#African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals
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President Tinubu instructs VP Shettima to lead a presidential team to AFCON Finale
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has instructed Vice President Kashim Shettima to lead a presidential delegation to the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals in Côte d’Ivoire.
The Vice President previously stood in for the President during the semi-finals, where the Super Eagles secured a thrilling victory over South Africa last Wednesday, February 7. The Nigerian team is now poised to take on the…
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#African Cup of Nations (AFCON)#African Cup of Nations (AFCON) finals#Captain William Troost-Ekong#Côte d&039;Ivoire#President Bola Ahmed Tinubu#Vice President Kashim Shettima
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what a season for moroccan football bro
- Senior Men's - first ever African, Arab and Muslim nation to make it to the world cup semi-finals, beating Belgium, Spain and Portugal along the way
- U17s - come second place in their CAF only to an equally strong Senegal
- U23s - winners of their AFCON against an insanely strong Egyptian side
- Senior Women's - qualify for the world cup knockouts and in their first ever world cup appearance, beating the likes of South Korea and Colombia in their group
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World Cup 2022: Group A Preview
Group A Dates, Times and Locations
Monday, November 21st
13:00 Senegal v Netherlands - Al Thumama Stadium
Monday, November 21st
19:00 Qatar v Ecuador - Al Bayt Stadium
Friday, November 25th
16:00 Qatar v Senegal - Al Thumama Stadium
Friday, November 25th
19:00 Netherlands v Ecuador - Khalifa International Stadium
Tuesday, November 29th
18:00 Qatar v Netherlands - Al Bayt Stadium
Tuesday, November 29th
18:00 Ecuador v Senegal - Khalifa International Stadium
Qatar:
For the host nation, the task is clear, and manager Felix Sanchez is a 46-year-old who knows the country - and its football teams well. The Spaniard first came to Qatar in 2006, joining Aspire Academy. Over the years, he's held positions with the Under 19's and Under 23's before taking over the national team in 2017. Since then, he's led the team to the Asian Cup in 2019 and third place in the Arab Cup in December 2021. He has worked with the squad in a variety of age groups, and he has a lasting relationship with many of them. That said? The task is impossible and getting out of the group stage is a bridge too far.
On the pitch, results count, but off it, the World Cup represents a chance for the nation of Qatar to showcase the country to the world. Nassar Al-Khater is the Chief Executive Officer of the FIFA World Cup and feels that visitors will not only be amazed by the quality of football and the stadiums that are being built. What he is choosing to ignore is the fact that they had to move the World Cup to December to deal with the oppressive heat, and the fact that hundreds of migrant workers have died building those same stadiums Qatar is putting forth as their "showcase to the world". You know, little things. Nothing major.
Netherlands:
Oh, the Dutch. Will the three-time finalists finally get their hands on the elusive trophy? The smart money would say no, but expect Holland to make it past the group stage and play some technical and appealing football on their way there. Talent like Depay, De Ligt, Van Djik, Malen, Danjuma and De Jong give this team match-winning ability throughout the pitch while newcomers Tyrell Malachia, Cody Gakpo and Noa Lang offer speed and the brilliance of unbridled youth and enthusiasm to a match side that could provide a surprise or two.
The issue is that Netherlands are perennial underachieves and with the recent cancer diagnosis of their manager, Louis Van Gaal, one has to ask how truly prepared is this squad? A soft group in qualifying did not provide the tests or the answers to the questions facing this squad, but lucky for them, those same questions won't need to be answered in the first three games. Once it becomes knockout time, however? Expect a quick dismissal for the Clockwork Oranje.
Senegal:
In World Football, there are always teams who are often overlooked solely due to their location or the exposure that their particular brand of football represents. To say that African teams get the short end of the stick both economically and from an exposure standpoint is old news by this point, but Senegal, this year's AFCON winners after a dramatic penalty shootout with Egypt? They're loaded and could make the furthest journey in a World Cup that we've seen from an African team in quite some time.
Most would say that Senegal's fortunes rely on the exploits of Sadio Mane. A recent transfer to Bayern Munich after a sterling career at Liverpool, the gifted playmaker and goalscorer is the fulcrum of all things in the Senegal attack. Elusive, gifted at finding space and blindingly fast on a counter-attack, Mane has caused fits for EPL defenses for years and months after taking his craft to the Bundesliga, he'll be taking his talents to Qatar flanked by a sneaky good cast of supporting actors.
Eduard Mendy is as good a goalkeeper as there is in World Football today. At the back Koulibaly, and Diallo provide security in their respective positions, while Kouyate and Gueye secure the middle of the pitch and link play with the aforementioned Mane and his partner on the opposite flank, Ismalia Sarr; a man who seems like he was born with a rocket attached to his ass when you think about the speed he has. Senegal is good, perhaps sneaky good, but they won't be a surprise for long.
Ecuador:
Before the 2000s, Ecuador hadn't reached a single World Cup in their entire history. Entering Qatar, this will be their 4th consecutive World Cup and expectations are high for Ecuador to finally deliver an elusive round of 16 appearance, their last coming when they were eliminated in 2006 by a brilliant David Beckham free-kick vs England. Perhaps then, this is Ecuador's time.
Victories over Chile & Uruguay in the first round of World Cup qualifying and subsequent draws with Brazil & Argentina prove that Ecuador is better than people give them credit for, but more importantly, their talent gives them a legitimate shot to make it to the group stage out of Group A.
Pablo Hincapie and Pervis Estupinan both ply their trade in Europe with Leverkeusen and Villareal respectively and provide solid coverage at the back. Gonzalo Plata, Moises Caicedo, Angel Mena, and youngster Alan Franco, who is carving up the Liga Professional de Argentina with Talleres provide options and a midfielder core than compete with anyone in Group A.
Their strength, however, would be their forward line. Michael Estrada and Leonardo Campana are developing tremendously as goalscoring threats at DC United and Inter Miami respectively, and reliable talisman Enner Valencia is still banging in the goals at Fenerbache even at the "advanced" age of 32. This is a quality team that looks worse than it is due to the glut of talent and quality at the top of half of CONMEBOL, but make no mistake, they can compete and win against any team in Group A.
Group Prediction:
Senegal
Ecuador
Holland
Qatar
#world cup 2022#Qatar#Netherlands#Senegal#Ecuador#ecuadorian national team#fifa#netherlands national team
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News - Ghana’s amputee team beats Morocco to be crowned 2024 AFCON champions
Ghana News Live – bringing you all trending daily news as it happens.
Ghana’s national amputee football team have been crowned champions of the 2024 African Amputee Football Cup of Nations (AAFCON) after beating Morocco in the final.
The Black Challenge had to come from a goal down to record an important 2-1 victory over the North Africans in Cairo, Egypt.
Having fallen behind to the Moroccans…
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Calacus Monthly Hit & Miss – Sebastien Haller & Enhanced games february 2024
Every month we look at the best and worst communicators in the sports world from the last few weeks.
HIT - SEBASTIEN HALLER
The late, great Daily Mail sport columnist Ian Wooldridge once wrote: “There are days when sport reaches the sublime heights of unscripted theatre and draws from men and women performers resources of nerve and skill beyond human comprehension.”
The magic of sporting contest is that it can be so unpredictable that it is often said that no one would believe it if you made a movie about what you’ve just witnessed.
This month’s African Cup of Nations (AFCON) certainly fits that description, with striker Sebastien Haller front and centre in the drama.
Ivory Coast, the hosts, looked set to exit the competition after a disastrous group stage, when they lost twice, including a heaviest ever home – and Nations Cup finals – defeat when losing 4-0 to Equatorial Guinea.
Manager Jean-Louis Gasset was promptly sacked, but the team got a reprieve when Zambia failed to get the result they needed to finish above the hosts as a best third-placed side.
Haller had not featured in those first few matches due to an ankle injury, but his comeback is far more dramatic than a typical footballer’s injury.
A former France youth international, Haller made his name at Eintracht Frankfurt before joining Premier League side West Ham for a then club-record fee of £45million in July 2019.
He failed to replicate his Bundesliga form, scoring only 10 goals in a year and a half before moving to Ajax.
Haller twice helped the Dutch giants win the Eredivisie and became only the second player, after one Cristiano Ronaldo, to score in all six of his club’s group-stage Champions League games, and the fourth, with Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, to reach double figures in the competition’s group phase.
This prompted Borussia Dortmund to sign him to replace Erling Haaland, where his impressive form was stopped in its track by a tragic turn of events.
In July 2022, just two weeks after signing, the forward complained of abdominal discomfort and during a consultation with a urologist, a testicular tumour was discovered.
Haller promptly underwent surgery to remove it and within the week, he had started receiving chemotherapy.
In a Canal+ documentary called ‘Fight’, Haller’s wife Priscilla described the news Haller had a tumour as a “nightmare.”
“When (he) told me on the phone, I didn’t believe it — it’s a joke,” she said. “Until he got upset because he takes the blow and on top of that has to convince me. I understood what it was to be really afraid. I was scared and had the fear of my life.”
Haller was determined to play football again as quickly as possible and had a personal trainer devising tailored exercise programmes for him in hospital.
When Haller attended the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris with Priscilla, the extent of his illness was clear for all to see, his hair loss as a result of chemotherapy a stark reminder of how gravely unwellhe had been.
Haller was voted the 13th best player in the world for his achievements with Ajax, and also went up on stage to present an award.
He was encouraged by his idol, former Ivory Coast captain and fellow striker Didier Drogba, to provide an update on his condition and said: “Everything is fine. I’m here because everything is going as well as it can. It’s important to be involved at such events to show that you’re strong.”
That turned out not to be the case.
A month after the Paris ceremony, he needed a second, more dangerous procedure, to remove the residual findings from the tumour, which took over four hours.
When Haller was eventually given the all-clear, he flew with his team-mates to Dortmund’s winter training camp in Marbella, telling reporters that “(retiring) was never on my mind.”
On January 10 2023 Haller was greeted with applause from his team-mates, club staff, opposition players and supporters as he finally stepped onto the pitch for the first time in a Dortmund shirt for a friendly against Fortuna Dusseldorf.
“It’s been a dream to play with my team-mates, certainly more fun than doing runs through forests,” he said afterwards.
Two weeks later, he made his official debut for Dortmund, and first competitive appearance since recovering from cancer, coming off the bench in a 4-3 victory over Augsburg.
The words “F*CK CANCER” were inscribed on his boots.
It was fitting that on World Cancer Day, in early February 2023, Haller scored his first goal for Borussia Dortmund, heading into the net against Freiburg in front of 80,000 supporters at Signal Iduna Park and subsequently swamped by a horde of yellow-clad team-mates.
He pointed to that message on his boots as part of his celebration and he said afterwards: “To score today was a great message to everyone who is fighting today or will fight later.
“It gives some hope, some courage. The days after will always be better. You only want to score another goal, to have that feeling again. It’s the best feeling.
“You’re flying. You’re on a cloud. The whole stadium is on fire. Your team-mates, the staff, everyone is as one. It’s a big boost. There’s still a long way to go, but we will walk down that path.
"Of course, you realise it is something really serious that is happening, that a lot of things can change. It's important to tell it straight about cancer.
“But the urologist helped me not to be scared. He said I could heal well. I took all his words for granted.”
With Ivory Coast struggling and scoring just twice in the AFCON group stages, Haller’s recovery from his ankle injury took on added significance.
"After the big defeat against Equatorial Guinea, we had no choice," Haller said.
"We've come back from a long way. There were words, moments, which were not easy for the players, staff and everybody [but] which were necessary."
Haller’s teammate Seko Fofana said that Haller's struggles with health and fitness inspired squad unity, especially after their coach was sacked in the group stage.
"He was a benefit to others in the team, always giving something else to this group," Fofana mused. “[Consequently] we're now a unit, a collective, and we can be very happy about it.”
Losing against defending champions Senegal, Haller was thrown on late in normal time to help save the game, and his perfect through ball to Nicolas Pepe saw the former Arsenal winger fouled in the penalty area.
Franck Kessie equalised from the spot to take the game into extra time with Haller scoring in the penalty shootout, with the Ivorians knocking out the holders 5-4.
Still not fit enough to start games, Haller was brought on against Mali in the quarter-final with the team down to 10 men, hitting the bar before Oumar Diakite scored in the 122nd minute to see the hosts through 2-1.
In the semi-final against DR Congo, Haller scored the only goal with a volley into the ground, which bounced over goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi and into the net.
That gave Haller the chance to put his health problems behind him, and looking forward to the final, he said: “The last 18 months have been quite challenging for myself and the family. I just take everything step by step and I just try to enjoy the moment. I don't want to have any regrets.
“It’s a great moment to be here in front of you, talking about the final of AFCON in my own country. It will take a few months, or a few years, to really realise what happened (to me).”
Hollywood scriptwriters would have ensured Haller scored the winning goal in front of his home fans, a scenario which looked unlikely when William Troost-Ekong had put Nigeria ahead seven minutes before half-time.
Kessie equalised with just over an hour gone before Haller seized his moment, flicking the ball into the net from Simon Adingra's cross in front of 60,000 fans at Abidjan's Alassane Ouattara Stadium.
An emotional Haller broke down in tears after the final whistle, the reality of his achievement hitting home.
"We dreamed of this moment so many times," Haller said. "We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn't an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what's happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good."
Haller was congratulated by Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara after picking up his winners' medal, perhaps in recognition of the impact his return had on Ivory Coast's Éléphants.
Understandably, Haller was front and centre of the team's trophy parade through the centre of Abidjan the following day, the victory a show of unity coming only 13 years since the end of Ivory Coast’s second civil war.
But victory was about more than just lifting the AFCON trophy for the first time since 2015.
Thousands of Ivory Coast fans came to celebrate on the streets of Abidjan, adorning the team’s orange and white colours, a national holiday called to celebrate the championship success.
Haller’s dignified and determined fight against cancer, his impact on the team and the entire nation underlined how sporting prowess can have a positive impact on society.
It’s a reminder not only of the importance of sport, but how its impact transcends the field, bringing joy, hope and inspiration to millions.
MISS – ENHANCED GAMES
With the recent backing of PayPal billionaire Peter Thiel and other tech businessmen, it looks like the controversial Enhanced Games has the financial backing to take place in 2024.
The Enhanced Games is a proposed international athletic competition, not unlike the Olympic Games, but with one major difference: they explicitly do not test for Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs). This is not to say that athletes are forced to dope, but rather than doping is perfectly permissible in the eyes of the organisers.
Their stated goal is to see how far humans can go, using a combination of chemical and technological doping; the former including anabolic steroids and hormone therapy, the latter technology like ’super trainers’ and swimsuits based on sharkskin.
The main philosophy of the Enhanced Games is that PED use should be seen as a ‘demonstration of science’ rather than as cheating.
Is this philosophy legitimate? It is true that no athlete succeeds on their own, and that every Olympic champion has a team of nutritionists, coaches and trainers, equipment designers, physiotherapists, friends, and family behind them. Why not add a pharmacist to the list?
The point could be made that high-altitude training could count as an unfair advantage, given that it is only available to athletes from countries that can either afford to fly them there, or who happen by chance to host training facilities in the mountains. It certainly gives athletes a clear and measurable edge over those that don’t have the option.
From a different perspective, a world-class swimmer like Michael Phelps has longer-than-average arms and a torso that is proportionally longer compared to his legs, as well as size 14 feet and a body that produces half the lactic acid of an average swimmer, but he is celebrated as a natural superhuman.
Meanwhile, women such as champion runner Caster Semenya, whose bodies produce higher than average testosterone levels, are punished and forced to take supplements to bring their hormone levels back down to average.
Clearly, there are grey areas when it comes to genetic and competitive advantages, so it could be argued that any and all enhancements should be allowed. That way, an athlete’s performance on the international stage would represent the combined scientific and sporting abilities of their nation to achieve victory as well as any genetic gifts they have.
Given the allegations of the Russian state-sponsored doping program that saw the state formally expelled from the Olympic Movement, forcing the nation’s athletes to compete as independents, this could be more endemic than we currently think.
The Enhanced Games also claim to have a vastly improved pay structure compared to the Olympic Games, including a stipend for all athletes that compete, as well as substantial prizes for the most successful – including up to and above $1m for gold medallists.
Olympic Games silver medallist James Magnussen has indicated he’d be more than happy to come out of retirement and take steroids if it meant a large payday.
He said: “They [Enhanced Games] have said they have a billion-dollar person backing them.
“If they put up a million dollars for the freestyle world record, I’ll come on board as the first athlete. I’ll juice to the gills and break it in six months.”
Three-time swimming gold medal winner Leisel Jones has argued that the Enhanced Games might actually benefit the Olympic Games.
“It might actually keep the clean sport, clean,” she said. “If this clears out people who genuinely want to [take PEDs] and are doing illegal things in sport, if that clears them out of clean sport, that would be wonderful.”
However, she has said that while she might be interested in commentating, she wouldn’t be interested in coming out of retirement to take part herself.
“I don’t want to participate in it myself, I’m not in a position to do that. The risks are too big for me I think for the side effects and whatnot.
“But I am happy to see other people do this. I would watch it for sure. I just want to know how fast they can go.”
There is some truth in the argument that traditional athletics has been afflicted by illicit drug use. Beyond Russia, a 2017 study carried out by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) suggested that as many of half of tested athletes had used PEDs in the last year.
Two parallel Games, one ‘natural’ and one ‘Enhanced’ could, properly enacted, result in fairer competition for all.
However, the Enhanced Games has understandably been strongly criticised by anti-doping agencies all over the world.
Travis Tygart, CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency, described the Enhanced Games as ”farcical… likely illegal in many states” and “a dangerous clown show, not real sport”
In a release, WADA further condemned the new Games, calling it “a dangerous and irresponsible concept.”
“WADA warns athletes and support personnel, who wish to participate in clean sport, that if they were to take part in the 'Enhanced Games', they would risk committing anti-doping rule violations under the World Anti-Doping Code,
"Athletes serve as role models and we believe this proposed event would send the wrong signal to young people around the world.”
Australian Olympic Committee chief Matt Carroll added that: “The Australian Olympic Committee believes the concept of a drug-enhanced games is dangerous.
“We know next to nothing about this organisation but sport needs to be clean and it needs to be safe for all athletes,
“The Olympic Movement is devoted to clean sport and athletic excellence, celebrating the best in humanity, excellence, friendship and respect.”
A spokesperson from UK Anti-Doping has described the Games as ”‘unsafe, dangerous to athletes’ health and wellbeing [and flying] in the face of fair play.
"We believe competing is about respect, hard work and determination, not a dangerous game of endorsing drug use to enhance performance. We are committed to working with athletes to champion their rights, their health and their wellbeing.”
Even cyclist Joseph Papp, who was suspended in 2006 for PED use, has come out against the Enhanced Games.
“A doping free-for-all just invites the most ambitious person to be the most reckless person, and to take the most drugs possible without literally killing themselves.”
Athlete safety should be paramount in any sporting competition, and it is unclear how PEDs that are illegal in many countries would be regulated to ensure fair access for all competitors.
The condemnation that the Enhanced Games has received is also not limited to the world of sports: their messaging appears to be mimicking that of other, serious, political movements.
One of the Enhanced Games website slogans is: ‘My body, my choice,’ clearly attempting to echo the pro-choice slogans of pro-abortion activists.
Aron D’Souza, President of the Enhanced Games, said: “Fifty years ago, being a gay man was like being enhanced today. It’s stigmatised, it’s illegal in some sense and it’s done in a dark alley.”
In referencing a picture on the Enhanced Games website of an athlete holding up a flag bearing the event’s stylised “E+” logo, he added: “What changed for the LGBT community was pride — there was a flag to rally around and if you look at our website, it is intentional. What’s our first picture? A flag. Maybe this was our Stonewall moment.”
That is a bold claim even for a gay man like D’Souza to make, given the long and deeply oppressive experiences that LGBT+ communities have undergone throughout history.
There’s clearly a shock value aspect to the Enhanced Games’s communications strategy.
A further slogan of the Enhanced Games is ‘Science is real,’ echoing pro-vaccination arguments during the Covid Pandemic. These attempts to co-opt major worldwide political issues for the gain of the Enhanced Games organisers and investors is unlikely to improve the organisation’s credibility.
Whether or not they can attract sufficient athletes remains to be seen. At the time of writing, very few have publicly supported the new competition.
D’Souza claimed that 500 ‘sleeper’ athletes had privately agreed to take part, but so far none have spoken publicly, raising doubts about whether the Enhanced Games can go ahead.
With the very real safety concerns, the question remains: who will actually benefit from the Enhanced Games? It may certainly garner some initial attention, but what sponsors would want to be associated with such a controversial competition which would potentially undermine their own ethics and ethos?
D'Souza claims that he has no need for further investment, and that this is simply a project to see what humanity is capable of. But the financial incentives offered to attract athletes will need funding if the Enhanced Games are to ensure.
There is so much that the Enhanced Games have got wrong from a communications perspective.
Instead of demonstrating an understanding of the concerns and addressing them in a sensitive way, the approach has been one of aggressive belligerence.
Whether more athletes will sign up for the Enhanced Games in the fullness of time remains to be seen.
The risks to athlete safety alone will ensure continued widespread condemnation from the sports world and beyond.
#AFCON#Ivory Coast#West Ham#Ajax#Borussia Dortmund#Sebastien Haller#Franck Kessie#African Cup of Nations#Didier Drogba#cancer#Eintracht Frankfurt
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BREAKING: Tinubu honours Super Eagles with National Awards, lands in FCT
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, met with the National team, the Super Eagles, where he announced national awards (Member of the Order of the Niger, MON) to each of them.
The honours bestowed on them also included flats in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and a piece of land.
The delegation to the presidency was led by the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh including officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
The Super Eagles came second in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
All the team members were adorned with green attires.
Other officials spotted by our correspondent include Alex Iwobi, who had faced cyber attacks following Nigeria’s loss to Cote D’Ivoire at the final of the just concluded African Cup of Nations.
President Tinubu had in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale commended the team, the coach, the crew, and the entire management team for their hard work, assiduity, and sacrifice to come this far in the tournament, acknowledging the hurdles they consistently surpassed with steadily improving performance as they pulled through to the finals.
The President had urged Nigerians to be of good cheer, emphasising that Nigeria won a great victory in the hearts of Africa and the world by grit, rigour, and determination in the field of play.
“Let this passing event not dispirit us, but bring us together to work harder. We are a great nation bound as one by the green-white-green banner of resilience, joy, hope, duty, and untiring love.
“To those cherished Nigerian youths expressing their gifts in communities, drawing lines in the sand as they play football in their humble rectangles of play, you can be our heroes tomorrow, do not relent in your pursuit. My administration is here to make dreams come true,” the President had said.
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AFCON 2024: Côte d'Ivoire Beats Nigeria And Wins The Africa Cup of Nations
Sunday’s African Cup of Nations final was extraordinary for Côte d’Ivoire. In the match between Nigeria and Ivory Coast, the latter beat Nigeria 2-1. The African Cup of Nations is the main football competition for African national teams. The tournament is held every two years. The final match of AFCON 2024 took place at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, the Ivory Coast National Stadium in Abidjan.…
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President Tinubu Assigns VP Shettima to Lead FG Delegation to AFCON Final
President Bola Tinubu has delegated Vice-President Kashm Shettima to represent him at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final in Côte d’Ivoire.
In a statement released by VP Kashim Shettima on Saturday, February 9, it was disclosed that President Tinubu directed the Vice President to lead a presidential delegation to the highly anticipated match between Nigeria and the hosts at the Olympic Stadium Ebimpe, Abidjan, scheduled for Sunday.
The statement highlighted President Tinubu's acknowledgment of football's unifying power and the significant role played by the Super Eagles in fostering national pride and unity.
It emphasized the government's unwavering support for the team and dedication to their success, as demonstrated by Vice President Shettima's presence at the finals alongside the delegation.
Furthermore, the federal government urged all Nigerians, both at home and abroad, to unite in support of the Super Eagles and to actively encourage the team, fostering a sense of national pride that would propel them to victory.
This announcement follows remarks made by Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), earlier, confirming President Tinubu's attendance at the final match in Côte d’Ivoire.
Nigeria won South Africa on Wednesday to clinch a place in the AFCON final. The three time AFCON champion will battle it out with the host, Ivory Coast on Sunday for the trophy.
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How Ghanaians mocked Nigeria following their defeat by Ivory Coast
The outcome of the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) final was, for Ghanaians engaged in social media teasing with their Nigerian neighbors, nothing less than a chance to exact payback for weeks of being the target of mockery due to their country’s dismal performance at the tournament.
How Ghanaians mocked Nigeria following their defeat by Ivory Coast
The host country, who overcame a goal…
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AFCON Final: José Mourinho Expresses support for the Nigerian Super Eagles coach
AFCON Final: José Mourinho Expresses support for the Nigerian Super Eagles coach
Portuguese professional football manager, José Mourinho, has expressed his support for the Nigerian Super Eagles coach, Jose Peseiro, ahead of the African Cup of Nations final match, stating that “never has a Portuguese coach won the African Cup.”
The former Chelsea and Manchester United manager stated this during…
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Akmodel Group’s Executive Manager and Realtors Attend Afcon Final
The CEO of Amodel Homes and Properties, Dr. BIdr Odegade Abdul Hakeem, led the Akmodel staff and realtors to the African Cup of Nations Final in Cote d’Ivoire. The much-anticipated match will see the Super Eagles of Nigeria face off against the Elephants of Ivory Coast at the Aassane Ouattara Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan.
Ivory Coast is poised to culminate their Africa Cup of Nations journey,…
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VP TO LEAD PRESIDENTIAL TEAM AT AFCON FINALS
Vice President Kashim Shettima is to lead a presidential team to the final of the African Cup of Nations in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire on Sunday.
Shettima had earlier on Wednesday led government delegation to the semi-finals when the Super Eagles defeated South Africa in a pulsating encounter.
The Nigerian national team is set to face host, Côte d’Ivoire, in a thrilling rematch at the Alassane…
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Sports Today -
2023 Africa Cup of Nations: Ghana ranked 18th in final standings of tournament
Ghana Sports Today; bringing you all trending sports news as it happens. Get daily comprehensive summary of the recent sports – football news that have rocked the online scene. Check out the news below.
Black Stars
The Black Stars of Ghana have been ranked 18th in the final standings of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament.
The West African country which was part of the 24 teams and…
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Afcon 2023: Nigeria and South Africa who takes a lead today.
Nigeria and South Africa fans have been out in force at the 2023 Afcon finals, but only one set of supporters will have a final to look forward to
Three-time African champions Nigeria will rekindle their continental rivalry with South Africa in a highly-anticipated semi-final at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday.
The West Africans have won all three of their previous meetings at the…
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BREAKING: Tinubu honours Super Eagles with National Awards, lands in FCT
President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, met with the National team, the Super Eagles, where he announced national awards (Member of the Order of the Niger, MON) to each of them.
The honours bestowed on them also included flats in the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and a piece of land.
The delegation to the presidency was led by the Minister of Sports Development, Senator John Owan Enoh including officials of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF.
The Super Eagles came second in the just concluded Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) hosted by Côte d’Ivoire.
All the team members were adorned with green attires.
Other officials spotted by our correspondent include Alex Iwobi, who had faced cyber attacks following Nigeria’s loss to Cote D’Ivoire at the final of the just concluded African Cup of Nations.
President Tinubu had in a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale commended the team, the coach, the crew, and the entire management team for their hard work, assiduity, and sacrifice to come this far in the tournament, acknowledging the hurdles they consistently surpassed with steadily improving performance as they pulled through to the finals.
The President had urged Nigerians to be of good cheer, emphasising that Nigeria won a great victory in the hearts of Africa and the world by grit, rigour, and determination in the field of play.
“Let this passing event not dispirit us, but bring us together to work harder. We are a great nation bound as one by the green-white-green banner of resilience, joy, hope, duty, and untiring love.
“To those cherished Nigerian youths expressing their gifts in communities, drawing lines in the sand as they play football in their humble rectangles of play, you can be our heroes tomorrow, do not relent in your pursuit. My administration is here to make dreams come true,” the President had said.
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Afcon Semi-Final Personal On Many Levels
Once Upon A Time It Was A Rivalry About Football, Nigeria vs South Africa is Beyond Football Now.
Coming into the 2023 (2024) edition of the African Cup Of Nations, many South Africans were hopeful, while cautiously playing their excitement of being back on the African stage close to their chests.
Nigeria on the other hand came in load and proud, putting themselves out there as favorites to…
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