The weekend brought to life match day four of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup but the biggest news emanates from Cameroon who risks being stripped of rights to host the Africa Cup of Nations 2019 24-team tourney. But first let’s head down to the continent’s South.
SOUTHERN AFRICA
Mauritius– The 2018 COSAFA U17 Championship wrapped up over the weekend and Angola were crowned winners thanks to a 1-0 victory over South Africa in Sunday’s final at the Stade St Francois Xavier in Port Louis.
It’s Mauritius’ first regional title at this age-group level.
Osvaldo Capemba scored the only goal of the game in a match that had few clear-cut chances for either side, with Angola to now represent the region at the 2019 African Under-17 Championships in Tanzania.
We take a stroll to South Africa, where it seems finally Ajax Cape Town have given up on playing in the PSL after they were relegated following the ‘Ndorogate’ saga.
Ajax’s CEO Ari Efstathiou has since revealed that the club has accepted to campaign in the NFD (second tier) next season while also confirming that Head Coach Muhsin Ertugral will remain at the club.
Background
FIFA regulations prevent a player from representing three teams in one season.
Tendai Ndoro played a game for Pirates in August 2017. He was then transferred to play for Al Faisaly in Saudi Arabia before signing for Ajax in late December.
The PSL’s Dispute Resolution Chamber decided in late January that Ndoro was eligible to play for the Urban Warriors after protests by Orlando Pirates and Polokwane City against Ajax Cape Town for fielding the Zimbabwean in a 3-0 win and a 1-1 draw against City.
PSL referred the matter to the FIFA Players’ Status Committee, but the committee referred the case back to South African football authorities.
Next stop is Zambia. Sprinter Kennedy Luchembe on Friday won the country’s first gold medal at the Youth Games in Algeria.
Luchembe broke his own record in the 400m clocking 46.21s. Zambia managed just four medals at the games.
WEST AFRICA
Cameroon– On 20th September 2014, African champions, Cameroon won the bid to host the 2019 AFCON tournament after beating contenders the Ivory Coast, Guinea, Zambia, and Algeria. Three years (July 2017) after the bid was won the Confederation of African Football (CAF) adopted a resolution to expand African Cup of Nations from 16 to 24 teams – something Cameroon did not ask for and just two years to the tournament.
The Cameroonian media reported few weeks ago that the Local Organizing Committee was facing difficulties following the suspension of work at the stadium construction sites and workers’ protest over wages for more than four months.
Now a former Egypt international goalkeeper, Ahmed Shobier has come out to reveal that Morocco will be handed the last minute right to host the 2019 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) as many have expected.
But when asked about the matter, CAF President Ahmad Ahmad managed to avoid the question, not once, but twice during the just ended COSAFA U17 Youth Championships in Mauritius.
In Ghana, CAF has summoned Ghana’s sports minister Isaac Kwame Asiamah for a round table discussion to be staged in Madagascar amidst doubt about the readiness of Ghana for the hosting of the 2018 African Women Cup of Nation (AWCON).
This follows the latest inspection by a delegation from CAF who are dissatisfied with what they found, just three months to the start of the tournament, as uncertainty lingers over the readiness of the earmarked venues.
The Cape Coast and Accra Sports stadium were earmarked as the two venues to host the 2018 AWCON but regressing and other infrastructural upgrades have left the venues miles behind schedule.
Over to Sierra Leone, the Executive Committee of the Sierra Leone Football Association on Monday dismissed Sadick Deen Nyakor, acting chairman of the Southern Region Football Association from the SLFA Executive Committee with immediate effect.
The reason for his dismissal has not been revealed with the SLFA tight lipped over the matter.
EAST AFRICA
In Uganda, reigning Uganda Premier League champions Vipers Sports Club will not take part in the inaugural Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA) Super 8 tournament.
Three weeks ago, FUFA confirmed that the Ugandan Shilling 90 Million worth Super 8 tournament will be played in August 2018 as a pre-season event that will be played annually.
NORTH AFRICA
Egypt national junior squash team were crowned 2018 World Junior Squash Champions in Chennai, India, after defeating England in the final 2-0.
The Pharaohs reached their eighth consecutive final, winning the title on four occasions first in 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014.
Over in Tunisia, Tunisia FA have announced the appointment of Tunisian manager Faouzi Benzarti as the new head coach of The Carthage Eagles (Tunisian national team) on a two-year contract.
The announcement was made just two weeks after former manager Nabil Maaloul announced that he terminated his contract with the Tunisia FA.
The 68-year-old has already been in charge of the Carthage Eagles twice, once in 2009 and in 2011.
He has also coached a number of big Tunisian and African clubs such as Esperance, Club Africain, Club Sportif Sfaxien and Etoile du Sahel.
CAF Champions League Results;
Group A
KCCA FC 0-1 Esperance
Township Rollers 0-1 Al Ahly SC
Group B
Mouloudia Club D’Alger 1-1 TP Mazembe
Difaâ Hassani El Jadidi 1-1 E. S. Setifienne
Group C
Wydad Athletic Club 2-0 Horoya A.C
Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 AS Togo Port de Lomé
Group D
Club Desportivo 1 de Agosto 2-1 Zesco United FC
Étoile Sportive du Sahel 2-0 Mbabane Swallows
CAF Confederation Cup Matchday 4 Results
Group A
Raja Casablanca 4-0 ASEC Mimosas – [Mahmoud Benhalib 2X, Zakaria Hadraf 2X]
AS Vita Club 2-0 Aduana Stars – [Jean-Marc Makusu 2X]
Group B
Al Masry SC 1-0 RS Berkane – [Islam Eissa]
UD Songo 1-1 Al Hilal Omdurman – [Mario Sinamunda || Sharaf Eldin Ali]
Group C
Williamsville AC 2-0 Enyimba Int’l FC – [Jean-Willy N’da Kouassi, Guy Serge Yameogo]
CARA Brazaville 1-0 Djoliba AC – [Racine Louamba]
Group D
Young Africans 2-3 Gor Mahia FC
[Deus Kaseke David, Raphael Loth || George Odhiambo, Jacques Tuyisenge, Haron Shakava]
USM Alger 1-1Rayon Sports FC – [Mohammed Hamia || Ismaila Diarra]
