DR Congo will have two representatives at the lucrative mini-league stage of the Orange CAF Champions League for the first time.Four-time winners TP Mazembe and AS Vita, champions in 1973 scrapped through to the last eight of the premier continental club championship with varied results on Saturday.A lone goal victory over Sewe Sport of Cote d’Ivoire ensured Mazembe a return to the group phase for the first time since 2012, whilst AS Vita sealed a historic berth at the last eight despite a 2-0 loss in Johannesburg against Kaizer Chiefs of South Africa.Tanzania duo, Mbwana Samata and Thomas Ullimwengu, and…
Author: CAF News
Belgian George Leekens has been named the new coach of the Tunisia national football team on a two-year contract.The 64-year old, who previous job in Africa was a brief spell in charge of Algeria in 2003 replaces Dutchman Ruud Krol, whose tenure ended after the 2014 FIFA World Cup Playoffs last October.“Belgian Technician, George Leekens is the new Head Coach of the Carthage Eagles. He has signed a two-year contract. He will be assisted by a Tunisian who will be appointed later,” the Tunisia Football Federation said in a statement.According to the statement, the new trainer will be unveiled at…
Incumbent Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) President Cuthbert Dube was re-elected for a second four year term after an election held Saturday 29 March. The election went into a second round of voting pitting Dube and former ZIFA president, Trevor Carelse Juul after two other contestants, Lesley Gwindi and Nigel Munyati had been eliminated. Dube polled 44 votes to Carelse Juul’s 14 in the runoff poll that followed the first round where none of the four contestants polled the required two thirds majority to be confirmed outright winner. The new ZIFA constitution requires that the winner get 38 votes from the…
Holders Ahly crashed out of the 2014 Orange CAF Champions League after a shock 3-2 home loss to Ahly Benghazi of Libya on Saturday night in Cairo.The stunning result saw the Libyans seal their first ever place at the lucrative mini-league stage as they progressed 4-2 on aggregate.The Egyptians dropped down to the second-tier Orange CAF Confederation Cup, missing out on a historic hat-trick of titles in Africa’s premier continental club championship.While the result served an infamous welcome for new Ahly Chairman Mahmoud Tahir, elected on the eve of the game, the ‘Red Devils’ misery was further compounded after right-back…
The election of executives for the Fédération Royale Marocaine de Football (FRMF) has been fixed for Sunday, 13 April 2014.The decision was taken during the federation’s Extraordinary General Assembly held on Sunday, 23 March 2014 in Skhirat, near Rabat. There was also the adoption of the new articles in compliance with FIFA Statutes which was unanimously passed by delegates present. Present were emissaries of FIFA and CAF, namely Primo Corvaro and Prosper Abega.The statutes of the FRMF are now in compliance with FIFA, paving the way for new elections. It will be recalled that the previous elections held on 10…
Hassan Musah Bility has been re-elected president of the Liberia Football Association for a second term.Bility, who has headed the body since March 2010 saw his mandate extended at the Association’s Elective Congress on Saturday, 22 March 2014 in Buchanan, third largest city in the West African country.He was retained unopposed at the congress attended by 51 of the 54 representative bodies.Musa H. Shannon was also re-elected 1st Vice President, Cassell A. Kuoh – 2nd Vice President and Ciata Bishop – Female representative on the Executive Committee.Other elected members of the Executive Committee are Ansu Dulleh, Wallace G. Weiah, Samuel…
Ivory Coast superstar Yaya Toure scored his first career hat-trick at the weekend as English Premier League title-chasers Manchester City cruised to a 5-0 win over Fulham.The reigning African Footballer of the Year converted two penalties before curling an unstoppable shot into the top corner. Midfielder Toure is third on the Premier League scoring charts with 16 goals — 12 less than Liverpool ‘goal machine’ Luis Suarez.ENGLANDYAYA TOURE (Manchester City)The Ivory Coast midfielder had a match to remember in scoring a hat-trick during title-chasing City’s 5-0 thrashing of bottom-of-the-table Fulham. After Fernando Amorebieta fouled Alvaro Negredo in the box, Toure…
United Against Malaria (UAM) has been named Global Campaign of the Year for the successful anti-malaria drive at the 2013 Orange™ Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon). During Afcon South Africa 2013, UAM seamlessly integrated anti-malaria messages into the schedule of live matches and reached an estimated 1billion people; impacting positively on the lives of many fans as they enjoyed the biggest continental soccer spectacle. Boutique agency KYNE and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership (RBM) announced that UAM was named Global Campaign of the Year at the 2014 PRWeek Awards ceremony held in New York City on March 20, the premier…
The early exit of Ethiopian football clubs from this year’s CAF inter-clubs competitions continues to spark debate and soul searching in the sport loving African country. National champions Dedebit FC Ethiopian and Cup winners Defense FC were ceremoniously dumped out before the second round of Champions league and Confederation Cup respectively.This has prompted the football fraternity to search for answers and ask if this is symptomatic of where the national game is headed. Olympic and World champions Long and middle distance runner Kenenisa Bekele follows up on Ethiopian football keenly and believes his sport may have a few helpful lessons…
Ghanaians Medeama stayed on course for a play-offs place in the Orange CAF Confederation Cup with a 2-0 home win over Zambians Zesco United at the weekend. The African debutants took an early lead in the last-16 first leg through Nathaniel Asamoah and Michael Helegbe converted a penalty 12 minutes from time. Asamoah scored with a lob over the onrushing Zambian goalkeeper and Helegbe doubled the lead after Theophilus Anaabah had been felled in the box. It was the fourth success in five outings for Medeama after home and away victories over Equatoguineans Panthers and a home win over Moroccans…
Nigeria defeated Mexico with a deserved 3-0 scoreline to leapfrog their opponents at the top of Group D and set up a quarter-final showdown with Spain.The Africans rarely looked liked being hauled in after racing to an early 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Rasheedat Ajibade and Uchenna Kanu.The deadlock was broken on 12 minutes after Mexican goalkeeper Emily Alvarado could only parry a low cross into the path of Ajibade who easily buried the loose ball.The North Americans could have equalised almost immediately, but Jacqueline Crowther struck the post with an awkward effort after the goalkeeper had been caught…
AS Vita of DR Congo and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia kept alive hopes of progressing to the group-stage of the champions league on a weekend of some shock wins as first leg matches of the 1/8th round lit the African football scene at the weekend.Holders Al-Ahly and four-time winners, TP Mazembe suffered losses away from home.AS Vita, winners in 1973, earned themselves the tag of ‘club of the week’ following their 3-0 thumping of South African champions, Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday in Kinshasa. Though Chiefs dominated their hosts, a hat-trick from Mubele Ndombo puts ‘Amakhosi’ in a tight corner for…
Zambian club side Nkana have left themselves a mountain to climb if they are to end the 30-year jinx against Egyptians giants Zamalek after the latter held out to a goalless draw at Nkana Stadium in Kitwe on Saturday. It was the first leg of the Orange CAF Champions League second-round clash and now it will be Zamalek’s turn to host Nkana this coming weekend in Egypt.The clubs have met four times in the African club showpiece and the Cairo ‘White Knights’ have triumphed on aggregate every time. Even a change of competition brought no luck to Nkana as they…
Zimbabwean club side How Mine continued with their 100 percent home record in the Orange CAF Confederation Cup competition with a narrow 2-1 win over visiting Nigerian side Bayelsa United in a second round, first leg meeting in Bulawayo on SaturdayIt was also the first time current competition top goal scorer, Kudakwashe Musharu failed to find the back of the net and this time round the Gold Miners had Morris Kadzola and Menard Mupera to thank for the win at Barbourfields Stadium but it was the visitors who opened the scoring through midfielder Benard Okorowanta.How Mine who lost away to…
Canada secured an impressive 2-1 win over group winners Ghana to win through to the last-eight despite being down to ten players for nearly half the match. Canada needed a win to guarantee holding off Korea DPR and Germany who were playing concurrently in Alajuela.Forward Marie Levasseur, in her first match back from injury, netted an opening-half double to set Canada on their way to a quarter-final berth. However, the dismissal of Bianca St Georges early in the second period changed the complexion of the match completely.Powerful striker Sandra Owusu Ansah scored midway through the second half leaving Canada to…
Costa Rica were denied a story-book conclusion to their FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup on home soil with Zambia securing a 2-1 comeback victory over the hosts.The match was played in front of a loud and buoyant crowd at Tibas, the former national team stadium, but Las Ticas were unable to earn a share of the spoils despite their heroic efforts.While Costa Rica unluckily ended the tournament without any points the result proved a breakthrough for Zambia who collected their maiden points in a FIFA women’s competition.The contest was entertaining and open affair throughout. And the home faithful’s patience was…
The president of the Confederation of African Football Isaa Hayatou has expressed deep shock and sorrow at the death of Benin referee Euloge Adadja. Adadja, 33, died in the early hours of March 20 at the Oueme Central Hospital in the Benin city of Porto –Novo.He had been earlier admitted to the medical centre after being rushed there following a seizure he suffered as he participated in the FIFA physical tests for international referees.”It is particularly distressing to lose such a promising young man who had invested a lot in his career and had a lot passion for football and…
A goal in each half lifted a resilient Ghana to a 2-0 win over 2012 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup finalists Korea DPR for a bright start to their Group B campaign in Liberia. Korea DPR started promisingly and dominated early possession, but it was the Africans who netted with their first real attack. Laadi Issaka made a great run down the left, and her low cross found Jane Ayieyam who slotted home from 12 yards for her fifth goal in her sixth U-17 World Cup match. A few minutes later Sung Hyang Sim had her close-range shot blocked on…
Italy scored either side of the half-time break for a 2-0 win over Zambia in a match featuring two FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup debutants in San Jose.Player of the match Annamaria Serturini, who had started the match on the bench, was the heroine bagging both goals in the first match at the National Stadium in the capital.The match, perhaps predictably, saw both teams make a nervous start though it was Italy making better use of the ball.Le Azzurrine’s Valentina Bergamaschi lifted the volume immediately in the cavernous arena with a first-minute strike but it was not a portent for…
CAF has upheld the eligibility of player Mohamed Camara for Horoya AC of Guinea in the 2014 Orange CAF Champions League challenged by Moroccan club, Raja Club Atletic, despite the player still belonging to Moroccan Club, Omnisports de Meknès (CODM).The CAF Organising Committee for Interclub competitions has reviewed the file after numerous reports and documents from the two parties, Raja Club Athletic and Horoya AC.A first transfer of the player Mohamed Camara took place on 22 April 2013, as an amateur from CODM to AC Horoya on loan, and on 26 April 2013, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation issued to…