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Odemiwingie Makes 1st Round Xi

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Almost all of the expected names made it-just-into the knockout stages of this year’s African Nations Cup. The same can barely be said of the stars who were expected to light up the stage.

Instead, it is some unexpected faces who stormed to the forefront to make their mark, before heading home  Osaze Odemwingie is the only Super Eagles to receive a mention in the first round. First round best players include:

GK: Ovono Ebang (Gabon)

Gabon stunned many at this tournament. Not expected to do much but make up the numbers, they caused the first big shock of the competition by handing Cameroun a 1-0 defeat in their opening game, and then went on to draw 0-0 with Tunisia. Ovono was the foundation on which they built those solid performances.

RB: Samuel Inkoom (Ghana)

Ghana’s rookie right back only got the chance for a starting place because of a last minute injury to John Paintsil. How the Fulham man will rue that injury, as his place in the first team is now under serious threat. Inkoom defends with a maturity that belies his 20 years, and can also be counted upon to deliver inch-perfect offensive crosses.

LB: Siaka Tiene (CIV)

In an Ivorien team so far struggling to live up to their reputation, Siaka Tiene stands out as one of the best left backs in the tournament. Mali’s Adama Tamboura also comes to mind here.

CB: Danny Shittu (Nigeria)

Nigeria’s defence looked all over the place in the opening day defeat to Egypt. But the introduction of Shittu brought stability, and two clean sheets.

CB: Wael Goma (Egypt)

Only one goal allowed in three games is not a stat to sneeze at, and Goma has been key to Egypt’s near perfect defensive record.

CM: Josephy Kamwendo (Malawi)

The 23-year-old Orlando Pirates midfielder raised a few eye-brows in Malawi’s win over Algeria with his dominating performance, he didnt slow down in the next two games either. Shame has forwards couldnt quite keep up.

CM: Rainford Kalaba (Zambia)

Strength, speed, skill and strength. Kalaba will be a big miss for Zambia against Nigeria.

LM: Osaze Odemwingie (Nigeria)

Is it just coincidence that Nigeria’s fortunes changed when he returned to the side? He was actually deployed at right midfield but is equally adept on the other flank, as he showed in scorching a daisy-cutter home from there against Mozambique.

RM: Jonathan Pitroipa (Burkina Faso)

He is the reason I moved Odemwingie to the left. Moumouni Dagano was the name on everyone’s lips when Burkina Faso came into the tourney, but Pitroipa is the one who showed skill, strength, endless running and an ability to almost carry the team on his own.

FW: Mohammed Zidan (Egypt)

Very technical player who made things happen for Egypt with his touch, awareness and ability to make the right choices in front of goal.

FW: Flavio (Angola)

The former Al Ahly man’s three goals show just how much of an effect he has on the team. Mark him all you will, he will still find a way to score.

Coach: Hassan Shehata (Egypt)

Mastermind of the only perfect record in the first round. It could have been even better if Chinedu Obasi had not struck that wonderful goal to soil Essam El Hadary’s copy book.

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I Joined Saudi League To Win Titles – Senegal Keeper

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Senegal goalkeeper Edouard Mendy has said that criticism that he and other players chased money by moving to Saudi Arabia is wide of the mark.
The 33-year-old left Chelsea for Al-Ahli in a £16m ($21.4m) deal in 2023, and in May the Africa Cup of Nations winner helped his Saudi club win the Asian Champions League, making him one of the few players to win both that competition and its European equivalent.
But, like many others, Mendy has been criticised for playing for money rather than prestige in the lucrative Saudi Pro League.
When asked about such criticism, Mendy told a Tidesports source, “Al-Ahli’s project came along and they made me feel I had a big role to play.
“Two years later, we won the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history. So yes, that validates my choice. And I hope the coming years will validate it even more.”
He added: “Some people will quickly jump to conclusions and say the only reason is money. From the start, I always said that when I left Chelsea, I knew I was joining another team where I could win everything , which was no longer the case at Chelsea.”
The Blues have since won the Conference League, Europe’s third-tier club competition, under the ownership of Todd Boehly and Clearlake Capital.
But it comes after the regime’s trophyless first two years, a period which has frustrated some supporters after the success enjoyed under Roman Abramovich’s stewardship in the previous 19 years.
Mendy has also been celebrating what he describes as a historical win with Senegal against England at Nottingham Forest’s City Ground, but days earlier he had been in Dakar delivering a different kind of win.
He is the sponsor of Yakaar, a school in Keur Massar, which seeks to improve funding and access to digital learning tools for local children from underprivileged backgrounds.
Famously, as Mendy grew up in France, he was unemployed, aged 22, while struggling to find a club, with members of his family still living on the outskirts of Dakar.
That is why Yakaar, a word meaning “hope”, was chosen, a word Mendy has carried with him in his career.
“Hope is what kept me going. When I was without a club, it was the hope of getting that first professional contract.
“Then the hope of playing for the national team. The hope of making my family proud by doing the job I had always dreamed of.
“Indeed, hope is the best word to describe my career.”
Mendy was also asked whether the responsibility of being an African goalkeeper had weighed heavily on him.
“Of course. When I was in England, there weren’t many African goalkeepers in top clubs,” he admitted.
“Whether nationally or internationally, I had that responsibility. It’s the same for other African goalkeepers like Andre Onana [Manchester United] or Yassine Bounou (Al-Hilal).”

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Spanish Football Fires Entire Refereeing Committee

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The entire refereeing committee has been fired by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF), with structural reforms soon set to follow.
According to sources, the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has dismissed the entire refereeing committee in response to mounting pressure from clubs demanding structural reform. A major shake-up aimed at modernising Spanish refereeing from top to bottom has now been set in motion.
Head of the Technical Committee of Referees (CTA), Luis Medina Cantalejo and Head of VAR, Carlos Clos Gomez, have been removed from their positions. They are joined by several senior officials, including Antonio Rubinos Perez and three vice presidents, who are also stepping down. A new leadership model will be introduced, led by a CEO and a sporting director, aiming to overhaul how refereeing is managed covering assessments, promotions, and daily operations. While the leadership changes are sweeping, the current pool of referees in La Liga and the second tier will remain, ensuring continuity on the field during the transition.

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Ronaldo Renews Stay With Saudi Pro League

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Cristiano Ronaldo has signed a new two-year contract with Al-Nassr that means he will stay with the Saudi Pro League club until beyond his 42nd birthday.
The Portugal captain, 40, joined the Riyadh-based team in December 2022 after leaving Manchester United in acrimonious circumstances, having criticised the club and said he had no respect for manager Erik ten Hag.
Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr deal had been due to expire at the end of June and there was speculation he could leave, but that has now been quashed.
In a post on X, Ronaldo wrote: “A new chapter begins. Same passion, same dream. Let’s make history together.”
Although Al-Nassr have not added to their nine domestic titles during Ronaldo’s time at the club, they have benefited from a flood of goals from the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Ronaldo scored 35 times in 41 matches across all competitions last term and was the league’s top scorer for a second consecutive season.
He has managed 99 goals in appearances overall for Al-Nassr and is well on his way to reaching 1,000 senior goals in his career, with a current tally of 938 for club and country.
Having helped Portugal win the Uefa Nations League a little over two weeks ago, the former Manchester United, Real Madrid, Sporting and Juventus forward will almost certainly now be targeting a sixth World Cup appearance next summer.
Only a month ago, Ronaldo posted on social media to say “the chapter is over”.
That came after the Saudi Pro League wrapped up with Al-Nassr finishing third and trophyless once again.
The comment fuelled rumours that Ronaldo was ready to leave the league where he reportedly became the best-paid player in football history with an annual salary of £177m when he joined.
Fifa president Gianni Infantino raised the prospect of Ronaldo joining a team involved in the Club World Cup after Al-Nassr failed to qualify for the extended tournament which is being held in the United States.
Ronaldo said he had received offers from participating teams but had turned them down.
The decision to stay until at least 2027, which is certain to be highly lucrative, appears to rule out any future prospect of Ronaldo returning to play at the highest level in Europe.

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