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
Inter Best Juventus To Maintain Serie A Lead
Andrea Cambiaso scored at both ends during the first half of Saturday’s Derby d’Italia, before Pierre Kalulu’s red card forced Juventus to play the entire second half a man light.
Substitute Francesco Pio Esposito got Inter back in front with a bullet header, then Manuel Locatelli’s pinpoint finish looked to have salvaged a point for the Bianconeri, before Zielinski struck on the cusp of stoppage time.
Juventus made the brighter start, but they were masters of their own downfall in the 17th minute, when Cambiaso deflected Luis Henrique’s cross beyond Michele Di Gregorio.
Cambiaso atoned within nine minutes, catching Henrique on his heels when Weston McKennie’s cross squirmed through to the back post and applying a side-footed finish.
But after Bremer cleared Zielinski’s dinked effort off the line, Juve’s hopes were damaged when Kalulu received his second yellow card for a 42nd-minute pull on Alessandro Bastoni, though the Inter centre-back appeared to go down theatrically.
Di Gregorio made a remarkable stop to thwart Hakan Calhanoglu, but as Juventus dropped ever deeper, they were punished when substitute Esposito guided Federico Dimarco’s searching cross into the far corner with 76 minutes on the clock.
It looked like Inter would have to settle for a point when Locatelli whipped a wonderful finish into the bottom-left corner in the 83rd minute, but Zielinski had the final say as his 20-yard drive fizzed through Locatelli’s legs and beat Di Gregorio.
Sports
Szoboszlai’s Real Madrid Dream Sparks Concern At Liverpool
A cloud of uncertainty has settled over Liverpool after comments from Hungary head coach Marco Rossi reignited speculation about Dominik Szoboszlai and Real Madrid.
Rossi, who has worked closely with Szoboszlai since his teenage years, revealed that the midfielder’s lifelong ambition is to play for the Spanish giants.
“Because of the very close and direct relationship I’ve had with Dominik since he was a child, Real Madrid has always been his dream,” Rossi said.
For a Liverpool side building around Szoboszlai as a centerpiece of Arne Slot’s project, those words landed hard.
Within hours of Rossi’s remarks, Szoboszlai interacted on social media with two Real Madrid players, applauding posts from Vinicius Junior and Trent Alexander-Arnold following Madrid’s win over Real Sociedad.
His reaction to Vinicius’ post drew particular attention. The exchange with Alexander-Arnold, his former Liverpool teammate, was seen as less surprising.
Still, in the hyper-connected world of elite soccer, even a digital thumbs-up can carry weight. On Merseyside, fans and pundits quickly began dissecting the meaning behind the interactions.
Szoboszlai, Hungary’s captain, has become one of Liverpool’s most influential players. That status is precisely why Rossi’s comments triggered such an intense reaction in England.
The midfielder had just delivered on the field as well, scoring in Liverpool’s 3-0 FA Cup fourth-round victory over Brighton & Hove Albion at Anfield.
After the match, Mohamed Salah heaped praise on his teammate, calling Szoboszlai “the best player in the world.” Slot struck a slightly more measured tone but echoed the sentiment.
“I think there are many elite players in the world, but I definitely agree with Mo that he is one of them,” Slot said. “He is very important for us.”
Szoboszlai is under contract at Liverpool through 2028. However, the club is reportedly eager to open extension talks in the coming months to secure his long-term future.
The player himself addressed the situation recently with notable candor.
“There’s nothing yet, to be honest. Nothing from now on. It’s not in my hands. That’s how it works,” he said. “There’s no progress, but if the right offer comes, we’ll see.”
He was equally clear about his affection for Liverpool.
“We’ll see what happens. Hopefully everyone will be happy in the end. Of course I want to stay. I like the city, I like the club, I like playing with these guys. I love Anfield, I love the fans. Let’s see what the future brings. It’s not my fault. I’d love to stay. We’ll see.”
Inter’s dramatic victory boosted their lead over rivals AC Milan to eight points, ahead of the Rossoneri hosting Como on Wednesday. Juventus, meanwhile, could drop out of the top four as Roma visited Napoli last night.
The last four Serie A matches between Inter and Juventus have produced a total of 21 goals (an average of 5.25 per game), compared to just nine in the previous six (1.5 per game).
Cambiaso became the first player in Derby d’Italia history to score and put through his own net in the same match between these old rivals, but it was Zielinski’s fifth Serie A goal of the season that proved decisive.
Inter will argue they were deserved victors after amassing 21 shots and 1.88 expected goals (xG), while Luciano Spalletti’s visitors mustered 10 shots and 0.92 xG – though the Bianconeri actually attempted six of their shots while down a man in the second half.
Sports
Wolves Beat Man Utd Conquerors
Premier League strugglers Wolves overcame resolute Grimsby Town in challenging conditions at Blundell Park to reach the FA Cup fifth round at the expense of the side that eliminated Manchester United in the last round.
Santiago Bueno scored from Wolves’ only shot on target with an hour played, diverting Joao Gomes’ cross past goalkeeper Jackson Smith with his thigh to end the League Two club’s resistance.
Unrelenting rainfall caused heavy ground underfoot and one penalty area in particular- that of Grimsby’s Smith in the first half – was already a quagmire before kick-off.
Charles Vernam shot narrowly wide from the edge of the box with just 43 seconds on the clock as Grimsby sought to catch their top-flight visitors cold.
Wolves had to wait until the 17th minute for their first opportunity of note, forward Tolu Arokodare firing over with a first-time attempt.
The white paint of the pitch markings soon blended and blurred with the mud as the surface rapidly deteriorated, and both sides struggled to stitch together cohesive attacks as passes travelled unpredictably across the sodden ground.
