Top Sport Stories Across Africa

Ducor Sports brings to our readership headline-making stories across the continent. Topping the charts in the news field is the saga with Nigeria coach Yusuf Salisu who was captured allegedly receiving $1000 by Ghanaian journalist Anas, but first let’s begin with North Africa.

NORTH AFRICA

Of huge interest over this part of the continent is the Spanish Supercopa tournament to be hosted by Morocco which will see Barcelona and Sevilla vie for the staked prize.

The Royal Spanish Football Federation announced that the Spanish Supercopa tournament match between Barcelona and Sevilla will be hosted in the city of Tangier in Morocco. Barcelona, the Spanish league title holders, will clash with Sevilla, Cope del Rey runners-up, on August 12 in the opening game of the 2018/19 Spanish season.

Tiptoeing to Egypt, there is a story of Zamalek chairman Mortada Mansour making the rounds. Mansour is locked in controversy with one of his side’s star players.

Mahmoud Abdel-Razak Shikalaba, 32, hasn’t reported for training since returning with the Pharaohs from the Russia World Cup.

His absence left the White Knights fuming, who dispatched a communiqué accusing him of running away. The winger countered, denying Zamalek’s claims but the club chief Mortadar revealed he opted to throw the attacker’s response to the trash can, describing it insulting.

“If you threaten to go to FIFA, we have a complete file of your disciplinary breaches in PAOK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Sporting Lisbon to your escape from the national team’s training camp in Germany.”

“I personally threw away your statement in the nearest trash bin because it doesn’t deserve a response from respectable people because it is full of lies and curses and you will be punished for every letter you used in it,” Mortada said.

Still in Egypt, the country’s FA has unveiled a four-man list as possible replacement to gaffer Hector Cuper who got axed from the national team following a calamitous exit the World Cup.

The four are Colombia’s Jorge Luis Pinto, former Watford and Atlético Madrid manager Quique Sánchez Flores, former Mexico and Japan manager Javier Aguirre and Bosnian manager Vahid Halilhodžić.

A committee consisting of Magdy Abdel-Ghany, Essam Abdel-Fatah, and Hazem Emam will assess the managerial option and decide who is best for the Egyptian national team top job.

SOUTHERN AFRICA

In Zambia, The big news is that of new coach Sven Vandenbroek naming his first 23-man squad for a three-day camp.  The Belgian tactician has already started preparations for the Cameroon 2019 AFCON qualifier against Namibia to be played in September with four more camps expected before then.

Away from the national team, the mid-season transfer window is open and a number of clubs have been reinforcing their squads.  Kitwe-based Power Dynamos are on the verge of signing Kenyan leading top goal-scorer Elvis Rupia from Nzoia Sugar.

In Lusaka, Red Arrows FC have sent head coach Honor Janza on administrative leave with immediate effect after a poor run of results despite investing heavily.

The Zambia Youth hockey team is also in the news after they beat Algeria 7-0 to book a place in the semi-finals of the ongoing Africa Youth Games in Algeria. The team is now only one win away from claiming one of the two spots at the Olympic Youth Games to be played in Argentina in October. At the same games, 15-year-old swimmer Mia Phiri earned Zambia’s first medal -a silver in the 50m backstroke.

Over to Zimbabwe, It was all about who represents the country in the two prestigious club competitions on the continent the CAF Champions League and the CAF confederation cup after CAF adjustments on the CAF calendar.

The continental competitions will be staged from August through to May, at a time the local league will be still in progress meaning FC Platinum who lifted the Castle Lager Premier Socer League in the previous season will once again represent Zimbabwe in the CAF Champions League.

Harare City will be representatives in CAF Confederation Cup after winning the 2017 Chibuku Super Cup. The Sunshine Boys failed to participate in the last edition following their relegation to Division One.

EAST AFRICA

In Ethiopia, The biggest news coming out is that the Walia Ibex (Ethiopia national football team) has a new coach, Abraham Mebratu, who signed a two-year deal.

The 48-year-old replaces Ashenafi Bekele, who resigned from his post in December last year. Mebratu helped Yemeni national team qualify for Asian Cup which will take place in United Arab Emirates in 2019.

Ethiopians are hoping he can do a bit of his magic and guide their team to the 2019 Africa Cup of nations to be held in Cameroon, but that won’t be easy as they host Sierra Leone in September on the back of a 5-0 bashing in the opening games of the qualifiers at the hands of The Black Stars of Ghana.

In Kenya, the country’s biggest derby came alive over the weekend as Gor Mahia and AFC Leopards went head to head in a mouthwatering encounter.

It was the in-form Gor Mahia who claimed the bragging rights of the 83rd Mashemeji Derby with a 2-1 win over AFC Leopards on July 22nd at MISC, Kasarani thanks to strikes from Jacques Tuyisenge and George Odhiambo.

In Uganda,  funding has taken center stage after the National Social Security Fund (NSSF), Who sponsors the Kampala Amateur Volleyball Championship (KAVC) Invitational Tournament  increased its sponsorship towards this year’s championship to a tune of  130M Ugandan shillings. The three-day championship will kick-off on 3rd to 5th August 2018 at Lugogo Indoor Stadium and Lugogo Hockey ground.

In Golf the 77th edition of the Uganda Golf Open has received a massive boost thanks to a 400M Ugandan shillings sponsorship from Budweiser.

This annual championship will run in three series, teeing off with the ladies open on the weekend of 12-15 September 2018. The Amateur open will run from 18th to 22nd September before the professionals will wind up on 24th to 29th September 2018.

WEST AFRICA

In Gambia, it is close to election time with the Gambia Football Federation’s presidential elections billed for next month (18th August). There are only two vying for the most important football job in the West African nation as incumbent Lamin Kabba Bajo tries to seek a renewed term in office up against Malick N.K. Sillah, a new face in Gambia’s football politics. The duo were  given the go-ahead to contest the hot-potato job after being given a clean bill by the Football House’s electoral committee. Six others throwing their hats in the ring for the other portfolios were turned down and have weeks to appeal their rejection

On the field of play, the country is eyeing a maiden Africa Cup of Nations appearance having named a new manager in Belgian Tom Saintfiet.

The former Togo boss signed a nine-month contract and will take charge of Gambia, who are  currently sitting bottom of group D of the qualifiers with zero points after slipping 1-0 away to Benin in the opening day of the qualifiers. The Scorpions must beat Algeria next month in Banjul to fancy their hopes of making their debut appearance in the continent’s biggest football gala in Cameroon in 2019.

Over to Nigeria, it’s a partially similar football politics story but a lot more complicated as Nigeria risk FIFA suspension for government interference. This follows a never ending court battle between Melvin Amaju Pinnick, The NFF boss and Chris Goes who has been challenging Pinnick’s election since 2014.

In a turn of events in the crisis hovering over the Football Federation, the presidency, using the apparatus of the Department of State Security, DSS, stormed the headquarters of Nigeria Football Federation, NFF, on Monday morning, and reinstated its secretary general, Muhammed Sanusi – to avoid stern sanctions on Nigeria from FIFA.

Another big story that has rocked Nigeria is that of respected Super Eagles’ coach Yusuf Salisu who was filmed taking a bribe to influence his selection of players at the 2018 CHAN tournament.

The footage, shot by Ghanaian investigative reporter Anas Aremeyaw Anas in September 2017, showed Yusuf collecting a sum of money, reportedly, $1000 cash.

Some good news reverberate around Ghana as Chelsea legend Michael Essien has obtained his UEFA B coaching badge taking a step closer to management.