Marc Wilmots, Belgium coachThe game was too slow in the first half, and we just weren’t able to find a way past a team that refused to play football. The substitutions I made injected a bit of pace, which changed the game after the break. The players seemed like beaten men in the dressing room, but I told them that I was sure that we would score eventually. The points are in the bag – we’ve still got a long way to go, but we showed our strength of character.Vahid Halilhodzic, Algeria coachI’m left with the disappointing feeling of having…
Author: CAF News
“Beware the wounded animal” might well be the most useful message Croatia can pin on their dressing room wall ahead of Wednesday’s Group A showdown with Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions have not been brought to their knees just yet, but following their 1-0 opening loss to Mexico, they are undoubtedly starting to wobble.These are testing times for the African side’s coach, Volker Finke, but the German tactician has cautioned against an overreaction to the result against El Tri.”It’s obvious that we need to change something,” he told FIFA.com. “But in football, the worst thing you can do is call everything…
Conceding a goal after 30 seconds undoes the best-laid of plans and conceding another after 86 minutes leaves you with little time to react, as Ghana found to their cost on their Group G debut against USA on Monday.“That early goal we conceded killed us,” Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan told FIFA.com. “It totally changed our gameplan and put us on edge. We were the better side, though. We dominated the game and we managed to pull level. I thought we deserved to win, and we were looking for the winner when they scored their second. But, then again, that’s…
Second-half goals from substitutes Marouane Fellaini and Dries Mertens enabled Belgium to come from behind and beat Algeria 2-1 in their Group H opener. There was as much relief as joy for Marc Wilmots’ side at Belo Horizonte’s Estadio Mineirao, although they ultimately merited a win that had looked unlikely until the coach began shuffling his pack.Belgium had began the match as overwhelming favourites – considered even as dark horses for the Trophy – but it was Algeria who began by far the brighter of the two teams. After forcing a few early set-pieces and pinning the Europeans back in…
Cameroon captain Samuel Eto’o admitted on Monday that he needs a miracle if he is to shake off a right knee injury in time to play in Wednesday’s World Cup Group A match against Croatia. The 33-year-old striker played in Cameroon’s 1-0 Group A defeat to Mexico on Friday, but he was not present at training at Vitoria, near Belo Horizonte, on Sunday.”I am hoping the gods grant me a miracle and that I am able to defend my dear, beautiful country,” Eto’o told Cameroon Radio-Television (CRTV). “If this is not the case, I will always play my role as…
The Brazilians did not forget Stephen Keshi and his Super Eagles after the men in green swooped down to South America’s biggest country for the FIFA Confederations Cup last year. Though they were unable to navigate themselves through an examining group including world champions Spain and Copa America holders Uruguay, they did give a good account of themselves and thrill the flair-obsessed locals. That was evident when the Nigerians arrived at the team hotel in Campinas, where innumerable animated fans were on hand to greet them. Here, in an interview with FIFA, Keshi reveals his surprise at that memorable welcome,…
Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel believes Nigeria are on the right track to build on their success as African champions at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™. The Super Eagles have played in five of the past six World Cups but after reaching the second round in 1994 and 1998, have taken just two points from their past six matches in the finals.They come into the tournament on a high, however, after winning last year’s Africa Cup of Nations and boasting the likes of Mikel, his Chelsea team-mate Victor Moses and forward Emmanuel Emenike.”This is my first World Cup,” Mikel said…
Algeria assistant coach, Nourredine Kourichi, has said that they have no plan to stop Chelsea star Eden Hazard ahead of their World Cup opener against Belgium. Kourichi said Belgium had too many other threats, including striker Romelu Lukaku, to allow them to focus on the midfielder.”If we focus on Eden Hazard, we could have some nasty surprises. We know his qualities but also his weak points, but we can’t focus especially on him, there are others, like Lukaku,” he said. “We don’t have a special plan against Hazard. We can mark and stop an opposing player with our own strategy.”Algeria…
Asamoah Gyan believes Ghana’s youngsters will prove too strong for the United States when the sides meet in their FIFA World Cup™ opener on Monday. The Black Stars have beaten the United States at the past two World Cups and face the reigning CONCACAF champions in Group G.While warning against complacency ahead of meeting Jurgen Klinsmann’s side, Gyan, the Black Stars’ record goalscorer, feels technical supremacy will trump the Americans’ reputation for grinding out results.”They’re coming for revenge. Mentally they don’t want us to beat them for the third time, so it’s going to make the match very difficult,” said…
Jonathan Mensah was, in March 2010, looking forward to a barbecue in Accra to watch his compatriots at the 19th FIFA World Cup™. A few injuries meant the teenager was 3,000 miles south-east when it transpired. A few more meant those in attendance were watching him start for Ghana in their 2-1 win over USA in the Round of 16.Mensah now has not only that experience on sport’s biggest stage, but time in Spain, Italy and France, where he now plays for Evian, in his locker as the Ghana prepare to begin their Brazilian adventure with an American reunion in Natal.FIFA…
“Today a young one had his say,” Didier Drogba told FIFA.com after Côte d’Ivoire came from behind to open their FIFA World Cup™ account with a 2-1 win over Japan. “Serge brought us energy and balance and he had a fantastic game,” added the 36 year-old striker, a UEFA Champions League winner and a true icon of African football.Drogba, a member of Côte d’Ivoire’s aging Golden Generation, is speaking of one Serge Aurier. Just 21-years-old, the flying Toulouse wing-back had a night to remember in his World Cup debut. “I can’t believe it,” the stocky wide man enthused, all nervous…
Oribe Peralta was the hero as Mexico edged Cameroon in a pulsating Group A game that somehow finished with only one goal. Three goals were ruled out in the first half before the 30-year-old striker slotted home a rebound in the 61st minute in Natal to send Mexico second in their FIFA World Cup™ pool, behind Brazil on goal difference.Miguel Herrera’s men immediately took the game to their opponents, and only a series of sliding interceptions prevented the Mexicans going clean through on goal.Giovanni dos Santos did ripple the net in the tenth minute, volleying home Hector Herrera’s right-wing cross,…
Yaya and Kolo Toure, Didier Drogba and Didier Zokora have made nearly 400 appearances for Côte d’Ivoire and have played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, becoming living Ivorian legends in the process. Together they make up a golden generation and have long been a source of pride not just for their nation but for the whole of Africa. Yet strangely for a quartet so talented, they have never won an international title.Fresh from firing the Elephants to their third consecutive FIFA World Cup™ appearance, the fabulous foursome know that Brazil 2014 represents their last chance of…
TP Mazembe beat FC MK Etancheite 3-0 on Wednesday (11 June 2014) at the Kalamondo Stadium in Lubumbashi to win the 2014 DR Congo Super Cup.The one-off between the league champions (TP Mazembe) and the winners of the Coupe du Congo (FC MK Etancheite) officially wraps up the Congolese season.The encounter, a repeat of the 2013 clash also saw the return of midfielder Bedi Mbenza to the Mazembe fold after a stint abroad.Malian Adama Traore fired ‘Les Corbeaux’ into the lead after 20 minutes before Jonathan Bolingo strengthened the lead on the half hour-mark.Ghana-born winger, Solomon Asante sealed victory with…
Friday 13 June 17:00 Mexico v. Cameroon Group A Sunday 15 June 02:00 Côte d’Ivoire v. Japan Group CMonday 16 June 20:00 Iran v. Nigeria Group F 23:00 Ghana v. USA Group G Tuesday 17 June 17:00 Belgium v. Algeria Group H Wednesday 18 June 23:00 Cameroon v. Croatia Group A Thursday 19 June 17:00 Colombia v. Côte d’Ivoire Group CSaturday 21 June 20:00 Germany v. Ghana Group G 23:00 Nigeria v. Bosnia Group F Sunday 22 June 20:00 South Korea v. Algeria Group H Monday 23 June 21:00 Cameroon v. Brazil Group A Tuesday 24 June 21:00 Greece v. Côte d’Ivoire Group C Wednesday 25 June 17:00 Nigeria v. Argentina Group FThursday 26 June 17:00 Portugal v. Ghana Group…
The 64th FIFA Congress ended in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Wednesday 11 June with President Blatter announcing that there will be an increment in the disbursements to the six Confederations and the member associations. FIFA will give $750,000 to member associations, with each Confederation getting $7 million.Meanwhile FIFA President, Sepp Blatter made special mention of the Sierra Leonean Football Association, President, and Isha Johansen at the Congress. Johansen is the only female leading a football association in the whole world and Mr Blatter asked her to stand and while the Congress applauded and paid tribute to her. Blatter said Johansen was…
The Confederation Africaine de Football (CAF) has organized a course for young match officials to equip them for challenges ahead.The course dubbed “CAF Young Talent Refereeing Course” was held from 4-9 June 2014 at the CAF Centre of Excellence in Mbankomo, Cameroon.The aim of the five-day course, targeted at Referees and Assistant Referees below 30-years, was to equip them with the requisite skills and techniques for assignments in the not too distant future, with a target of a continuous follow-up as well as ensure the efficient and systematic development of young referees in Africa.The course was in two parts; theoretical…
FIFA President Joseph Blatter has awarded Hassan Shehata of Egypt the FIFA Order of Merit during the Opening Ceremony of the 64th FIFA Congress at the Transamerica Expo Center on June 10, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil.Shehata’s award was in recognition of his outstanding service to the game.Shehata coached Egypt to a record run of three Nations Cup titles in a row – 2006, 2008 and 2010. Confederation of African Football (CAF) News
A rising name in European club football, Algeria’s Islam Slimani could be a stand-out figure up front for his national team at the 2014 FIFA World Cup™, and the Sporting Lisbon star says that he and his teammates are looking to leave a mark in Brazil.“Algeria has never got past the first round, so that’s our goal,” he told FIFA.com. “We are flying to Brazil with ambitions. It will be our fourth appearance at the finals. We all know about the victory against [West] Germany in 1982 with the likes of [Rabah] Madjer, [Salah] Assad or [Lakhdar] Belloumi. We all…
Abedi Ayew, known popularly as Abedi Pele, was undoubtedly one of the finest footballers ever to come out of Africa. During a career spanning some 20 years, the attacking midfielder won the UEFA Champions League with Marseille, the CAF Africa Cup of Nations with Ghana and was named African Player of the Year on three occasions. The one thing that was denied him was a spot at the FIFA World Cup™ as the Black Stars did not qualify until 2006 – eight years after his international retirement.However, the great one has been well represented by his progeny as three of…