Ghana and Guinea Through; Senegal Coach Quits

A scintillating night of action saw African Cup of Nations host Ghana go through to the quarterfinals along with Guinea from Group A.

Ghana beat Morocco 2-0 while Guinea managed only a 1-1 draw against an overmatched Namibia.

Midfielder Michael Essien scored a goal and set up another as Ghana finished their group with maximum points from three games.

So who will they play next? Ghana, who will stay in Accra for their quarter-final on Sunday, will face the Group B runners-up -- most likely Mali although it could be arch-rivals Nigeria. Could be a wild one.

In front of a packed crowd in Accra, Sulley Muntari set up Essien for the opening goal in the 26th minute with a quickly taken free kick that found the midfielder in enough space to score from close range.

The favor was returned when Essien ran at the Morocco defence in the 45th minute and slipped a pass for Muntari to net his second of the tournament.

"We decided before (the match) we were going to attack and attack. We decided to make more room for Essien to take charge and to come forward," Ghana coach Claude Le Roy said.

Morocco coach Henri Michel, who led Ivory Coast to the final of the last Cup in Egypt in 2006, said: "We now have to look ahead and build a new squad."

As for Guinea, they finished with four points, one ahead of Morocco, despite being held by Namibia, who took home their only point.

Robert Nouzaret's side opened the scoring through Souleymane Youla on 62 minutes only for Namibia to equalise 11 minutes from time courtesy of Brian Brendell's second goal of the tournament.

The only cheers in an almost empty stadium came from the volunteers and policemen celebrating Ghana's goals in Accra. Jeez, I would have LOVED tickets ...

Today also saw the first coaching change of the tournament, as Senegal trainer Henryk Kasperczak said goodbye after his team's shock 3-1 loss to Angola. The former Poland defender quit with one match to play in Group D and with his team still holding a mathematical chance of progressing.

"I'm the only one responsible for the results," he said. "There is still a small chance and I think the players will respond to the presence of a new coach."

Senegal have one point from two games and face South Africa on Thursday with assistant Lamine Ndaye taking charge. Tough times for Senegal, one of the pre-tournament favorites.

Senegal President Helps Out Cup Fans

I love Senegalese President Abdoulaye Wade.

President Wade is lending his presidential jet to fans so they can fly to Ghana and watch Senegal's opening African Cup of Nations game, the Sports Ministry said on Thursday. Senegal play their opening Group D match against Tunisia on Jan. 23 in Tamale.

You think President Bush would do that for me?

"The supporters will leave on board the presidential plane, which will do two trips to Ghana on the 21 and 22 of January," the ministry said in a statement.

With many ordinary Africans unable to afford airfares and road transport across West Africa, dangerous because of poor routes and banditry, many fans risk missing the opportunity to see their sides in action.

Neighboring Guinea has canceled buses supposed to ferry fans to Ghana because of concerns about road safety in war-divided northern Ivory Coast.
Senegal, who beat Benin 2-1 in a warm-up match on Wednesday, has set up a camp in Tamale to accommodate some 425 fans.

The Sports Ministry will provide some money for living expenses for Senegalese who travel to support the national team: two million CFA francs ($4,469) for fans in Ghana and a total of five million for fans from Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, Togo, Benin and Guinea Bissau.

So they're paying fans to go? Oh, is this a dream or what?

Who Won't Be at the Cup of Nations?

We all know the big-name superstars that will grace the stage at Ghana 2008, familiar names like Didier Drogba, Michael Essien and Samuel Eto'o.

But who are the well-known athletes that won't be in Ghana starting this Sunday?

The BBC ran this interesting article today pinpointing some of the superstars who won't be gracing Africa's biggest stage.

For example, there are the players born in Africa who opted to play elsewhere, like Patrick Vieira (pictured), who hails from Senegal but plays for the French national team. Same goes for French teammate Claude Makelele, who was born in DR Congo but left for Europe at a young age.

Ivory Coast was badly hit as well, losing out on Arsenal and Switzerland defender Johan Djourou, and from French striker Djibril Cissé, whose father was an Ivorian international.

It's not only West African nations that have lost out. Algeria lost out on Zinedine Zidane, who is of Algerian origin. Good for France, not so good for Algeria!

Then there's the strange case of one of football's greatest players: Eusebio.

The legendary Eusebio played all his early football in his native Mozambique before moving to Portugal and eventually becoming one of the top goal-scorers at the 1966 World Cup.

Eusebio's case was a little different though: at the time Mozambique did not exist as a country!

Interesting article. Please take a look at the link above.

'The American' Gets Ready to Play for Senegal

Bouna Coundoul, a 25-year-old goalkeeper who has spent the past 11 years playing in the United States, is not American by birth. But his Senegal teammates call him 'the American' anyways.

Coundoul moved to the United States at age 14, played at Martin Luther King High School in Manhattan and the University at Albany, and is now the starter for the Colorado Rapids of the United States' Major League Soccer team.

He is the only M.L.S. player at the tournament and as veteran football reporter Jack Bell's article in today's New York Times says, Ghana 2008 may be “Bouna Time!”, a catch phrase Mr. Coundoul has thrown around often.

Coundoul's fighting Cheikh Tidiane N’Diaye to be the team’s No. 2 keeper behind veteran Tony Sylva of Lille in Ligue 1 in France.

Good luck and may “Bouna Time!” strike and not hurt anyone in the process.

Diouf Predicts a Tough Cup of Nations

El Hadji Diouf is back with the Senegal team after quitting a few months back.
Now, he's saying the 2008 edition of the African Cup of Nations will be the toughest one yet.

Can't say I disagree ...

"We have so many good teams in this year's tournament," he said.

"I think this is the hardest African Nations Cup ever to win because every team has good players."

Despite the tough competition, Diouf feels Senegal are capable of lifting the trophy on February 10th.

"This time, I think that if we play the way we did during the qualifiers, we have a chance. We have been to a final, semi-final and hopefully this year we can go all the way.

The Teranga Lions (great nickname) were beaten in the 2002 final on penalties by Cameroon and have reached the semi-finals on four other occasions.

Diouf threatened to retire from international football in October after criticizing the way the Senegal Football Association is run.

Luckily, their differences have been resolved.

"Well it's impossible to say that all the other players in Senegal are of any less importance, but it is fair to say that I am a rather symbolic player for the country.
I set out the problems that I had, all those problems have now been resolved."

"I could say that I was a little hot-headed in my approach to those problems but I'm not in a position, nor will I ever be in a position, where I could leave my countrymen to get on without me.

"I want to be there, as the captain it is not an option not to be there."

But add El Hadji to a growing list of footballing personalities calling for a change in Cup fixture dates.

"Players like me, Didier Drogba, Samuel Eto'o and a lot of other African players want to play this tournament in June," he said.

"If we did that then we wouldn't get problems from anybody.

"But don't forget that I'm an African. I'm very proud of my country.

"The clubs need to understand that we are only away for a month and wish us all the best and we in turn will wish them the same."

Gotta love Mr. Diouf. One of the colorful characters of the African game.

El Hadji Diouf Calls It A Day

Breaking news from Senegal, as captain El Hadji Diouf announced he's ending his international career, citing organizational problems at the West African side.

"I have stopped my international career," Diouf told commercial radio station RFM in a telephone interview from England, where he plays club football for Premier League Bolton Wanderers. "There are so many problems with the national team.

"The team has a scheduled friendly match in a week and we don't even know who we are playing against. This is unacceptable," said the 26-year-old striker, who has played for his country over 30 times.

"If we have to come and play for our country, we have to pay for our own air ticket and reimbursement of the cost is another big problem," he added.

Senegal have qualified for the next year's African Nation's Cup in Ghana.

"I don't think I will change my mind," Diouf said.

This is a big blow for not only Senegal, but for African football.
Let's hope he changes his mind. Senegal wouldn't be the same without their inspirational leader.

Portsmouth and their African Squad

Life has taken its toll and I haven't been posting as much as I want. Too much to do, not enough time to do it.

But enough about me. Let's catch up with some news. This item comes from the BBC and writer Ben Wyatt. It's about Portsmouth and their African contingent. To read the full article, please click here! The following is an excerpt of the enlightening article.

Having recently captured Senegal's Papa Bouba Diop, manager Harry Redknapp has signed up an array of the continent's talent.

Fratton Park is now home to the all-Nigerian strike force of Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka, Ghana's midfield maestro Sulley Muntari, Mali defender Djimi Traore, Cameroon's Lauren and Zimbabwe forward Benjani Mwaruwari.

Despite this assistant manager Joe Jordan denies the existence of an 'Africa specific' transfer policy.

"The players we have brought to the club are there because they are the best we could find for their respective positions.

"As long as the players who come into the club apply themselves we are glad to welcome them," Jordon added.

It's refreshing to hear a manager talking about the qualities of the players, not specifically where they're from. I wonder how the club feels about the upcoming African Cup of Nations?

State of the 2010 World Cup

Life has once again intervened in my blogging endeavors.
But I'm back with some updates on South Africa's progress on the Road to the 2010 World Cup.

World Cup organizer Danny Jordaan (above) briefed the South African High Commission in London a few days back and said the state of tournament organization is very good. Everything is on track for a successful World Cup come 2010.

Jordaan said stadium development was on schedule, sponsorship and TV rights income was already guaranteed to surpass that of 2006 and tourism in the country continued to grow despite one of the world's highest crime rates.

However, he conceded that African nations were failing to establish any consistency of playing performance and that action was needed to ensure a local presence in the latter stages of the first World Cup to be held on African soil.

"We have two completion dates. By December 2008 we will have the five stadia we need for the (2009) Confederations Cup -- four of those are ready today," Jordaan said.

"Then we have to build the new stadiums by October 2009. If we complete all the stadiums on the time we will be the first country to have done so. Remember the paint was still wet for the Athens Olympics while the new Wembley here was not without problems. Yes we have crime, there are challenges, but our ability to safeguard all of our visitors coming to our major events has been tested over the last 13 years and there has not been a single incident and tourist figures have grown every year."

Jordaan added that, inspired by the success of Germany's fan parks at the 2006 World Cup, 2010 organisers planned to expand the concept not only to non-hosting cities in South Africa but had asked FIFA to investigate the possibility of allowing cities all over the world, and particularly throughout Africa, to set up "unofficial" fan parks.

However, when it came to a discussion about African prospects of success on the pitch in three years' time, Jordaan was less enthusiastic.

Spotlighting teams who have done well in the Olympics and African Nations Cup but failed to make an impact at the World Cup, where only Cameroon (1990) and Senegal (2002) have reached the quarter-finals, Jordaan highlighted the difference in support structures.

"In an analysis of the kinds of technical, medical and scientific support available for the best teams in the world against African teams, there is a huge gap," he said.

"They have physios, dieticians, doctors and so on ... it's not just running on to the field and playing. Very often you find African players have recurring injuries because of inappropriate treatment. It is an area we have to look at and in November we have a medical conference focusing on medical support for African teams."

South Africa, struggling internationally since their peak in the mid-1990s, have followed many of the continental partners by employing a foreign coach -- Brazilian Carlos Alberto Parreira -- but Jordaan said he felt that trend was one of the reasons for the teams' failures.

Quoting a "professor of football" he met in Cuba, Jordaan said: "He told me 'You cannot beat anyone who you admire, who you have as an idol'.

"'You have to find your own heroes. When a team stands there with hands on heart and sings the national anthem and the coach can't sing it, the players know.'

"These are the sort of issues we need to probe."

Africans in Europe

Let's take a look again at the footballing exploits of African superstars in Europe this week, courtesy of Timothy Collings of Reuters.

Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins scored a vital brace, including a spectacular overhead kick, as Newcastle United opened their English Premier League campaign with a 3-1 win at Bolton Wanderers.

Martins's athletic strike was the eye-catching highlight of a busy and successful weekend for African players as the leading European soccer leagues began their seasons.

The striker's first goal was sublime. He controlled James Milner's cross on his chest with his back towards goal, before spinning and executing a perfect overhead kick high into the net to make it 2-0 after 21 minutes.

The former Inter Milan frontman scored his second six minutes later with a deflected long-range strike and Bolton could manage only a solitary consolation from French striker Nicolas Anelka.

Elsewhere in the English league, it was an excellent day for Portsmouth's African duo Benjani Mwaruwari and John Utaka.

Both were on the score-sheet as Pompey began the season with a 2-2 draw at newly-promoted Derby County.

After 27 minutes Zimbabwean Benjani latched onto a pass from England's David Nugent to equalise Matt Oakley's early opener.
Then Utaka, an impressive new arrival, appeared to win the game for Portsmouth when the Nigerian drove home powerfully with just seven minutes remaining.
But Derby struck back immediately to snatch a point through an Andy Todd diving header.

Ghana's Michael Essien started the new season with Chelsea's winning goal in a 3-2 win over promoted Birmingham City in an entertaining game at Stamford Bridge.

Young Nigerian striker Victor Anichebe scored a vital goal for Everton as they started their season with a 2-1 win at home to Wigan Athletic.
The 19-year-old from Lagos calmly converted from an Andrew Johnson through-ball with 15 minutes remaining.

ISIAKU DOUBLE

The German Bundesliga got underway on Friday night, but the first major African contribution came the following day when VfL Bochum hosted Werder Bremen.
Bremen were without eight first-team players but they will still be disappointed to have surrendered a two-goal lead in a 2-2 draw.

Brazilian playmaker Diego scored Bremen's first from the penalty spot before Ivorian striker Boubacar Sanogo doubled the advantage with a curling free-kick in first half stoppage time.

Manasseh Isiaku was on target twice for MSV Duisburg as they won 3-1 at Borussia Dortmund.
The Nigerian struck either side of Mihai Tararache's 62nd minute penalty to make sure promoted Duisburg kicked off their season in style with their first win at Dortmund for 35 years.

In France, a double from Algerian striker Rafih Saifi helped FC Lorient to a 2-1 win over Monaco in the second round of Ligue 1 fixtures on Saturday.

Also on Saturday, St Etienne's all-African strikeforce powered them to a victory over Valenciennes.
A goal from Batefimbi Gomis of Senegal and two from Guinea's Pascal Feindouno shot 'Les Verts' to their first win of the season.

On Sunday, a late goal from Senegal striker Momar N'Diaye was not enough to save Metz from a home defeat against Lille.
N'Diaye looked to have earned a share of the points when his deflected effort made it 1-1 in the 84th minute but there was still time for Croatian midfielder Marko Maric to steal the win for the visitors.