Sports
Ajax, Pirates To Face Charges Over Kit
Orlando Pirates, Ajax Cape Town and Witbank Spurs will appear in front of the PSL DC next week to face charges to do with their playing kit.
Orlando Pirates will appear in front of the PSL DC next week to face two charges, one being a failure to produce an alternative kit against Bidvest Wits at the weekend.
The second charge is for failing to change their outfit when the referee asked them to.
Pirates were requested to change their shorts and socks from black to another colour, because the home team, Wits, were wearing navy shorts and socks.
Both requests are part of rule 12.2 and 12.3 of the PSL kit manual.
Ajax Cape Town are also being changed by the PSL DC, for failing to put a sponsor logo on the right side of their jersey.
In their match against SuperSport United on November 18, Brent Carelse wore a jersey that did not have a sponsor [Absa] logo on the right-arm sleeve, contravening rule 9.1 of the kit manual.
hird, Witbank Spurs failed to produce a team jersey at the pre-match meeting ahead of their match against Chippa United on November 18, contravening section 4.2 of the kit manual. This is classed as ‘misconduct’ in the compliance manual.
Ngcongca Escapes UEFA Punishment
SPORTS;
Bafana Bafana right-back Anele Ngcongca sat out last night’s UEFA Champions League clash with Valencia after yet again arriving home late from international duty … but is probably happy he did!
Genk were thumped 7-0 by the Spanish La Liga side and Ngcongca never made it onto the pitch after coach Mario Been left him out as punishment for his repeated late arrivals back in Belgium from South Africa.
The result confirmed that Genk would finish bottom of Group E, which means they will not drop down to the UEFA Europa League either. The team that finishes third in the pool goes into Europe’s second club competition.
Ngcongca and his teammates could still have a major say in who does finish in the top two though, with Bayer Leverkusen currently on top with nine points, followed by Chelsea and Valencia, who each have eight.
Genk will host Leverkusen in their final pool match on December 6 and if they eke out a win over the German Bundesliga side, it would mean that a draw between Chelsea and Valencia at Stamford Bridge would leave all three top sides on nine points.
Meanwhile, the debacle in Valencia is likely to see Ngcongca restored to the Genk starting line-up for the Jupiler League clash with high-flying Gent yesterday.
South Africa’s other UEFA Champions League representative, Thulani Serero, also did not make it off the bench for Ajax Amsterdam as they drew away in Lyon last Tuesday.
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”