Sports
Mali’s Success Overwhelms Captain Kante
Cedric Kante has revealed that he is honoured to have been captain of Mali as the Eagles recorded their best Africa Cup of Nations finish in 40 years at the just concluded 2012 Africa Cup of Nations.
The West Africans beat regional rivals Ghana 2-0 to take third place at the finals for the first time.
“It’s a great honour, as a captain and a Malian player, to finish third, a very great feeling”, said Kante.
“When we started this competition, we came to play as well as possible but we didn’t expect results like this”.
“I am more than happy (and) more than satisfied.”
Prior to the competition, most Malian fans had low expectations because of the combination of big-name absentees, a handful of injuries and the introduction of several youngsters.
However, a 1-0 win over Guinea in Mali’s opening game propelled the Eagles into the knock-out stages from Group D, where they were beaten by Ghana before sinking Botswana.
In the quarter-finals, coach Alain Giresse’s side took on co-hosts Gabon and triumphed via a penalty shoot-out after the game finished 1-1 after extra-time.
The Eagles were trailing in Libreville before finding an equaliser with just six minutes left, an incident that reflected the Malians’ character at these finals, says Kante.
“The spirit is here, we have the quality, we are young and I think we can improve in the next couple of years,” the centre-back told Tidesports source.
“We have been building the spirit we showed in this competition for two years now, it is not a new thing.”
The Panathinaikos defender also paid tribute to Giresse, saying the Frenchman’s role in rebuilding the Eagles has been crucial.
“If you see the work Giresse (and his coaching staff) did over the last two years, it’s fantastic,” said one of the defenders of the tournament.
“With his experience, not to mention the great player he was in the past, the coach is very helpful for us and for Malian football as we have many things to learn from him.”
Mali’s attention will now turn towards qualifying for next year’s Nations Cup and the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, which get under .way in June.
Despite the Eagles’ success in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, Kante is refusing to believe that his side will cruise to Brazil 2014.
“If we keep this spirit, I think we can go far and we can be optimistic,” he explained. “But to go to the World Cup is (not like qualifying for the) African Cup.
“There are only five teams who qualify – and with Cameroon, Nigeria and all these teams who are better than us normally, we have to prove that we can beat those teams.
“First, we have to beat Benin and Algeria and we’ll see if we can keep the spirit but I hope so.”
Rwanda are the fourth and final team to make up Group H of African qualifying for the 2014 World Cup – with the 10 group winners meeting in a play-off in late 2013.
The Ardova Handball Premier League 2025, which began with the first phase in Benin City months ago, before the second phase in Lagos which ends with a finale that the Executive Chairman of Ardova PLC, Dr. Abdulwasiu Sowami, ably represented by the Deputy Managing Director, Ardova PLC, Mrs Abiola Babatunde-Ojo, described as delightful to watch in her speech.
For Safety Shooters, it was a historic moment as they clinched the men’s title for the first time since 2020, completing a dominant campaign that saw them finish top of the table with 57 points from 20 matches while Safety Babes also etched their name deeper into Nigerian handball history, winning an unprecedented fifth consecutive women’s championship, reaffirming their status as the league’s most dominant team, not just in the women’s category but in the history of handball premier league in Nigeria.
In the Men’s Safety Shooters finished the season in style, beating COAS Shooters 43–32 (20–10) to cap off a dominant outing in Phase 2.
Their final-day victory ensured they remained clear at the summit with an impressive 18 wins, one draw, and one loss, totaling a superb goal difference of +214 after scoring 638 goals and conceding 424.
The organisers of the Ikoyi Club Tennis Masters Tournament have earmarked N4 million as the prize money for this year’s edition.
?The Chairman of the tennis section of Ikoyi Club, Diran Famakinwa, stated this at a briefing, highlighting the activities for the second edition of the tournament.
?The tournament, which is in collaboration with MegaMound Investment Limited, is endorsed by the Nigerian Tennis Federation.
?According to Famakinwa, the male and female champions will receive N500,000 each, while the runners-up in both categories will go home with the sum of N350,000 each, with the remaining money to be shared among the semi-finalists and other participants.
?Sixteen players, which includes the eight top ?male and eight top female players, will feature in the one-week event, which started on December 5, and run till Saturday, December 13.
?The female final will be held on Friday, December 12, while the male final will take up on Saturday, December 13.
In a statement released on Saturday, the NSC described the defender as “Captain Fantastic” and praised his decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, highlighting a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty.
“After a decade of distinguished service to Nigeria, Troost-Ekong leaves behind a legacy defined by professionalism, consistency, patriotism and an unwavering commitment to national duty,” the NSC stated.
The commission noted that, as one of the most capped defenders in Super Eagles history with 83 international appearances since his debut in 2015, Troost-Ekong served as a pillar of leadership across multiple tournaments and qualification campaigns.
“His exceptional outing at the last Africa Cup of Nations, where he scored three goals and was named Player of the Tournament, remains one of the most remarkable achievements by a defender in AFCON history,” the NSC added.
The statement further emphasised that Troost-Ekong’s “Nigeria first” mindset, discipline and exemplary conduct set a standard for the next generation of athletes, with his influence within the national team extending beyond the pitch to inspire unity, resilience and professionalism among his teammates.
Meanwhile, Troost-Ekong has dismissed rumours that he was forced to retire by the country’s football administrators as punishment for leading a revolt against the NFF.
The 32-year-old’s announcement came less than a month before the AFCON, and he was named in the 54-man preliminary list. His decision sparked speculation, particularly as he had led a strike in protest against unpaid bonuses during the World Cup qualifying play-offs.
One fan speculated on social media, suggesting that Troost-Ekong was pressured to quit after exposing the NFF. The Al Khoolood defender offered a sharp retort, establishing that he unilaterally made the decision to retire.
“Not true! My own choice/decision and on my own terms. No one ever asked/tried to force me out. If anything, the opposite when I shared my decision. I wish the team all the best and support them together with all Nigerians for the upcoming AFCON to go all the way,” he wrote on X.
The NSC concluded by wishing Troost-Ekong the very best in the next chapter of his career and commending him for representing Nigeria with honour.
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