7 Days To Go: One Week!

One week to go!
7 days before the start of the 2010 World Cup and I can hardly believe it!
Lots of news today, so let's get to it ...

Today's Tidbits

1 - Since I started writing this site, one of the main protagonists has been the Ivory Coast's Didier Drogba. He's on magazine covers, won tons of accolades and is one of the faces of Africa's first World Cup.

BAD news today, as Drogba is set to miss the 2010 World Cup.

According to reports, Drogba is set to miss the Cup with a suspected fractured elbow after he was forced off in a friendly against Japan. Drogba had put his country 1-0 ahead with a free-kick in the 15th minute before going down following a challenge from the Japan defender Tulio – off whom Drogba's goal had deflected in – and he left the pitch in visible distress.

Drogba was immediately taken to hospital in Sion, Switzerland, where the Ivorians have been undergoing altitude training. "Of course I am worried, he's our captain and one of the best players in the world," said the Ivory Coast manager, Sven-Goran Eriksson, who attached no blame to Tulio. "It was unlucky, he didn't want to hurt anyone. Football is a game of contact."

Just bad, bad news ... at the age of 32, will we ever see Drogba in a World Cup again?

2 - MORE injury news, as England's captain Rio Ferdinand will miss the World Cup.

This after injuring his left knee in training.

The England captain broke down after a tackle in the final few minutes of his team's first training session since landing in South Africa, and was taken to hospital for a scan.

The results of the scan are believed to indicate knee ligament damage and the 31-year-old will take no further part in the World Cup.

Michael Dawson, who was part of Fabio Capello's initial 30-man squad, is the likely replacement, while Steven Gerrard will be promoted to the captaincy.

UGGH!!

3 - Team USA plays one more friendly, against Australia, before the start of next week's Cup.

4 - Speaking of Team USA, is the opening match against England the Revenge of the Colonies??

Sounds like a Star Wars movie.

5 - Fears and frustration temper the pride many locals feel about hosting the World Cup, according to the Guardian's Anna Kessel.

What I Think I Think

A week away and just a question:

Who do you think will win the 2010 World Cup?

I'll write an analysis of my thoughts tomorrow.

Ivory Coast Tops in Africa - July 2009

FIFA's July 2009 world rankings are out and in Africa, Ivory Coast's Elephants reign supreme.

The Elephants are 18th in the world, up 20 places from last month. They've now over taken last month's African #1, Cameroon, who slipped to second, 29th in the world.

This matches Ivory Coast's highest ever position in the FIFA table. Go on, Elephants!

Ivory Coast's two wins in 2010 World Cup qualifying in the last month helped them move into the number one position in Africa.

They were also aided by Cameroon's poor performance in the same campaign so far.

The Indomitable Lions suffered a disappointing draw with Morocco.

Elsewhere, African champions Egypt and World Cup hosts South Africa both moved up two spots. Egypt is now #6, 38th in the world. South Africa is #13, 70th in the world.

Good performances at the Confederations Cup have seen both Egypt and South Africa improve their rankings.

The Pharaohs dropped out of the tournament at the group stage but their win over the reigning world champions Italy gave them plenty of points.

South Africa moved after strong losing performances against Spain and Brazil.

Gabon are also big climbers this month - going up to third in the African rankings and 30th overall, thanks to their big win over Togo in 2010 qualifying.

Sierra Leone are the biggest fallers - dropping 40 places to 125th in the world.

The bottom three? Djibouti, Comoros, and the Central African Republic.

Do these countries even play matches??

For the full table, please click here ...

Top 10 African Youngsters at the 2010 World Cup

My friend Tom Legg has a keen eye for talent. He's often telling me about this new prodigy or that new wunderkind that I should be keeping my eye on. He knows more about the Beautiful Game than just about anyone I know!

With that in mind, I asked him if he'd share a post he recently started on the famous soccer forum BigSoccer.com about the Top 10 African Youngsters every one will be talking about come the 2010 World Cup.

I hope to share more of Tom's insights with you in the future.

With that in mind, take it away Tom!
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I started a review of the top 10 African prospects back in 2005 and have only recently begun updating my initial reviews of them. For those of you interested in joining in on the discussions, please visit the forum post here.


The list below highlights some of the best under-23 African players and other young players I expect to be on your lips, and the lips of many European pundits come the end of the 2010 World Cup:

1. Taye Taiwo (Olympique de Marseille/Nigeria): Over the last three season Taye has made the left back berth at OM - and Nigeria - his own. Although his development into a 'battering ram' attacking full-back has drawn praise from some quarters, its his defensive limitations - positioning, lapses in concentration and slow in the transition - that have deterred English and Italian suitors. He is without doubt a fantastic left back on his day; a pocket rocket with a shot to match, strong in the tackle etc., I only hope he gets the opportunity to move to a Premiership club at the end of this season to aid his development further as I for one would love to see him blossom into a excellent - all-round - left back in time for the 2010 World Cup.

2. John Obi Mikel (Chelsea/Nigeria): Being a Man Utd fan I should resent John Obi for what he did to us prior to joining Chelsea, but I don't. Over the last two season John seems to have finally settled down in London, securing a place - in the absence of the excellent Michael Essien - in the heart of the Chelsea midfield. But for those of us who watched John in his earlier years at Lyn, there is a hint of disappointment when I see him sitting in front of that Chelsea defense, void of creative duties. Of course he is currently not a spot on Frank Lampard as an attacking option in the middle, but give the lad a chance at least. The Chelsea fans I know are still not keen on him, generally speaking, but that's mainly due to them never seeing him played consistently in a position that suits him best. Saying this, I do believe he could turn out to be a more than effective defensive midfielder, if Chelsea decide to settle on that role for him and coach in accordingly. But there will always be a hint of ‘what if’ in my mind when I see him play. Lets hope in the next two season he can settle into a position and begin to convince the doubters out there. He certainly has the potential.

3. Alex Song (Arsenal/Cameroon): The defensive midfielder is seen as the most utilitarian player in the Arsenal first team this season, playing right back, defensive midfielder, attacking midfielder, central defender and left winger. For those of you who have not had the pleasure to watch the young Cameroonian play, imagine a player with the squad standing of John O’Shea (Man Utd) but double the ability (Man Utd fans out there, don’t you dare even think of retorting to that statement).



Without a doubt, Alex’s best position is sitting in front of the back four doing all the dirty work. The 21 year old's determination and sheer power in the tackle has made him a fan's favorite at the Emirates; during Arsenal’s ‘purple patch’ at the end of 08, Alex was one of the few players void of criticism from all of my Gooner “friends”. Similar in some cases to John Obi, let us all hope that Alex can find his place at Arsenal in the next two seasons, in time to impress us all in South Africa.

4. Jonathan Quartey (Kaizer Chiefs/Ghana): Currently playing for Kaizer Chiefs; to be honest, I haven't seem Jon play for a while. But the move to Kaizer's in 2008 is a positive step for the 20 year old. The PSL will give the central defender a good development platform and chance of being scouted to play in Europe; most likely France or England. ‘Giant Jon’ as he’s know in Ghana is a product of the famous Liberty Football Academy and first caught my eye at the 2005 U17 World Cup in Peru. A player who from an early age resisted the chance to move to Europe, preferring to develop in an environment where he's guaranteed first team football, Jon is a player with a firm grasp on his present and future development. He recently made his debut for the national team in Ghana’s opening World Cup Qualifying game against Benin.

5. Isaac Promise (Nigeria/Trabzonspor): Captained the fabulous Nigeria side in the Beijing Olympics last year and impressed several European/Nigerian scouts/officials at the competition. Currently playing for Trabzonspor - one of the top five in Turkey - and doing very well indeed. He has blossomed into a typical number 9, good on the ball, fantastic positional awareness and good first touch. The one thing he lacks at the moment? A decent goal ratio. A move to Germany or France would aid the 21 year old's progression greatly.

6. Stephan Mbia (Rennes/Cameroon): Regarded as one of the best all round midfielders in France, Mbia and Song will be the foundation for Cameroon’s midfield for the next 10 years. Song’s power, combined with Mbia’s unbelievable engine is a combination most international sides would be more then happy to have.


The 22 year old is regularly linked with moves to the Premiership; Newcastle, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man Utd, Tottenham and Everton who have all been keeping tabs on the energetic midfielder over the past two seasons. If he doesn’t move this summer, I will eat my hat and scarf!

7. Gervinho (Le Mans/Ivory Coast): The 21 year old forward is on a fast-track to success; he has already made 3 appearances for the Ivory Coast and is continually linked with the big clubs in France and Premiership giants Arsenal. By no means a prolific striker the young Ivorian is usually deployed as a support striker/winger. The worry I have for him is that the Ivorians are blessed with options on the wings and upfront; Baki Kone, Drogba, Kalou, Sanogo, Sekou Cisse, Arouna Kone, Dindane, the list goes on. I really hope Vahid takes a chance with the speedy Gervinho and includes him in the squad.

8. Andre Ayew (OM/Ghana): Son of Ghana legend Abedi Pele, Andre has been causing waves for Ghanaian youth sides over the past season. Dede - as he’s know - captained the U20 side to victory in the African U20 championships in Rwanda earlier this year and impressed continental and international pundits with his performances. Like Gervinho, Dede is regularly used as a winger/second striker for both club and country.


A quick turn of pace, good eye for goal and a decent box of tricks, he should develop into a more than useful asset for the Ghanaian national side. My worry with Dede is his build; relatively short and slightly built there are times when simply disappears in more physical games. For me he has to address this as the foremost area of development in his game if he's to be a success in South Africa.

9. Clifford Mulenga (Zambia/Bidvest Wits): Voted CAF Best Young Player in 2008, Zambia’s Ryan Giggs is one of Zambian football's biggest superstars. The speedy winger was, in his youth, linked to such clubs are Real Madrid and Lyon but the player has suffered from an hugely inflated opinion of himself over the past few seasons. His ability to striker fear into the eyes of covering defenders with his direct style of play has won over some Zambian journalists, but his petulance and ego leads him to over do the basics and frustrate team mates at club and international level. He has undoubted potential, and at 21 has plenty of time to grow up and realize that talent. Let's hope a World Cup stage will allow him to do that.

10. Anthony Annan (Rosenborg/Ghana): You may all rave about Ghana’s midfield three of Appiah, Essien and Muntari; but the apple of my eye is 22 year old Anthony Annan. I have saved the best for last folks, he’s brilliant in the tackle, quick in the transition and he will be coming to a TV screen near you in 2010. Those who worry that the decline of Stephan Appiah will have a detrimental effect on the Ghanian side, worry no more! With Appiah sitting in front of the defense - unable to move those old legs of his, Annan and Essien will do all the running... and then some.


Annan could become everything that Michael Essien has developed into, and more; his range of passing is far superior to Essien, with the young Rosenborg defender as comfortable with a 40 yard pass then he is with a 5 yard one. I hope for Ghana’s sake they play five across the middle when defending, then allow two; Muntari and Essien/Annan to bomb forward and support a loan striker.

Besides the players above there are two other players that you will not be seeing in 2010, but should hear more about in the coming two seasons.

Mcdonald Mariga and Osmane Jallow.

Osmane (Brondby/Gambia) is one of Gambian football's best kept secrets. Jallow currently plays for the famous Brondby IF in Sweden. Netted 5 in 10 this season and one Brondby fan I know has said the tall and agile Gambian is already a fan favorite. After a spell in Qatar with Al Ain and then Raja Casablanca, he made the move to Sweden at the start of this season. Already a full international with Gambia - 3 games and 1 goal - Jallow is one African player who's stock is rising by the game. He hit 11 in 15 for Al Ain and 15 in 19 for Raja. This kid is going places people. I've seen one league game this season - Brondby against SønderjyskE - where Jallow scored a sublime over-head kick. Big, quick and with a goals ratio to write home about, the striker will no doubt be on the radars of some of Europe’s elite this coming summer.

McDonald Mariga (Parma/Kenya) has not only blossomed into one of Parma's best players this season, but one of Serie B's most consistent and impressive midfielders. The tall midfielder was already on the verge of a Premiership move in 2007, but his £2.7 million pound move to Pompey broke down due to work permit problems. He moved to Parma instead, initially on loan, but impressed so much that cash strapped Parma decided to splash the cash on Mariga and make his move permanent.


This season's performances have drawn speculation that the midfielder will move to new pastures in the summer, with AC Milan and Juventus the most likely destinations. I only hope that if he does move in the summer, he will not be warming benches in Turn and Milan next season.

Tragdey in the Ivory Coast

For a moment, we turn away from World Cup qualifying and football to focus on real-world issues.

As many of you know, 22 football fans were killed in a match stampede in Abidjan, Ivory Coast this weekend.

More than 130 people were injured when a wall collapsed at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium shortly before a World Cup qualifier on Sunday.

It's a tremendous tragedy for the burgeoning African football power.

According to reports in The Daily Telegraph, part of a wall fell over. As collective anxiety grew into hysteria, policemen allegedly exacerbated the panic by firing tear gas into the crowd.

The tragedy occurred before the match kicked off, as supporters rushed to get into the arena. The long lines that caused the disaster are largely due to an inefficient ticketing system that means it is impossible for fans to reserve seats in advance, as numerical ordering systems are never adhered to, according to news sources.

Fans wait outside for hours in the hope of landing one of the best seats.

At least 22 people have been confirmed dead as a result of the accident. A further 134 individuals are reported as being injured.

The match was attended by over 50,000 fans, many of whom were eager to see the return of Didier Drogba, a hero in his native land, who netted two of the Ivorians' goals in a result that pales into insignificance alongside this tragedy.

On Tuesday, a member of the Malawi team that lost to the Ivory Coast 5-0 told the BBC his side had been aware of the deaths before playing the game.

"We thought that maybe the referee would ask us to pay one minute's silence, but nothing was said, so we just carried on," said defender Elvis Kafoteka.

Ivory Coast's President Laurent Gbagbo declared the three days of mourning and said the cause of the accident needed to be known to prevent such a tragedy happening again.

Following a special cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Prime Minister Guillaume Soro said he had advised Mr Gbagbo to establish a committee to "study, analyze and take account of all the failings that can lead to such tragic events."

"The government will take an active part in caring for those wounded and in organising funerals," AFP news agency quoted Mr Soro as saying.

MY POV: Horrible tragedy in the Ivory Coast and my heart goes out to the people who perished. While Africa has become synonymous with these types of incidents in the last few years, there's no basis to some of the calls by journalists and pundits to move the World Cup from Africa.

For one, these events are isolated. They happen, but not often. It'd be unfair to point at Africa as the only continent where this happens.

Second, South Africa's infrastructure is much more 'advanced' than the Ivory Coast's or some of the other poorer countries' infrastructure. I hate to say it that way, but it's true. South Africa has a complex ticketing system, trained security, a solid system in place for crowd control, etc.

An incident like this wouldn't take place at the World Cup.

Here's a quote from the Guardian's Paul Doyle, who wrote an excellent article about this.

Africa is not just one big homogeneous blob. Anyone who cares to look will see it offers a continent's worth of diversity. So systematically suggesting, as some have done, that Sunday's stadium disaster in the Ivory Coast means the 2010 World Cup should not be held in South Africa is like demanding London be stripped of the 2012 Olympics following a tragedy in Moldova.

South Africa has plenty of experience of hosting major events and, indeed, the Indian Premier League will shortly get under way there having been shifted from Asia over security fears and the British and Irish Lions will tour there this summer. Neither of those entail as daunting a logistical operation as football's global jamboree but they do attest to a certain expertise in staging tournaments.

Match-day culture has changed in South Africa. For many major matches it is not possible to buy tickets from the turnstiles on the day of the game. For Saturday's inaugural match at the refurbished Royal Bafokeng Stadium in Rustenburg, for example, only fans who had bought their tickets well beforehand got to see the Bafana Bafana beat Norway 2–1. There was a capacity 42,000 crowd and no trouble. In Abidjan on Sunday, ticketless fans were also warned not to come to the ground but unlike in Rustenburg, where surrounding streets were sealed off, it seems there was no effective plan for preventing thousands from going right up to the gate in the hope of blagging their way in anyway.

Now's not the time to walk away from Africa and the World Cup, but to embrace and make sure everything's ready for the grand event. The continent deserves that reinforcement.

Drogba Back to Marseille?

Can it be? Might Chelsea striker Didier Drogba be on his way back to former club Marseille?

According to the BBC, Marseille president Pape Diouf insists he will do everything possible to bring Didier Drogba back to the French club.

The Ivory Coast star joined Chelsea from Marseille in 2004 and spoke recently about the possibility of "finishing his adventure" with them.

Diouf admits Marseille cannot match the wages Drogba earns at Chelsea but thinks there could be ways around it.

"You can't exclude thinking of other scenarios, like the boy accepting a pay cut, efforts on our part," he said.

"We must talk to our supporters in adult language," Diouf told 10 Sport, a French sports magazine.

"They know we do what we say, and vice-versa. To say to them, 'We are going to win the Champions League' or 'Drogba is going to return', I will not allow myself to do it - that would be showing them a lack of respect. On the other hand, to say to them, 'Like you, I really want Drogba to come back and if there is a possibility of doing it, I will do it', that I can guarantee them. Each time I see him, I say to him, 'Now Didier, get your bags together and come back here!"'

Just last moth Marseille had dismissed talk of a move for Drogba, labeling him "inaccessible" at the moment.

MY POV: That could make for some drama, eh? But seriously, I can't see Drogba returning there just yet. Maybe after a move to Italy or Spain.

African Teams Slide Down World Rankings

FIFA released their world rankings last week and African teams feel heavily ... ouch!

Cameroon dropped two places to 16th and are now the only African side in the top 20.

Nigeria were 17th but have fallen six places to 23rd in February's list.

The biggest decline sees African champions Egypt drop 15 places from 15th to 30th position.

The Pharaohs' slump in the table is due to less importance being placed on their results over the last three years - namely their successes at the African Cup of Nations in 2006 and 2008.

The wider decline in the rankings of African teams is caused by the fact that FIFA place more emphasis on recent results than those over the past four years.

Ghana's Black Stars are down 10 places to 35th, while Ivory Coast are down nine places to 36th.

The only non-movers from Africa in the top 50 are Morocco, who remain in 41st position.

The African sides that dropped down this month will be looking to improve on their positions in the upcoming final round of World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualifiers, which begin next month.

A Slew of African Friendlies

Tomorrow is World Cup qualifying for some of the world (USA-Mexico and some Asian Cup qualifying).

For Africa, it's all about getting ready for March's final Cup qualifiers.

With that in mind, the BBC's Durosimi Thomas looks ahead at the African friendly matches taking place on Wednesday ...

Nigeria play Jamaica in London.
Tunisia squares off against the always-tough Holland.
Reigning African champions Egypt play Ghana in Cairo.
South Africa plays Chile in Polokwane and Turkey takes on the Ivory Coast in Izmir.

Following is the Nigeria-Jamaica preview. Please click the link for a full preview.

This game is certain to attract a big crowd, given the large Jamaican and Nigerian communities living in London.

The John Barnes-coached Reggae Boyz are way below the Super Eagles in the world rankings, and Nigeria coach Shaibu Amodu has named a strong squad.

Chelsea's Jon Obi Mikel, Joseph Yobo of Everton and Portsmouth's Nwankwo Kanu are set to turn out.

Amodu has stressed he sees the game as a crucial part of his preparations for the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, which begin in March.

Arsenal's Eboue Aims to Please

You have to feel for Arsenal defender Emmanuel Eboue.

The Ivorian right back has been mercilessly booed the past few weeks by Arsenal supporters for poor play. His confidence has obviously been shot, as evidenced by his demeanor after being substituted against Wigan a few weeks back.



Now, Eboue wants everyone to know he'll be back stronger than ever ...

"At the moment I am not at my best performances, but I try to give more and do my best when the boss puts me on the pitch. If I continue to work hard in training, then I am confident I can get to my best," the Ivory Coast international said.

He told Arsenal TV Online ahead of Sunday's home game against Liverpool: "I do not know why the fans did not back me, but that is football and you cannot do anything about it.

"They pay money to watch Arsenal to win. Then when we do not play well, not give our best performances on the pitch, they are very angry.

"I do not blame them, and I hope they will all come out to support us on Sunday, when we will try to do our best and try to win the game for them.

"I try to forget that now. I was disappointed, but I am happy now.

"After the game, my friends gave me a ring and helped me a lot. The next day in training, I saw the boss and he gave me confidence.

"Now I am feeling very well. I am going to try to give my best every time in training and to get confidence, then if I play in the next game, I will give my best."

Arsenal's traveling fans backed Eboue in the subsequent Champions League clash in Porto, which lifted the Ivory Coast international.

He added: "Before the Porto match, I said to myself I was going to do that for the fans because they know me, they know I can give more for the team.

"When we went there, I was very happy because the fans were singing my name - that made me really happy and gave me more power on the pitch."

MY POV: Poor Eboue! You have to feel for the lad, who'd been injured for a bit before the booing episode. I'm confident Emmanuel will lift his spirits in the coming weeks and be back stronger than ever.

But what's up with Arsenal's fans? Talk about giving the word 'supporter' a new definition ... not too much support for their player in that video eh?

Ivory Coast Coach: We're Not That Good!

Talk about instilling confidence in your team ...

Ivory Coast coach Vahid Halihodzic told reporters today that his Ivory Coast team is at best 'average'. The Bosnian trainer took charge of the Elephants in May and has won three and drawn three in his six games in charge.

Many people feel that after their showing at the 2006 World Cup and their semi-final run at the 2008 African Cup of Nations, the Ivory Coast is poised for big things.

Hold on a minute, says Halihodzic.

"This team is still fragile," he said at a news conference in Abidjan.

"Since I took up this job as manager and trainer, everywhere I go, I hear the same analysis, the same words: 'Ah, Vahid, you've got a super team'.

"And each time I say the same thing: 'I don't have a super team - perhaps there are some special players, but the team itself is still rather average.'

"You in the media, and above all the supporters, need to know that there are better teams than us - even in Africa."

Many still regard Ivory Coast as a side with the potential to make a real impact at the next World Cup in 2010.

To reach the finals, the Elephants must finish top of a qualifying group with Guinea, Burkina Faso and Malawi, which begins next March.

"Everyone is waiting with a lot of anticipation for this qualification," said Halihodzic.

"It'd be such a shame if this generation which has so much talent doesn't get to South Africa.

"Perhaps our greatest challenger could be ourselves. It's something exceptional for this generation, which has so much talent. For some players it'll be their last competition."

MY POV: This could be a cunning ploy, setting everyone's expectations low so the Elephants can surprise people on the Road to 2010.

Then again, telling your team they aren't better than the also-rans of the continent doesn't exactly inspire greatness, does it?

I don't know. This is a tricky balancing wire Halihodzic is trying to navigate ...

What do you think??

Africa in the Olympic Quarterfinals

While we lament the loss of the Nigerian Super Falcons in the Women's Olympic football tournament, praise must be heaped on the African men, who all swept into the quarterfinals of the men's Olympic tournament.

One thing we know for sure is that Africa will be represented in the semi-finals, as Nigeria take on Ivory Coast in the last eight. Cameroon advanced to play Brazil.

1996 gold medalists Nigeria advanced as winners of their group and were unbeaten after an opening draw with one of the pre-tournament favorites Holland, coupled with wins over Japan and the USA.

The Super Eagles are without several key players following the balmy club-vs. country rows that affected superstars such as Lionel Messi of Argentina/Barcelona.

Russia-based Peter Odemwingie is the only over-aged player in the squad after goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama and striker Ikechukwu Uche were not released by their respective clubs.

The lack of an experienced goalkeeper has already cost Nigeria as Ambruse Vanzekin's poor clearance led to a goal for Japan.

The Ivory Coast are making their first appearance in the Olympic football tournament and began their campaign with a 2-1 loss to defending champions Argentina.

The Ivorians bounced back from that defeat with an easy 4-2 win over Serbia and assured qualification with a 1-0 win over Australia.

Strikers Salomon Kalou and Sekou Cisse have lead the way for the Ivorian Elephants with two goals each , while midfielder Gervinho has scored one goal as well as assisting two.

The 2000 gold medalists Cameroon face a tough task in the last eight as they play Brazil.

The Brazilians have won all three of their games so far scoring nine goals and are yet to concede.

Cameroon have struggled to find the net in China with only two goals at the Games.

Georges Mandjeck has been both hero and villain for Cameroon, scoring a late equalizer in the opening game against South Korea that ended 1-1. But he was then sent off in a goalless draw with Italy.

The only other goal was scored by Stephane Mbia as Cameroon narrowly beat Honduras 1-0.

All the quarter-finals are on August 16th.

Good luck, Africa!

Can Africa Win an Olympic Gold Medal in Football?

The men's Olympic football tournament will be one of the most highly anticipated sporting events of the upcoming 2008 Beijing Games.

This year's tournament features three teams from Africa, with Cameroon, Nigeria and the Ivory Coast sending over their young, developing talent in hopes of Olympic glory.

We covered this topic in some depth in an earlier post. Now today, ESPN Soccernet journalist Sulaiman Folarin offers his take on Africa's chances. And really, he's a lot more qualified than I am at this point to offer a worthy opinion ...

Can Africa strike gold? Can the young talent at display in China come up big?

I don't know. I don't see why not ... African teams have won gold two of the last three times.
From my uneducated view, I'd say it's probable.

Folarin is an educated journalist whose opinion I value. He seems to think along the same lines.

Here's a small excerpt of his article. For more, please click here.

Of the three representatives, two teams; Nigeria in 1996 and Cameroon four years later, have finished with a Gold medal. The Ivorians, making their debut appearance this year, will hope to follow them when they send out a young and energetic team for the first game against Argentina.

The West Africans have a few mainstream names, but none in category of the Toure brothers; Kolo and his brother Yaya, and they could certainly use the services of Didier Drogba. But with coach Gerard Gili in charge of the team - a tactician with Ivorian football for over two years at all levels - the young Elephants have the potential to trample their way to the podium at end of the competition.

With the full commitment of young talents like Salomon Kalou pairing with the enterprising playmaker Gervais Yao Kouassi (popularly referred to as Gervinho), the Ivory Coast, up front, will be a threat to teams during the group stages and should be safely through to the knock-out phase.

With key players plying their trade in smaller clubs around Europe, fans should also watch out for Sekou Cisse and Kafoumba Coulibaly; two of the players that exemplify the potential of a team with relatively unfamiliar talent.

There are also the home grown players from some established local clubs; Asec Mimosas and Africa Sports. Both have been known not only to develop quality African players, but also prove themselves as quality opponents in the physical African club competitions.

But you cannot mention anything about physical football without pointing in the direction of Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions parade the most physical team in Africa, and probably the world. This style compliments Cameroon's pattern of play, although the Lions are probably the least skilled of the powerhouses on the continent.

African Football at the 2008 Olympics

The 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China are but a few weeks away.

The men's Olympic Football Tournament looks like it will be a hotly contested competition, with countries like Argentina, Holland and the United States seeking Olympic gold.

Africa will be well represented with three formidable squads in the 16-team tournament for the gold medal.

Former gold medalists Nigeria and Cameroon are joined by newcomers the Ivory Coast.

Cameroon and Ivory Coast were assured of qualification as far back as November 2007, with victories in their penultimate games to ensure that they couldn't be overtaken by the other contenders in their respective groups.

Cameroon triumphed in a tough section in which Morocco were their major rivals, finishing their campaign with a 1-0 win at home over Botswana, surprise qualifiers from the preliminary knockout rounds.

Serge Ngal, the Portugal-based striker knocking on the door of selection to the national side, got the only goal for Cameroon's U-23 side in their win to ensure they finished four points clear at the top of Group C.

Cameroon were the last African side to win men's football Olympic gold, winning at the Sydney Games in 2000. This time around, they're considered the weakest of the three African representatives at Beijing 2008.

Ivory Coast are the team to watch.

They finished a comfortable five points clear at the top of Group B. The Elephants' U-23 side boasts several players who are also part of the star-studded senior Ivorian squad, which reached the last four at the recent African Cup of Nations in Ghana.

They lost their opening Group B game against Zambia but then won the next five to stride into the Beijing Games.

Captain Gervais Yao Kouassi, better known as Gervinho, a regular in French side Le Mans, has been an impressive performer along with Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou, who was drafted in for the key qualifier against Zambia last year, when he scored to help ensure qualification.

Meanwhile, Sekou Cisse, who plays his club football in the Netherlands, scored both goals in the Ivorians' last match, a 2-1 away win over Senegal in Dakar in March.

Yet it is Nigeria who are expected be the most charismatic of the African representatives.

The Eagles stormed into the 2008 Games after a 3-0 win over South Africa on Wednesday. The Group A match in Abuja marked the return of Olympique Marseille defender Taye Taiwo and the debut of Everton striker Victor Anichebe, who came off the bench to score Nigeria's third goal.

Taiwo had earlier broken the deadlock in the first half before South African defender Thapelo Tshilo put through his own goal to double the Super Eagles' lead in Abuja.

The African squads won't have an easy go at it.

The Ivory Coast is in Group A along with Argentina, Australia and Serbia.

Nigeria sinks their talons into Holland, Japan and the USA in Group B.

And Cameroon tries to get past Italy, South Korea and Honduras in Group D.

Here are all the teams scheduled to be at the 2008 tournament for Olympic Gold. The competition begins August 6th with the champion crowned August 24th. Men's teams are allowed to augment their squad with three players over the age of 23.

Qualifiers for Beijing 2008
CONMEBOL: Brazil and Argentina.
UEFA: Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Serbia.
CAF: Ivory Coast, Cameroon and Nigeria.
OFC: New Zealand.
CONCACAF: Honduras and the United States.
AFC: Australia, Japan and Korea Republic.
Host nation: China.

Please click here for groups, standings and schedules.

African Player of the Season

I found this interesting article on my goal.com mobile service.

I can't find it online, but you can click the above link and read the article anyways.

I think it's a fascinating look at 20 players around Europe of African descent who've shown their talent and set the continent ablaze!

Goal.com's African correspondent Awenlimobor Sylvester is wittling the list down from 20 to 5 later this week.

What do you think? Who is the African Player of the Season? Check out the article above and have your say ... Here's a sampling of what Sylvester has to say.

Emmanuel Adebayor Arsenal FC (England) Togo

The Togolese striker has undoubtedly been the main threat up front for the Gunners this season, scoring some “unbelievable” goals from truly “unbelievable” positions. He is the presently the second-highest goalscorer in the English Premiership with 24 strikes so far. Surely Adebayor has shown character and consistency despite being in an underachieving Arsenal team.

MY POV: I wouldn't say he's consistent, but then again 24 goals is nothing to sneeze at.

Didier Drogba Chelsea FC (England) Ivory Coast

The big Ivorian was able to silence his critics - Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez the biggest one of them - with killer influence in Chelsea’s 3-2 UEFA Champions League victory over Liverpool. In truth, “the Drog” has not been as prolific upfront for the Blues as he was last season, but he surely is still as lethal as ever. Just ask Rafa.
MY POV: I love the guy but he's proven to be hot and cold this season. A move away from England after this season will surely fire up his engines once again.

Taye Taiwo OLM Marseille (France) Nigeria

The 23 year old Nigerian stopper became a prominent figure in the Nigerian Soccer scene during the 2005 WYC held in the Netherlands, and has not let down his followers since then. He has shown his trademark consistency with his French club this season, helping his team to some important wins this season with his equally famous long range strikes and great headers.

MY POV: I'll be honest and say I don't know much about Taiwo. But he sure sounds like a good player ...

Frederic Kanoute Sevilla (Spain) Mali

The Sevilla front man is currently Africa’s reigning king according to CAF, and he is also presently Africa’s leading striker in the Primera Liga: a position he has held for the past two years. This season isn't his best, but he's still cutting a mean figure in Andalucía.
MY POV: Here's another guy I think would benefit from a move away from his current club. He's been rumored to be seeking a move back to his old club Tottenham. With the Spurs approach for Valencia striker David Villa rebuffed, maybe Kanoute could return a saviour.

Yaya Toure Barcelona (Spain) Ivory Coast

He is another of the few bright sparks that can be picked out from the Catalan giants' almost awful season. Toure has been a solid force in the middle of the team, helping out with several incisive tackles and putting through fantastic passes as well.

MY POV: Awful season? I guess that's what 3rd place in Spain and a Champions League semifinal berth gets you these days. Still, he has been a bright spot in an otherwise lackluster season. Much was expected of Barca. They delivered little. But awful??

African Squads in Midweek Friendlies

Much of the world played World Cup qualifying last night.

Others played friendlies in preparation for the 2010 World Cup.

Africa was no exception as the continent prepares itself for the much-anticipated 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

First up, African champions Egypt were beaten 2-0 by the world's top ranked side, Argentina.

A full strength Egypt side, including controversial keeper Essam El Hadary, conceded two goals in the last 20 minutes to go down to the South American giants.

But in Pretoria, the upcoming World Cup hosts, South Africa, secured a deserved 3-0 victory over their own South American opposition, Paraguay.

In the process, striker Benni McCarthy became his country's top international goalscorer.

In other matches, Ghana lost to Mexico 2-1.

Ghana took the lead in this game, held at Fulham's Craven Cottage ground in London, but they were not able to hold on to it.

After a goalless first half, Michael Essien gave the Black Stars the lead with a driving shot from outside the area, which went in off the post.

But Mexico equalised in simple fashion, when Ghana's substitute goalkeeper, Patrick Antwi, slipped as he prepared to deal with a back pass.

Carlos Salcido punished his mistake.

Four minutes from time, Ghana captain John Mensah hauled down Adolfo Bautista in the box and Mexico's Pavel Pardo stepped up to convert the penalty and give his side the win.

Also, Morocco bounced back from their dreadful Cup of Nations campaign with a 4-1 win over Belgium.

It was a first win for stand-in coach Fathi Jamal, who took over after the departure of Henri Michel.

"After our dramatic exit in the Africa Cup, this really feels great. It has been a long time since we played like this," Morocco playmaker Mbark Boussoufa said.

Tunisia met Ivory Coast in France, and came away with a 2-0 win.

Goals from Tijani Belaid and Radhouane Felhi gave Roger Lemerre's side victory, although the coach is soon to leave his post.

Liberia scored a surprise 2-0 win over Sudan in Khartoum, in their first game under new coach Antoine Hey.

The first result of the day was a 1-1 draw between Uganda and Libya in Kampala.

Caesar Okhuti put the Cranes ahead in the 48th minute, with the equalizer coming in the 90th minute from Younes Shidani.

DR Congo and Algeria were in France for another match taking place near Paris.

Dieumerci Mbokani put the Simbas ahead in the 35th minute, but a late penalty converted by Kamel Ghiles meant the game ended 1-1.

Tanzania's game against Mozambique was canceled due to heavy rains at the old national stadium in Dar es Salaam.

Mozambique turned down a proposal to have the match played on Thursday.

Elsewhere, Zimbabwe beat Botswana 1-0 in Gaborone, with the goal scored by Cuthbert Malajila.

Cup Final Preview: Egypt vs. Cameroon

First off, congratulations to Ghana, who came from behind to claim a consolation third-place finish at the African Cup of Nations after beating Ivory Coast in a six-goal thriller, 4-2.

Sulley Muntari's swerving 25-yard free-kick gave Ghana the lead on 10 minutes before Ivorian Boubacar Sanogo hit back with a quick-fire brace.

Quincy Owusu-Abeyie equalized after half-time with a solo effort before Junior Agogo struck on 80 minutes.

Ghana's Hamanu Draman then sealed the win with a 25-yard shot on 85 minutes.

So after the tears of their semi-final loss to Cameroon, we get Ghana's joy of staging a terrific tournament and beating a skilled Ivorian squad for 3rd-place.



And as we can see above, some terrific dancing from Michael Essien and the rest of the squad!!

Good going!!

Nevertheless, the main event is tomorrow.

The Grand Finale between Egypt and Cameroon.

One one side, we have the defending champions, somewhat of a sleeper heading into the tournament. On the other, a squad fueled by the grace of striker Samuel Eto'o and the machinations of veterans such as Chelsea midfielder Geremi and defender Rigobert Song.

So who wins? I don't know. I haven't seen either side play.

Still, we have history to go by. The Pharaohs defeated Cameroon's Indomitable Lions 4-2 in Group C's opening game in Kumasi.

But midfielder Stephane Mbia said this helped: "We started slow, but losing to Egypt spurred us on to the final."

Egypt coach Hassan Shehata countered, "We are champions of Africa now and we hope to still be after the final."

"Cameroon are a big team, but we've already beaten them in this tournament and that is a good sign for us to produce a good result on Sunday. All my players are motivated, they want to keep the title to prove that we are truly the champions of Africa."

Cameroon coach Otto Pfister, who led Ghana to the 1992 final, reacted differently to their earlier loss to Egypt: "We've progressed match by match. Perhaps we started badly but we always know how to react."

Egypt seem to be peaking at the right time. And it's not like their earlier match against Cameroon was that tough for the Pharaohs. As the Guardian's Paul Doyle puts it:

... the fact is (Cameroon) were utterly dismantled, the Egyptians' clever passing and movement making the Indomitable Lions look oafish. While it's true that Cameroon have improved since then, largely thanks to the emergence of (youngster Alexandre) Song, so too have Egypt - not least because of the return to fitness of Mohammed Aboutreika, the Al Ahly playmaker whose balance, intelligence and probing have made him the classiest player of the tournament.

With their slick five-man midfield and smart attackers such as Amr Zaky and Mohamed Zidan, Egypt are experts at pulling teams apart. They won't constantly lob crosses into the box the way Ghana did, instead they will create holes and thread their way through them. Andre Bikey's suspension will make that task even easier. Wael Gomaa will shackle Samuel Eto'o and Hassan Shehata will become only the second manager to win back-to-back titles.

I think he likes Egypt in this tournament ... Also something to think about: Egypt have looked equally polished in defense and attack, with keeper Essam El Hadary in particularly good form. So they're a balanced, tricky side with few holes.

Also, they have the luxury of being healthy. Egypt skipper Shehata has a fit squad to choose from. Cameroon are sweating it out to see if Arsenal midfielder Alexandre Song recovers after being stretchered off at the end of the semi-final win over Ghana.

The young Song missed his side's final training session before the final to add to his coach's anxiety.

"The doctors reckon it's not serious. It's not a ligament problem," said the player's cousin and Cameroon captain Rigobert Song.

Cameroon are also missing Andre Bikey, the Reading defender who was sent off in the 90th minute in the semi-final for shoving a medical official tending a stricken team-mate.

So what do people in Ghana make of this unexpected final?

As writer Greg Lalas reports in today's New York Times Goal blog, not many people care.

“Cameroon-Egypt will not get people to the stadium,” Jerry Ayensu, a sports commentator for local channel Metro TV, said. “I mean, some will come, but there will be no atmosphere. You’ve seen Ghana games, how colorful, how loud, how much feeling in the Ohene Djan Stadium. Sunday will have very little of that.”

It is a final, though, so even if the Ghanaians are too saddened to care, other parts of the continent cannot wait. In Yaounde, the celebrating began right after the Indomitable Lions’ victory and will only ramp up on Sunday.

In Cairo, the traffic might actually subside for 90 minutes when everyone stops to watch the game. (There are events elsewhere, too. A friend working for an NGO in Juba, Sudan, has organized an educational match-viewing party. “We’ll watch some football and hand out some condoms to help fight the AIDS epidemic,” she said.)

What will be lacking in atmosphere, the Egyptian side might be able to make up for in performance. Coach Ali Hassan Shehata’s Pharaohs are awesome, capable of breathtaking creativity and teamwork. They calmly and collectively destroyed the impressive Ivorians the other night.

Striker Amr Zaky is a poacher and tricky playmaker Mohamed Aboutreika could be mistaken for a Brazilian. The attack has now notched 14 goals in five games, including a 4-2 drubbing in the group stage against the same Cameroonians they will meet on Sunday. In back, they are organized and goalkeeper Essem El-Hadary is right now my vote for the Golden Ball award.

With all these players, odds are the Egyptians will defend their title on Sunday and add to their record tally of five Nations Cup trophies.

I think he likes Egypt, too. Read the rest of the blog entry by Lalas to see his theory for why the Pharaoh's African Cup success doesn't seem to translate to World Cup success.

One theory? They're just too tired. The bulk of players on the national team make up the Al Alhy football club, the most successful club team in Africa.

As Lalas points out, 'With the Cup of Nations every two years — as opposed to every four, like the European Championship — the international schedule is crowded. Add to that domestic play with big clubs like Al-Ahly and Al-Ismaily, which must also participate in the African Champions League, and it is understandable why the Egyptians are exhausted when the World Cup comes around.

“For example, many of the Al-Ahly players have been going straight for three years,” Nazhar said.'

Good point.

Anyways, that's a discussion for another time. For now, we're ready for Egypt-Cameroon in the African final.

I can't wait! And I hope you can't either.

My prediction? Egypt in a close one, 2-1.

Have fun!!

The Final: Egypt v. Cameroon

Talk about unexpected.

I saw a Ghana-Ivory Coast African Cup of Nations final happening no matter what.
How could Cameroon stop the Black Stars on their home turf? How could Egypt defend their title against the hungry Ivorian Elephants, who wanted revenge from their loss against the Pharaohs in the 2006 final?

I was wrong, very wrong.

Egypt, who beat Ivory Coast on penalties in the final two years ago, thumped the Ivorians 4-1 in their semi-final in Kumasi on Thursday. Cameroon reached their sixth Nations Cup final with a 1-0 victory over hosts Ghana in Accra.

So the game's set. Egypt-Cameroon for the right to call themselves African champions!

I didn't see the games today. Work pulled me away. But from what I read, Ivory Coast's reserve goalkeeper Stephan Loboue was somewhat to blame. Loboue came on for the injured Boubacar Barry in the 39th minute.

As for Cameroon, they fought and fought in what was described as a dingy, dull game.
Substitute Alain Nkong's second-half goal gave the Indomitable Lions the win and a place in the final.

Poor Ghana. What suffering must be going on in the host country. So many expectations, so much energy coming off of Sunday's super victory against Nigeria.



"I was never as sad in my career as I am today," said Ghana coach Claude Le Roy.

"It's a terrible deception to lose this game. I can understand how sad the people of Ghana are tonight."

Nigeria Survives, But What Was Mali Thinking??

Nigeria survives to live another day, although it may be a short-lived experience.

With their 2-0 drubbing of Benin and Mali's inexcusable 3-0 loss to Ivory Coast (more on that later), Nigeria's Super Eagles scraped into the quarterfinals, where they'll meet hosts Ghana.

Nigerian midfielder Jon Obi Mikel, who plays for Chelsea said the team should savor today's victory some before thinking of their mega-encounter with Ghana's Black Stars.

"We are now all very happy and we want to enjoy the moment. Then we will have a good night and we'll think about this quarter-final clash against Ghana first thing in the morning."

Miracle? Some might say.

"We asked for something of a miracle and it happened," said forward Osaze Odemwingie, who is suspended for Sunday's match.

"We showed great mental strength. Rule us out at your own risk."

The victory for Nigeria sparked scenes of celebrations in the Super Eagles camp as the west African nation avoided elimination at the group stage for the first time since 1982.

Their goals today, scored by Mikel and striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni, were their first in the tournament.

I don't know about you, but their offense looks mighty anemic. They're going to have a very tough time with the host nation.

Bu what's up with Mali? They seem to have succumbed to the pressure and caved at the worst possible moment.

What was with their strange substitution at half-time of striker Frederic Kanoute for holding midfielder Momo Sissoko? They obviously weren't thinking Nigeria would score. Or were they settling for a draw (which would have sent them through), thinking if they didn't concede any goals, that would be good enough? Poor management, in my opinion. Mali's FA will have to re-think the job of coach Jean-Francois Jodar, who coached tentatively against a weak Ivory Coast side. The Elephants had already qualified for the quarters and were resting many players.

"We are extremely disappointed," said Jodar. "My team did not play at all in the first half and with a lot of attackers in the second half we still failed to find the goal."

Ivory Coast face Guinea in their quarter-final while Nigeria travel to Accra to face the hosts, who have a 100 percent record in the tournament.

Ghana coach Claude Le Roy told a news conference that he expected to be sacked if his side did not win the trophy.
"If we are not champions, I'm sure a new coach will come in my place," he said. "I understand my deal and that is to win the cup."

Tuesday's goals took the tournament's tally to 63 in 20 games but South Africa goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs was not impressed, saying the ball was at fault.

"It makes goalkeepers look like idiots," he said. "It isn't that the guys have been scoring good goals, it's the ball which has been making the guys look good."

Oh, come now ... enough with the excuses.

It's been an exciting tournament so far. What do the rest of the matches this week have to offer? Stay tuned ...

What Happened? Nigeria On Brink of Elimination

Nigeria are in serious trouble.

The Super Eagles' African Cup of Nations hopes suffered another blow on Friday after a 0-0 draw with Mali left them floundering in their opening round group.

Nigeria are third in Group B with just a single point, three behind second placed Mali.

The draw sent Ivory Coast, who have six points, into the quarter-finals as the first team to qualify.

Nigeria, despite their star-studded attack, failed for a second straight game to score.

This begs the question: What happened to the Super Eagles?

Is it the coaching of Berti Vogts?
Is the talent pool just not deep enough?
Are the players simply not motivated?
Has the talent of other countries simply caught up to that of Nigeria?

Coming into African football as an outsider, I'd like to know. For years, Nigeria have been seen as the gold standard of the continent's footballing fortunes. But now, they're staggering like a punch-drunk boxer. They can't score, they don't play a free-flowing game and they look lethargic. What happened?

"I know it's not enough to have just one point from two games," said Nigeria's beleaguered coach Berti Vogts.

"We now have only one hope and that is the Ivory Coast and God. But to win we have to score. Our players tried but our final passing was poor. To win you have to score but it was a big problem today and in the last match," he added.

Nigeria's potential progress to the last eight will be out of their hands when Group B is concluded next Tuesday.

The Super Eagles must beat Benin while hope that the Ivorians overcome Mali at the same time. Mali need just a draw to ensure Nigeria depart home early despite having made it to the last four at each of the last four editions of the tournament.

I think it would be a big surprise if Nigeria went home early. The mystery continues ...

Ivory Coast Will Win

Hey, at least someone agrees with me about the Ivory Coast winning the African Cup of Nations. So I can't be that crazy.

In today's soccernet.com, writer Sulaiman Folarin says there is no reason the Ivory Coast can't make it to the final.

True, there's no reason. But there's no reason many of these squads can't make it to the final. Ghana is still alive. Egypt looks deadly. Nigeria is hanging around, although they look lethargic. And let's not count out Senegal.

As Folarin sees it:

After an epic battle between Africa's two top nations in Sekondi's Takoradi Stadium the Ivory Coast emerged victorious and the Nigerians were vanquished, and so there now seems to be no logical reason for the Elephants to leave the Gold Coast country of Ghana before the final game of this year's African Cup of Nations.

In fact if they do not drink from the cup this time around they will only have themselves to blame.

Time will tell. They certainly look stong. But what about their wobbly goal keeping?

Let's see if they make the final on February 10th. If they do, we'll all look like psychics.

Morocco Cruise over Namibia and Ivory Coast-Nigeria Highlights

A first-half hat-trick from Soufiane Alloudi helped Morocco open their African Cup of Nations campaign with an emphatic triumph over Namibia on Monday. Here, highlights in French. I can't understand a word ...

Maroc vs Namibie : -Résumé complet du match-
Uploaded by marocvideo

And here, highlights of today's clash between Nigeria and Ivory Coast.

Nigeria - Cote D Ivoire 0-1 Can 2008 Foot , Résumé et But
Uploaded by Shad_2007