The hype hasn't slowed for Naby Keita
The Guinean’s time at German side, Red Bull Leipzig is fast expiring while his popularity is fast growing. The Syli Nationale player was once again the star of the Die Rotten Bullen show as they dispatched Hannover 96 by 3-2 away from home. Naby Keita’s consistent performances have won him hearts and earned his nine-year-old team some money when they agreed a transfer deal understood to be in the region of £66 million with Liverpool in August 2017.
The story coming from German is that Bundesliga has given him a new nickname with the aid of autocorrect.
“Thanks to the magic of autocorrect, Naby Keita has earned the nickname ‘Baby Keith”
From now onwards, fans are expected to shout the 23-year-old’s nickname whenever he touches the ball, starting the UEFA Europa League first leg Quarter-Final match, where they beat Olympique Marseille by a goal to nothing.
Can you imagine how Liverpool will line up next year, with the African connection of Salah, Mane, and Keita in their ranks?
Absa PSL Awards: The “March Criminals” are all from Orlando
Orlando dominates March's ABSA PSL Awards
The South African Premier Soccer League awards for the month of March have been decided and the boys in black and white are looking good. The former Ugandan national team coach who now calls the Orlando part of Soweto, home, walked away with the manager of the season award for the second time this season. Coach Micho has revitalized Orlando Pirates’ goalscoring form in a “water into wine” fashion after a slow start to the 2017/18 campaign. The Buccaneers have now scored five times and registered two wins out two in the month of March. His team. Pirates have won their last five PSL matches and currently occupy the second spot on the log, a point behind Mamelodi Sundowns, though they have played one more game.
Coach Micho’s boys are not only following his instructions on the pitch but also to the podium. The 30-year-old Musa Nyatama won the player of the month award, recognized for his Kevin De Bruyne-esque performances, playing defense-splitting passes, giving assists and nonchalance defending. The guys command the midfield like no man or woman’s business. His Zambian teammate, Justin Shonga grabbed the goal of the month award for his stoppage time thunderbolt against Chippa United. Shonga’s goal will be in contention to win the Absal-lutely goal with the season together with the best goals of other months.
The player and coach of the month awards were decided by a panel of judges made up of the broadcast media and football analysts while the goal was voted for by the fans.
Monaco draw brings PSG closer to Ligue 1 Title
PSG's rivals capitulate when it matters the most
Ligue 1 defending champions Monaco, drew 1-1 against Stade Rennes. Gnagnon scored the opener for Rennes on the 20th minute and his celebrations were made shorter by a quick comeback from Monaco who scored through Lopes 9 minutes later. Rennes continued to dominate the game and almost found a winner when Benjamin Andre headed against the post as well as Hunou heading his effort wide off the target. This result means that Monaco have failed to reduce the distance between them and rivals Paris Saint-Germain in the season run-in. PSG have now been gifted the opportunity to win the Ligue 1 this weekend if they manage to defeat their opponents Saint-Etienne provided that Monaco lose against Nantes. It is just a matter of time before PSG win it because they were the favorites from the go. Monaco lost their teenage prodigy Mbappe to PSG as well as other crucial first team players who moved across Europe. Their rivals gained from Monaco’s loss as they lured their forward as well as adding a world class player in Neymar to their team. The only disappointment for them is their shambolic Champions League campaign which ended in an early exit. Will they learn from that experience and provide a good challenge in the next? Tell us why you think so in the comment section below.
Fishlock: England game not do or die
Wales vs England match build up
The 2019 Women’s World Cup qualifiers are around the corner and Wales are set to face England at St Mary’s Stadium on Friday, 6th of April, 2018. Wales are ranked 34th in the world rankings and are looking forward to using their underdog status to their advantage as they face the Lionesses. The fixture brings together two teams who are fighting for the top spot in the qualifiers with Wales lying top with 10 points and England just behind with 9 points having played a game less than the leaders.
Fishlock is quoted to having said, “This game is huge for us but it’s not do or die. We have four games to get where we want to get to and if we put everything into this game it might derail what we’ve got to do next.”
She said this after sensing the hype and atmosphere building up towards the match. She encourages her teammates not to get swirled up emotionally and lose focus in the match which is expected to bring a huge crowd. Fishlock has 108 caps for Wales already and is hopeful that her team will break the duck and finally qualify for a major tournament in the 2019 World Cup in France. Wales have not conceded yet in the qualifiers and are looking to get one over the English side that is ranked as the second-best team in the world. Friendships will be put on hold. Fishlock is desperate for Wales to qualify with her country such that she would trade all her individual accolades to do so if only she could. We hope this passion does not go to waste and that her teammates will help her dream come true.
Manchester City shocked by a 3-0 defeat from Liverpool
Klopp and Liverpool transform Anfield into a fortress with a 3-0 win over the CityZens
The mind games played by Klopp prior to this match evidently had an effect on the result of the match. He talked about his team’s strengths and predicted that his team could hurt Manchester City on Wednesday night. Before we look into how that happened, we first have to look into a special moment leading into the match.
The Manchester City bus was attacked by Liverpool fans on its way to the Anfield for the UEFA Champions League clash between the two teams. The violent scenes saw a window smashed and Liverpool FC immediately apologized when they heard the terrible news. The damage was done though because it instilled fear into the City team that was full of confidence from their domestic dominance. The match kicked off later and Liverpool were on the front foot. Roberto Firmino robbed Kyle Walker before sliding a pass to the Egyptian Messiah, Mo Salah, who fired in past Ederson in the 12th minute. Leroy Sane almost provided a quick response to his team when he charged down Liverpool’s defense only to see his miskicked effort going wide. That was the end of Manchester City’s contribution in the first half as Liverpool produced a blistering performance leading to a second goal by Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain who shot past Ederson from 25 yards out. What a hit it was by Ox, leaving Ederson to watch helplessly as the ball whistled by him into the net. City’s defense continued to look in disarray and failed to cope with the intensity of the home side. Sadio Mane headed down the 3rd from a cross by Mo Salah on the 31st minute and that was it for the night. Guardiola’s tactical approach of playing Gundogan instead of Sterling did not pay off as they failed to produce one short on target in the first half. The second half was better by the City side who dominated in possession and forced Liverpool to defend fantastically. Trent Alexander-Arnold went home with the man of the match award after a fine defensive performance at right-back in charge of shutting down Sane. He also blocked Silva from scoring a cross in the second half to ensure Liverpool win without conceding. City have a tough mountain to climb now just like Juventus. Can they produce a special moment in the return leg?
On another front, Barcelona won 4-1 against Roma thanks to two own goals and a goal apiece by Pique and Suarez. Messi had a fine game but the match showed that the player is still struggling with fitness issues.
2018 Africa Women’s Cup of Nations Qualifiers: Kenya draws first blood at home against Uganda
Kenya down Uganda in the opener
The qualifiers for this year’s continental showpiece of women football kicked off in Machakos, Kenya on Wednesday. Lilian Adera’s 53rd-minute strike was enough to secure a one-goal advantage for the Harambee Starlets over the Crested Cranes ahead of the second leg to be played this Sunday at Star Times Stadium, Kampala.
The right-back, Adera, curled in a beautiful cross into the box which flicked past Crested Cranes’ goalkeeper, Ruth Aturo. The overall winner of this tie will face Equatorial Guinea in the final qualification stage with a victory guaranteeing a spot at the finals to be held in Ghana from 17 November to the 1st of December 2018.
In other fixtures, Ethiopia thrashed Libya 8-0 away from home in a first leg match and Tanzania drew 3-3 with Zambia.
All the qualification matches and results are listed below:
4 April: Senegal v Algeria
10 April: Algeria v Senegal
FT: Libya 0 Ethiopia 8
10 April: Ethiopia v Libya
4 April: Congo v Central African Republic
10 April: Central African Republic v Congo
FT: Kenya 1 Uganda 0
8 April: Uganda v Kenya
FT: Tanzania 3 Zambia 3
10 April: Zambia v Tanzania
5 April: Namibia v Zimbabwe
TBC: Zimbabwe v Namibia
6 April: Morocco v Ivory Coast
TBC: Ivory Coast v Morocco
7 April: Sierra Leone v Mali
10 April: Mali v Sierra Leone
7 April: Burkina Faso v Gambia
10 April: Gambia v Burkina Faso
6 April: Lesotho v Swaziland
TBC: Swaziland v Lesotho
PSL Midweek Round-Up: Sundowns and Pirates keep their feet on the pedal
The ABSA Premiership title race has been nothing short of a spectacle
It is almost set and stone that the ABSA premiership title race down to the flamboyant duo of Masandawana and Amabhakabhaka. On match day 25, Mamelodi Sundowns comfortably beat Chippa United 2-0 at home while Orlando Pirates narrowly got past Bloemfontein Celtic, 2-1. Sundowns were not as slick they usually are against the Chilli boys but two goals from the SA POTY award favorite, Percy Tau and Zimbabwean playmaker, Khama Billiat settled the Brazilians nerves for the meantime, who have Pirates breathing down their neck on the standings. Zambia’s Augustine Mulenga wonder goal was the match winner for Pirates who have now played one more game than Sundowns.
In other fixtures, Kaizer Chiefs climbed up to third with a 1-0 win over Free State Stars courtesy of Teenage Hadebe’s injury time strike. Champions, Bidvest Wits, who were rock bottom for the greater part of the season continued their march to safety with a 2-1 win over fourth placed Maritzburg United. Benni McCarthy’s Cape Town City were stunned 1-0 at home by Golden Arrows and Matsatsantsha’s (SuperSport United) struggles continued they succumbed to a 1-0 loss against Polokwane City with the PSL top scorer, Rodney Ramagelela adding a goal to his tally.
Only five games remain. Who will win the title? Who will face the axe? Feel free to share your thoughts below.
Abroad: Obafemi Martins to sit on the sidelines for the next six or seven months
Get well soon Obafemi!
Nigerian forward, Obafemi Akinwunmi Martins picked up an injury on Tuesday during his club’s Asian Champions League group stage match. The Shanghai Shenhua forward had to leave the pitch halfway through the match due to a torn hamstring as revealed by his club on Wednesday. Martins, 33, will be out for at least six months meaning that he is ruled out of selection to join the Super Eagles’ squad for the 2018 FIFA World cup finals commencing on the 14th of June - a blow to the veteran and perhaps the inconsistent Nigerian frontline.
To literally add insult to injury, Martins’ Shanghai Shenhua did not make it to the knockout stages of the Asian Champions League as a result of that 2-2 draw against Kashima Antlers. A man in form, who grabbed a hatrick in Shenhua’s 4-2 win over Hebei China Fortune on Saturday will have to sit out the greater part of the 2018 Chinese Super League tournament.
The former Newcastle and Inter Milan striker joined the CSL side at the start of the 2016 season from Major League Soccer side, Seattle Sounders.
South Africa: Sundowns and Pirates continue their title charge
Who do you think will win the 2017/18 South African Premier Soccer League title?
We are spoiled with appetizing Absa premiership matches on the night of the 4th of April. Mamelodi looking to extend their unbeaten run, Orlando Pirates seeking to extend their winning streak and both sides running towards claiming the ultimate prize, PSL league title. Sundowns (Masandawana) return to league action since the second of the match and will be looking to add more breathing space at the top of the standing when they face the challenge of the Chilli boys (Chippa United) whom they have never lost to in 9 league matches, since the 2012/13 season. Masandawana are currently a point above the Buccaneers (Orlando Pirates) with a game in hand advantage. Chippa are currently 11 on the table and most people would fancy Masandawana to get the three points
Amabhakabhaka are tackling Bloemfontein Celtic, who they beat 1-0 in their last time out at Celtic. Pirates will be keen to keep the pressure on the Sundowns especially now that only five games remain in the season. They will be feeling pretty confident, having won seven of their last nine games. The most recent win being a 3-1 victory against their bitter rivals, Kaizer Chiefs. However, Punye Sele Sele can prove to be a stubborn team on their day, having frustrated Chiefs to a 0-0 draw in their last match. They currently occupy the ninth spot on the league table.
Zambia: First team head coach, Nyirenda, dares his employers to sack him
"I don't think there is need for technical review when you have already judged and made up your minds."
The Chipopolo (Copper Bullets) head coach, Wedson “Weda” Nyirenda feels underappreciated, unwanted and disrespected by the Football Association of Zambia(FAZ). According to a letter circulating in the Football House, Weda highlighted that he would not appear before the Technical team set to review his performances.
The letter reportedly obtained by Times Sports state that Nyirenda was tired of being belittled and that he would be prepared to part ways with FAZ only if they pay their dues to him.
The following is an excerpt from the reported letter....
“The past week, I have been wanting to meet you (FAZ President Andrew Kamanga) but it has not been possible due to circumstances. I want to make it clear that from inception, I was not wanted. It has been so evident in the way my office and person has been disrespected.”
Nyirenda was appointed head coach in January 2017 and has built a youthful Zambian team who has an attractive attacking style of play second to a few on the continent. Zambia failed to qualify for the world under Nyirenda but finished second, ahead of Algeria and Cameroon, in the group won by Nigeria. Their recent second-place finish came to the Four Nations Tournament when they beat 2-0 by South Africa in the final. He is unfortunate not to have silverware to show for his hard work but many can tell he has been building a formidable Chipolopolo side.
“I don’t think there is a need for technical review when you have already judged and made up your minds. You would be doing me a great favor if you terminated my contract. I have been injured for so long now and I am only human. We cannot go on pretending.”