Sports
2012 Nations Cup Qualifiers: Do-Or-Die Weekend In Africa
The penultimate round of 2012 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers will take place this weekend as a handful of giants face elimination and a group of unheralded sides aim to signal the start of a new era.
Three-time defending champions Egypt may finally fall off the cliff in Group G, but a win in Sierra Leone may revive their hopes of sneaking in as one of the two best second place teams. Nigeria and Cameroon are also hoping to make up points, while Ghana are trying to hold off a pesky challenge from Sudan and join Côte d’Ivoire and Botswana, as well as co-hosts Gabon and Equatorial Guinea, in reaching January’s continental finals.
In Group A all four teams are within three points of each other, from Cape Verde Islands on seven to Liberia with four. Those two face difficult away trips to Mali and Zimbabwe respectively that could set up a dramatic last qualifying day at the start of October. The Sharks of Cape Verde can qualify for their first finals if they win in Bamako and Zimbabwe do not beat the Liberians.
Group B leaders, Guinea won 4-1 in Addis Ababa so they would be expected to win at home this weekend against Ethiopia, and Nigeria will be favoured to keep pace on the road against a young Madagascar team. Three points behind after losing in Conakry on the second matchday, the Super Eagles host the Guineans in the last round, which means every goal will count.
Zambia have nine points and Libya fell one behind after drawing away to Comoros in the last round In Group C. The Zambians make this same trip this weekend as the Libyans ‘host’ Mozambique in Cairo due to the ongoing turmoil in the country. The Copper Bullets can qualify with a win and a Libyan loss, and they also have the advantage of hosting their main rivals in the final round.
Group D joint leaders
Morocco, travel to Bangui to meet Central African Republic for the top of the table as both sides are on seven points. The pair drew in Rabat in the opening round, but a similar result probably won’t help The Wild Beasts as they must travel to Algeria in October while the Moroccans host Tanzania. The Desert Foxes, on four, can put themselves back into the reckoning with a win in Dar-es-Salaam tomorrow despite losing 4-0 to Morocco in June.
Five points behind Group E leaders, Senegal, Cameroon are hoping for Congo DR to cause a shock on their weekend trip to Dakar. However, given Senegalese strength at home and the recent resignation of Congolese coach Robert Nouzaret, the Indomitable Lions and coach Javier Clemente may be playing for points and goal difference and looking for one of the best second-place spots at home against Mauritius.
Six points in the lead in Group F, Burkina Faso are pulling for Namibia to claim any points at home against Gambia. In the only group with three teams, the Burkinabe have been perfect so far and will qualify ahead of October’s trip to Gambia if the Scorpions slip at all tomorrow.
Yet to concede a goal, In Group G, South Africa are trying to avoid becoming the third team in the group to lose in Niamey and thus hold on to their two-point lead over Niger at the top of the table. Bafana Bafana coach Pitso Mosimane has upped the pressure ahead of Sunday’s match by calling Niger’s two home wins ‘a bit lucky’. Six points off the leaders, Egypt are sending their Olympic team to Sierra Leone as Africa prepares for its first continental championship without the Pharaohs in almost three decades.
In Group H, Côte d’Ivoire have already qualified after winning their first four matches. Rwanda, Burundi and Benin are all on four points and trying to work their way up the table of second-placed teams.
With ten points each, Ghana and Sudan could both qualify from Group I this weekend if they beat Swaziland and Congo respectively. Depending on results in other groups, the pair could sew up one of the second-place spots as the battle for group supremacy looks like it will go down to the final matchday when the Black Stars travel to Omdurman.
If Group J leaders Uganda can secure at least a point at second placed Angola, they will reach their first African finals since 1978. Even with a defeat in Luanda, the Cranes would still qualify with a victory at home against Kenya in the last round.
The campaign’s biggest shock, Botswana have already claimed Group K’s top spot, so Malawi will host initial favourites Tunisia as the two battle for the group’s automatic second-place spot in the finals. The pair, who drew 2-2 in Rades last September, are even on ten points with the Tunisians one ahead on goal difference and every goal vital.
Sports
Tottenham Fight Back To Hold Brighton
Tottenham fought back from two-goals down to secure a deserved point against Brighton.
The Seagulls were second best for much of the match but found themselves 2-0 up after 31 minutes thanks to Yankuba Minteh’s early strike and Yasin Ayari’s powerful drive.
However, Richarlison halved the deficit just before half-time when he stopped a shot by Mohammed Kudus before slotting in.
Spurs dominated the second half but their finishing let them down as Richarlison and substitute Xavi Simons were both unable to make the most of promising opportunities.
But the equaliser came eight minutes from time when Jan Paul van Hecke turned Kudus’ cross into his own net.
Spurs then pushed for a winner as they looked to continue their impressive start to the season, but Brighton held on for the point.
Bundesliga: Kane Continues Goal Harvest (5)
Harry Kane scored his second hat-trick of the season as Bayern Munich overcame a shaky start to win at Hoffenheim and continue their 100% start.
The England captain, 32, broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time with a clinical first-time finish from a cleverly worked low corner, and doubled Bayern’s lead from the spot after Albian Hajdari was harshly penalised for a handball.
That broke Hoffenheim’s resistance and Kane completed his ninth Bundesliga hat-trick with another penalty, given for a foul on substitute Michael Olise after a video assistant referee (VAR) check.
This time Kane sent home keeper Oliver Baumann the wrong way for his 13th Bayern goal in seven matches across all competitions this season, adding to his Champions League double against Chelsea last Wednesday.
“Hat-trick Harry is what they called me in school,” Kane told Tidesports source after the match. “That one kind of stuck when I was younger.”
“Any ball in the box, whether penalty or not, I back myself to hit the target.”
Hoffenheim had the better of the first 45 minutes, Fisnik Asllani only able to hit the post after goalkeeper Manuel Neuer passed straight to the Kosovan.
They eventually got some reward for their efforts, former West Ham full-back Vladimir Coufal’s deflected free-kick beating Neuer to earn the Czech his first goal for the club.
Ex-Liverpool winger Luis Diaz hit the top of the bar late on as he failed to continue his record of scoring in every Bundesliga game this season, but Serge Gnabry added a fourth for Bayern with the last kick, converting a rebound from a tight angle after Baumann saved from Joshua Kimmich.
Nicolas Jackson made his first start since joining Bayern on an initial loan deal from Chelsea, but the Senegal striker had a very quiet game before being replaced in the 62nd minute.
In Italy, Lorenzo Pellegrini fired Roma into the Serie A top four as Lazio had two players sent off in a fiery derby.
The midfielder found the bottom corner in the 38th minute as Roma extended their unbeaten run to four games against their city rivals.
Lazio have lost three of their opening games of the season and had Reda Belahyane and former Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi dismissed in late drama.
Roma started well and Rome-born Pellegrini claimed the vital goal – his fourth in a Rome derby after being available for transfer in the summer – following good work down the right by Matias Soule.
But the hosts will rue missed opportunities as Boulaye Dia, Mattia Zaccagni and Alessio Romagnoli all had openings.
With four minutes left substitute Belahyane was shown a red card for a late studs-up challenge on Manu Kone.
Danilo Cataldi struck the outside of the post for Lazio in a last-gasp effort to snatch a point, while team-mate Guendouzi was sent off for dissent after the final whistle.
Sports
Zidane’s Son Switches Allegiance To Algeria
Luca Zidane, the son of France’s World Cup-winning playmaker Zinedine, has switched his international allegiance from France to Algeria.
Born just outside Marseille, the 27-year-old goalkeeper had appeared for France at various youth levels.
The move, which was approved by Fifa, may enable Zidane to follow in his father’s footsteps by appearing at a World Cup, with Algeria expected to secure a place at the 2026 finals in North America in their qualifier against Somalia next month.
Zidane, who is the second of four brothers, all of whom came through the Real Madrid academy, currently plays for Spanish second tier side Granada.
He played two matches for Madrid and has La Liga experience at Rayo Vallecano, but dropped a level in 2022 to play for Eibar before heading to Andalusia in 2024.
Zidane qualifies for the North African country through his father, whose parents hailed from the Kabylie region of Algeria.
Zinedine Zidane, who is regarded as one of the games greatest players scored twice for France in their 1998 World Cup final victory over Brazil, but was famously sent-off in the 2006 final, which was won by Italy after a penalty shootout.
Sports
Man Utd Beat Chelsea To Ease Pressure
Manchester United capitalised on Robert Sanchez’s fifth-minute red card to secure a crucial victory over Chelsea in torrential rain at Old Trafford.
The first match in Premier League history to see two or more goals, red cards and substitutions in the first half was settled by goals from United skipper Bruno Fernandes and Casemiro, who was the other player sent off before the break.
It was Sanchez’s dismissal that set the course of the game though.
The Spain international raced from his goal to meet Bryan Mbeumo as the striker ran beyond the Chelsea defence.
Sanchez then upended the forward outside his area rather than allow him past to tap the ball into an empty net.
Enzo Maresca’s response to the red card was to take off both Pedro Neto and Estevao Willian and, as Cole Palmer had to be replaced after suffering a recurrence of a groin injury, Chelsea had lost three attacking players in the space of 20 minutes.
Trevor Chalobah pulled one back for Chelsea with a header 10 minutes from time but United kept their nerves at bay to make it to the final whistle with their lead intact.
The victory was United’s second of the season and came in front of minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, who gave head coach Ruben Amorim assurances over his future 48 hours earlier.
It also means Chelsea have still not won at Old Trafford since 2013, when Sir Alex Ferguson was United manager.
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