Africa Cup of Nations hosts Equatorial Guinea will look to redeem themselves in the third-place playoff against DR Congo on Saturday night at Nuevo Estadio de Malabo. Kick-off is at 9pm CAT. . Though the tournament hosts put together a remarkable run to reach the last four – easily their best Afcon showing – their 3-0 defeat to Ghana in the semifinals and the shameful behaviour of their fans at the end of that match has threatened to take the gloss off their achievements. . “I am really sad with what happened with the supporters,” Equatorial Guinea coach Esteban Becker…
Author: David F.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere needs to “master his own life” after being pictured this week holding a shisha pipe at a London night club, his manager Arsene Wenger said on Friday. . The England international, who has not played since November due to injury, had been photographed smoking on two previous occasions. . “I have spoken with him about that — he is not a smoker,” Wenger told reporters the day before the north London derby against Tottenham Hotspur. . “He is sorry about what happened, but he has to master his own life. . “When he is here, he…
Harry Redknapp’s resignation as Queens Park Rangers manager was a big surprise to everyone at the club, caretaker coach Chris Ramsey said on Friday. . Ramsey, Les Ferdinand and Kevin Bond will lead the team into Saturday’s Premier League match against Southampton after Redknapp quit on Tuesday due to knee problems. . Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Tim Sherwood was immediately linked with the job but media reports said negotiations with him had stalled. . “It’s always a surprise when something like this happens,” Ramsey, the manager of QPR’s Academy programme, told a news conference on Friday. “It was a shock,…
Brazil captain Neymar has tipped Liverpool forward Philippe Coutinho to become the biggest star in England after some eye-catching displays in the Premier League. . The fleet-footed Coutinho has played an important part in Liverpool’s resurgence in recent weeks, with the Brazilian adding greater consistency to his burgeoning bag of tricks. . Barcelona forward Neymar played alongside Coutinho as they came up through the youth ranks of Brazilian football and is a big admirer. . “He can be the star player in England. This season I think everybody in England is seeing how talented he is — and I know…
African football chiefs on Friday hit Equatorial Guinea with a $100 000 fine for unrest in a Africa Cup of Nations semifinal in which 36 fans were injured. . But the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said that despite disturbances blamed on Equatorial Guinea fans in Thursday’s semifinal defeat to Ghana, supporters would be allowed into the country’s third-place play off against Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday. . CAF meted out the fine to the Nations Cup hosts “for aggressive behaviour and being repeat offenders” for crowd trouble, said a confederation statement. . An order to play Saturday’s third place…
Willian has confirmed what many have long suspected in revealing that Jose Mourinho’s complaints about the treatment of Chelsea are a way to motivate his squad. . Chelsea manager Mourinho is set to break his self-imposed ban on speaking to the media ahead of Saturday’s visit to Aston Villa when the Blues will attempt to consolidate their five-point advantage at the head of the Premier League table. . Last weekend the Portuguese maintained his silence either side of the meeting with title rivals Manchester City. . His stance was triggered by the Football Association’s decision to retrospectively impose a three-match…
The battle for Champions League qualification in the Premier League takes on new intensity this weekend with two high-stakes derby clashes involving teams pursuing a top-four finish. . Arsenal, who trail fourth-place Southampton on goal difference alone, tackle north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur in a contest between two sides who have found form in recent weeks. . Liverpool, meanwhile, visit Everton, having climbed to within four points of the Champions League places with a haul of 16 points from a possible 18 – a run matched only by Lyon in Europe’s five major leagues. . The weekend’s action begins at…
It has taken Ghana five years to smash their Afcon semi-final jinx, and now they want the icing on the cake. . Black Stars coach Avram Grant has now made his ambitions of winning the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final clear. His side fought a tempestuous battle to beat Equatorial Guinea 3-0 on Thursday. . “Everyone talked about the other teams. Now we are in the final and we would want to win the cup.” . The 33-year wait for a trophy is something the Israeli wants to conquer, but the opponent to wrestle in Sunday’s final will be…
Describing himself as “no angel,” Chelsea striker Diego Costa has insisted he won’t alter his aggressive and confrontational playing style in the wake of his three-match ban for stamping on an opponent’s leg. . The Spain international missed Chelsea’s 1-1 Premier League draw with title rival Manchester City on Saturday after failing to overturn a charge of violent conduct for treading on the ankle of Liverpool’s Emre Can during the League Cup semifinal on Tuesday. . “I’ve never injured another colleague, another player on purpose,” the former Atletico Madrid striker is quoted by the Sunday Telegraph as saying. “Yes, I’ve…
Southampton made fullback Ryan Bertrand’s loan move from Chelsea permanent in the final minutes of the transfer window on Monday after the English Premier League high-flyers had snapped up Serbia’s Filip Djuricic from Benfica. . Bertrand had initially joined on a season-long loan in July but the 25-year-old signed a four-and-a-half-year deal on Monday after some impressive displays in Southampton’s miserly defence, the best in the league, which has helped them to fourth place. . The permanent deal brings to an end a frustrating spell with league leaders Chelsea, where he had gone on loan seven times and rarely had…
Stoke City defender Robert Huth became Leicester City’s third signing of the transfer window on Monday when he joined on loan from their Premier League rivals until the end of the season. . However he is ineligible to play in Saturday’s match at home to Crystal Palace as he completes a two-match ban for breaching FA rules by interacting with a Twitter account that asked users to guess the gender of individuals in explicit pictures. . The 30-year-old former Germany international, who has also played for Chelsea and Middlesbrough, has been signed to bolster a Leicester defence that has conceded…
Premier League leaders Chelsea signed Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina on a four-and-a-half-year deal on Monday with Mohamed Salah moving in the opposite direction. . Media reports said Chelsea had paid a fee of around 35 million euros ($39.69 million) for Cuadrado. . Egyptian Salah, who has struggled to establish himself at Chelsea since joining from Swiss club Basle last January, has agreed to join Fiorentina on loan. . Cuadrado had been on Chelsea’s radar for some time and the deal was finalised after the Stamford Bridge outfit sold Germany winger Andre Schuerrle to Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg earlier…
Premier League leaders Chelsea signed Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina on a four-and-a-half-year deal on Monday with Mohamed Salah moving in the opposite direction. . Media reports said Chelsea had paid a fee of around 35 million euros ($39.69 million) for Cuadrado. . Egyptian Salah, who has struggled to establish himself at Chelsea since joining from Swiss club Basle last January, has agreed to join Fiorentina on loan. . Cuadrado had been on Chelsea’s radar for some time and the deal was finalised after the Stamford Bridge outfit sold Germany winger Andre Schuerrle to Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg earlier…
The African Nations Cup semifinal resumed after a break of over 30 minutes on Thursday as most of the crowd were forced from the stands amid violent scenes after missiles rained down from angry Equatorial Guinea fans. . Ghana supporters sought refuge on the pitch with their team leading 3-0 in a tempestuous semifinal at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo against the tournament hosts. . Teargas was fired as riot police tried to control the home supporters while Ghana fans, corralled into an enclosure to the side of the 15 000 capacity stadium, spilt onto the field and amassed behind…
Real Madrid’s James Rodríguez successfully underwent foot surgery on Thursday, the Spanish league leaders announced, with the Colombian star facing up to two months on the sidelines. . The attacking midfielder required an operation after fracturing the fifth metatarsal in his right foot in Wednesday’s 2-1 league win over Sevilla. . “The surgery was carried out with success,” Real reported. . Rodriguez, whose flying header opened the scoring against Sevilla, was forced off with less than half an hour played. . Real defender Sergio Ramos also picked up an injury in the game while the rated wing-back Marcelo picked up…
Ghana secured their place in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final with an emphatic 3-0 win over Equatorial Guinea at the Nuevo Estadio de Malabo on Thursday evening. . Goals from Mubarak Wakaso and brothers Jordan and Andre Ayew helped the West Africans to their ninth Afcon final. . The win for Ghana sets up a repeat of the 1992 Afcon final which saw the Ivory Coast come out trumps following a lengthy penalty shootout. . After what was a frantic start, the game settled with chances few and far between in the opening half hour. . Andre Ayew…
Manchester City have made space for new signing Wilfried Bony in their Champions League squad by dropping Stevan Jovetic. . Uefa published lists of eligible squads on Thursday for the Round of 16, showing Man City preferred Ivory Coast forward Bony to Jovetic, who played in five group matches without scoring. . Uefa has limited the English champion to selecting from 21 senior players instead of 25 for overspending and breaking Financial Fair Play rules. . Man City host Barcelona first on February 24. . Real Madrid put 16-year-old midfielder Martin Odegaard on their 25-man A-list. Odegaard and fellow new…
Nigeria’s proposed international friendly with the Selecao of Brazil might not see the light of the day after the South Americans confirmed they will play fellow South Americans, Chile. . The Super Eagles were to meet the Brazilian national team on March 29 at the newly built Akwa Ibom International Stadium in Uyo, but Brazil have now made alternative plans. . The Selecao will meet Chile’s national team at Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium in London, the Brazil Global Tour has confirmed. . Akwa Ibom State governor Godswill Akpabio had last year during the inauguration of the ‘Nest of ‘Champions’ stadium announced…
A Spanish judge has named Barcelona club president Josep Bartomeu a suspect in a tax fraud probe regarding the signing of Brazil striker Neymar. . In a court statement released on Tuesday, National Court judge Pablo Ruz accepted the request of a state prosecutor from the day before, to include Bartomeu in the ongoing investigation that started with former club president Sandro Rosell. . Bartomeu has been summoned to appear in court on February 13. . Neymar’s transfer fee has been under scrutiny since his presentation at the Camp Nou on June 3, 2013.
Since he first put on the Ghana shirt in 2010, Jordan Ayew has been under scrutiny from fans. . Black Stars coach Avram Grant says the constant critique of the France-based player is not healthy – and wants support for the young striker instead. . Jordan has been in the eye of critics ever since he was accused of being selfish at the last World Cup, especially in the crucial game against Germany when he went for glory on occasions when fans expected him to pass. . “People can speak about the mistakes they make but they need to respect…