Sports
African Top Teams Seek Postive Start To W/Cup Qualifiers
With the beginning of the
group stage in African qualifying for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil the continent’s elite enter the fray with every point taking on dramatic resonance. There are many situations to watch in this weekend’s 20 contests, two in each of the ten groups, and over the next 15 months, as ten teams earn the right to advance to the next round.
The Indomitable Lions are Africa’s most successful team in qualifying, reaching the FIFA World Cup finals six times in the last 30 years. However, supporters are worried by the tough draw into Group I with Congo DR, Libya and Togo, the long-term suspension of captain Samuel Eto’o and the failure to reach this year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations finals. New coach Denis Lavagne has suffered one defeat in six games using a young side and has been pleading for patience from what is sure to be a demanding crowd tomorrow. These two teams have an even record in three previous qualifying campaigns against each other, and in the corresponding fixture less than two years ago in the AFCON, the visitors, now led by veteran Claude Le Roy, claimed a fairly comfortable 1-1 draw.
Africa is known for its turnover of coaches, and there will be many new faces on the touchline this month. One of the newest is Frenchman Sabri Lamouchi, who just took up the wheel for Côte d’Ivoire this week as the Elephants prepare to host Tanzania in Group C. Next weekend, the African runners-up travel to Marrakesh to meet rivals Morocco, who open with a trickier trip to Gambia. Côte d’Ivoire are trying to become the fourth African nation to reach three FIFA World Cups in a row, a feat that can also be matched by Ghana, who are heavy favourites at home against Lesotho in Group D. The section’s other match sees new African champions Zambia away to a strong Sudan team, before hosting the Black Stars next weekend. Also expected to win at home is Tunisia, who are now coached by former international Sami Trabelsi and begin Group B at home against Equatorial Guinea.
Although a FIFA World Cup veteran himself, American Bob Bradley will make his debut leading Egypt in a qualifier when they open Group G today against Mozambique. The Pharaohs have not reached the finals since 1990, and in that time they have won four African titles, so expectations are high for the football-starved nation. Next week they will face an even tougher test in Conakry against Guinea, who open at Zimbabwe.
Two west African giants with similarly high hopes and new coaches are Nigeria and Senegal. Stephen Keshi’s Super Eagles are looking to top Namibia in Calabar and dominate Group F, which also includes Malawi and Kenya, from the off. The Senegalese have caretaker Josephe Koto in charge as they begin Group J in Dakar against Liberia and their debutant coach Kaetu Smith. Angola and Uganda, angling to challenge the Lions of Teranga to the end, meet in a vital Sunday match in Luanda.
AFCON semi-finalists Mali begin with an awkward challenge in Benin as the two eye Group H favourites Algeria, who host Rwanda on Saturday. The Malians and Beninoise are both at the start of new managerial cycles under Amadou Pathe Diallo and Frenchman Manuel Amoros respectively. Group E might be the most even section with Niger opening in fortress Niamey against up-and-comers Gabon, while Congo will try to steal something at Burkina Faso tomorrow.
South Africa begin Group A against Ethiopia in Rustenburg on Sunday suffering after nine months without an international win. A slow start to the section, which also includes up-and-comers Botswana and Central African Republic, could see pressure quickly mount.
Liverpool’s season of abject misery worsened as they were beaten with embarrassing ease by a hugely impressive Nottingham Forest at Anfield.
Arne Slot’s Premier League champions were looking to bounce back from a heavy defeat at Manchester City, but instead ran into a Forest side revitalised under new manager Sean Dyche and looking back to their best.
Liverpool head coach Slot gave £125m British record signing Alexander Isak a start, but he was totally anonymous once more and only lasted 67 minutes.
Forest went ahead after 33 minutes when defender Murillo shot powerfully past fit-again Liverpool keeper Alisson to subdue an already anxious Anfield.
Igor Jesus had a second ruled out for handball, but Forest doubled their advantage 39 seconds after the break when former Liverpool defender Neco Williams set up Nicola Savona for a crisp finish in front of The Kop.
Liverpool could barely raise a response in a desperate display, Forest increasing their lead 12 minutes from time when Morgan Gibbs-White scored after Alisson saved from Omari Hutchinson.
It means Liverpool, who lie 11th before Saturday’s late fixture, have now lost six of their past seven Premier League games as Slot’s near £450m summer spending spree comes under further scrutiny.
Forest, meanwhile, are surging away from the relegation zone and are up to 16th.
Michael Olise scored twice and provided a hat-trick of assists as Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich came from two goals down to thrash Freiburg.
The visitors stunned the defending champions by taking a 2-0 lead after just 17 minutes when Yuito Suzuki scored from close range and Johan Manzambi rose highest to head home Jan-Niklas Beste’s corner.
Bayern, who had not lost in the league since March, responded superbly and had restored parity by half-time.
Teenager Lennart Karl fired into the bottom corner from Olise’s pass in the 22nd minute and set up the Frenchman for a fierce finish in first-half injury-time, although Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu should have done better.
Bayern took control in the second period as Dayot Upamecano headed home Olise’s corner to put them ahead for the first time.
England captain Harry Kane netted his 14th league goal of the campaign on the hour mark, before Olise made it three assists when he threaded a pass through for Nicolas Jackson to finish at the first time of asking in the 78th minute.
Winger Olise completed a sensational afternoon with his second of the game six minutes later, driving at the Freiburg defence and curling into the far corner.
A 10th victory in the first 11 games left Bayern eight points clear of second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, while Freiburg remain 10th in the standings.
Vincent Kompany’s side visit Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday with both sides having a perfect record of four wins so far in the league phase of the competition.
AS FAR Morocco Win African Women’s Champions League (8)
AS FAR held firm to beat debutants ASEC Mimosas 2-1 in the African Women’s Champions League final and become continental champions for the second time.
Hanane Ait El Haj put the Moroccan club ahead from the penalty spot in the 13th minute after Safa Banouk had been tripped by Aboa Yapo.
ASEC Mimosas rallied after the break and Ami Priscal Diallo netted a fine header from Sopie Brou’s cross to drag the Ivory Coast club level 10 minutes into the second half.
But AS FAR were handed a second spot-kick in the closing stages when Noura Diarra committed a rash challenge on Sofia Bouftini.
This time it was Zineb Redouani who stepped up to stroke home in the 85th minute and restore her side’s lead.
Asastasie Gbehi came close to forcing extra time but she poked wide of the post in stoppage time, and the centre-back was sent off after the full-time whistle for dissent.
AS FAR move level with South Africa’s Mamelodi Sundowns as two-time winners of the title, having first lifted the trophy in 2022.
The Rabat-based side will now take on Chinese’s Wuhan Jiangda on 14 December for a place at next year’s Fifa Women’s Champions Cup.
The winner of that match will face European champions Arsenal in the semi-finals of the inaugural competition early next year in London.
Barcelona moved to the top of La Liga on Saturday with an emphatic win over 10-man Athletic Club in their first match at the Spotify Camp Nou since May 2023.
Robert Lewandowski scored their first goal back in their iconic home, which had been closed for extensive renovations, in the fourth minute.
Ferran Torres then netted twice in the second half, each assisted by wonderful skill from Lamine Yamal, who was aged just 15 in his only previous Nou Camp appearance.
Fermin Lopez also struck in the 48th minute, while visiting midfielder Oihan Sancet was sent off for a crude challenge on Lopez just six minutes later.
Large sections of the Nou Camp remained closed for the game, which was played in front of a 45,157 crowd.
The rebuilding work, which was originally scheduled to be finished in November 2024, will eventually increase the stadium’s capacity to 105,000.
Barca moved to 31 points from 13 games and top on goal difference, but Real Madrid had the chance to replace them, if they won at Elche in their game in hand, late last night.
Poland striker Lewandowski got his side off to the perfect start when he drove his low shot in off the arm of Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simon for an eighth league goal of the season.
The home side extended their lead in first-half added time as Yamal’s superb pass off the outside of his foot set up Torres for a good finish.
Lopez made it 3-0 three minutes after the restart, drilling a shot past Simon from near the penalty spot.
Sancet’s tackle from behind on Lopez was initially deemed a yellow card, but upgraded to red after the referee consulted with the video assistant referee (VAR).
And just before full-time, Yamal twisted and turned before sending Torres away to claim his second goal, which was originally disallowed for offside but overturned following a VAR check.
It was a dream return to their ground, with the reigning Spanish champions having mostly played at the 55,000 capacity Olympic Stadium on the city’s Montjuic hill since renovations on the Nou Camp began in June 2023.
They were forced to play two matches at the 6,000-capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium, home to their women’s team, this season after failing to get a permit for the Nou Camp through safety reasons.
Pogba Returns To Action In Ligue 1 (6)
Paul Pogba played his first minutes of professional football in more than two years as he came off the bench during Monaco’s 4-1 defeat by Rennes at the weekend.
The 32-year-old was introduced in the 85th minute at Rennes’ Roazhon Park, though his side were already four goals and a player down, following a red card for captain Denis Zakaria.
French World Cup winner Pogba broke down in tears when he joined Ligue 1 club Monaco last summer, after his four-year doping ban was reduced to 19 months by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (Cas).
Pogba’s last competitive appearance was 811 days ago, when he featured for Juventus in a Serie A match against Empoli on 3 September 2023. He left Juventus by mutual consent in November 2024.
Pogba was provisionally banned from football for four years after a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in February 2024, following a doping test in August 2023.
Pogba maintained it was a mistake and that he was given a supplement without knowing it contained a banned substance.
The former Manchester United midfielder was permitted to return to football in March following the decision to reduce his ban.
Pogba watched from the bench as goals from Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal, Mahdi Camara, Breel Embolo and Ludovic Blas put Rennes out of sight.
Fellow substitute Mika Biereth pulled a goal back for Monaco in the 95th minute, but a second consecutive 4-1 defeat means Sebastien Pocognoli’s side drop to eighth in the table with 20 points after 13 games.
