Sports
Coronavirus: CAF Keen To Keep 2021 AFCON Dates
The Confederation of African Football has no plans to cancel any of its forthcoming competitions because of the coronavirus pandemic, hoping it can reschedule all.
This would mean that the next Africa Cup of Nations will still be played in January-February 2021, despite this week’s 48 qualifiers being indefinitely postponed.
Meanwhile, great uncertainty surrounds this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, a competition which was in trouble prior to the outbreak, with no host selected and the competition earmarked to start in November.
Elsewhere, CAF is awaiting welcome developments regarding coronavirus prior to rescheduling dates for both Africa’s leading club competitions as well as the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
“As of today, no competition has been cancelled and there is no plan for that,” Acting Secretary General Abdel Bah said on Monday.
“We are working on different options to reschedule the competitions impacted.”
This week should have witnessed the third and fourth of the six rounds of qualifying required to determine which teams will contest the 2021 Nations Cup in Cameroon.
Instead, no football has been played after CAF put all competitive matches on hold following the coronavirus outbreak, which has now reached over 40 African nations.
“We clearly hope that the crisis will be over by August,” added Bah, one of few staff to be working at CAF’s headquarters in Egypt, since many are working from home.
“If it’s confirmed, we could then play the Nations Cup qualifiers between September and November, and keep the dates of the Nations Cup.”
CAF had scheduled a round of Nations Cup qualifiers apiece in both June and September, by when the 23 team joining hosts Cameroon should have been determined.
The international windows in October and November set aside for 2022 World Cup qualifiers are now likely to give way to the delayed Nations Cup qualifiers.
World Cup qualifying for Qatar would then start in 2021, possibly continuing into early 2022, with April of that year the current date for the World Cup draw.
With uncertainty surrounding the ends of 2019-20 seasons in Europe and the possibility of shortened 2020-21 seasons too, staging the Nations Cup in January is likely to reintroduce the clubs-versus-country rows that have often preceded the tournament.
In contrast to the next men’s Nations Cup, the next women’s tournament is fraught with logistical complications and questions.
Even before the coronavirus struck, not one qualifier had been played in a tournament that is not only expanding to 12 teams for the first time but which also, with less than eight months to go, lacks a host.
However, two nations have expressed an interest in staging the event.
“We have received proposals from Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea,” said Bah, who became Acting Secretary General earlier this month after the surprise resignation of Mouad Hajji.
“ CAF has asked for additional documents from these two member associations, which we are still awaiting today.
“Basically, for both of them, we have asked for additional guarantees from the highest authorities of their countries.”
Governments tend to have to express their willingness to fund major tournaments in writing before CAF hands out hosting rights, with Bah saying ‘it could be long’ before such documentation arrives.
Congo were originally named as hosts of the Women’s Nations Cup, whose first qualifying round had been set for next month, prior to pulling out in July 2019.
CAF had aimed to stage both the CHAN, the tournament for African footballers based in their own leagues, and the decisive stages of its club competitions in April and May respectively.
However, the CHAN – once set to run between 4-25 April in Cameroon – and both the Champions League and Confederation Cup semi-finals and finals, due to take place in May, have all been delayed indefinitely.
Sports
Galaxy Win Sixth MLS Title
LA Galaxy won a record-extending sixth MLS Cup title as they beat New York Red Bulls to delight a home crowd at Dignity Health Sports Park.
The MLS Cup is the showpiece match at the end of the US season, pitching the champions of the Eastern Conference and Western Conference finals together.
This was the first MLS Cup between two sides from the largest cities in the United States, Los Angeles and New York, and it produced a hectic opening with all three goals scored in the first half-hour.
Red Bulls were the lowest seed to ever reach the final after finishing seventh in the Eastern Conference during the regular season, and their underdog status initially showed as Galaxy dominated the 29th MLS Cup early on.
Galaxy led after nine minutes when Joseph Paintsil squeezed his shot under goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, and it was 2-0 soon after as Dejan Joveljic ran through the Red Bulls defence and finished with the outside of his boot.
Both men celebrated by holding up the shirt of team-mate Riqui Puig, the former Barcelona player who ruptured his ACL in the Western Conference Final which Galaxy won to reach this championship game.
Galaxy threatened to overwhelm their opponents as Sean Nealis headed a free-kick against his own crossbar.
But Red Bulls centre-back Nealis pulled his team back into the game after 28 minutes when he chested down and volleyed in from 15 yards when Galaxy players failed to clear a corner.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the second half: Galaxy right-back Miki Yamane struck the outside of the post, before Emil Forsberg curled an effort off the upright for Red Bulls.
But Galaxy, who had home advantage because of their better record in the regular season, held on to win their first MLS Cup since 2014.
Red Bulls remain without an MLS Cup title in their history after losing on what was their second appearance in the championship game.
Sports
Bayern Extend Bundesliga Lead To Six Points
Bayern Munich continued their unbeaten start to the Bundesliga season with a 4-2 win against Heidenheim.
A double from Jamal Musiala and goals from Dayot Upamecano and Leon Goretzka saw Bayern extend their lead at the top of the table to six points as closest challengers Eintracht Frankfurt were held to a 2-2 draw by Augsburg.
Vincent Kompany was without the injured Harry Kane, Manuel Neuer, Mathys Tel and Serge Gnabry, with Musiala starting on the bench.
Leroy Sane spurned two excellent early chances from close range before Upamecano headed the hosts in front from a Joshua Kimmich corner.
Bayern enjoyed 86% possession and completed 10 times as many passes (503) as the visitors (51) in the first half, yet Alphonso Davies hit the post with the only other clear chance created.
To their credit, Heidenheim didn’t wilt and drew level when Mathias Honsak rounded stand-in Bayern goalkeeper Daniel Peretz after Upamecano under-hit a backpass.
Kompany immediately introduced Musiala from the bench and was rewarded five minutes later when the 21-year-old drove into the box and beat Kevin Muller with a low strike.
Bayern looked to have secured the three points when Goretzka’s shot deflected past Muller, but the visitors halved the deficit almost immediately through a Niklas Dorsch tap-in.
Any nerves soon dissipated when Musiala ran half the length of the pitch unchallenged to slot home the fourth and final goal.
Bayern will face Shakhtar Donetsk in the Champions League tomorrow before returning to domestic duty away against Mainz on Saturday.
Sports
La Liga: Barca Stumble Again
Robert Lewandowski continued his superb start to the season but could not prevent Barcelona dropping points in a 2-2 draw with Real Betis.
Lewandowski scored his 16th goal of the league campaign before Ferran Torres cancelled out Giovani Lo Celso’s penalty – but Assane Diao snatched a point for Betis with a late equaliser.
Real Betis could have easily scored twice in the opening three minutes but Raphina cleared Diego Llorente’s header off the goalline before Abde Ezzalzouli – formerly of Barcelona – saw his one-on-one effort saved by Inaki Pena.
Lamine Yamal wasted a good chance to break the deadlock from close range but team-mate Lewandowski made no such mistake.
The Poland international converted Jules Kounde’s cross from close range to finish a fine team move and score for the 23rd time in 21 games in all competitions.
Betis emerged from half-time with renewed energy but spurned three more clear chances.
Sergi Altimira and Lo Celso sent headers wide of Pena’s post before the Barcelona goalkeeper was called upon to tip Chimy Avila’s snap-shot wide.
Betis finally got their just reward when Lo Celso converted from the penalty spot after Barca substitute Frenkie de Jong felled Vitor Roque – on-loan from the Catalans – as he raced into the area.
Barca pushed for a winner and found it when substitute Torres beat the offside trap to latch on to Yamal’s reverse pass and finish past Fran Vieites.
It looked like Barca would see out the win, but in the fourth minute of injury-time 19-year-old substitute Diao swept home to rescue a point for the hosts.
The draw sees Barca surrender control in the title race. Flick’s side are five points ahead of closest challengers Real Madrid but Los Blancos have played two games fewer.
Barca will be in Champions League action against Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday (20:00 GMT kick-off) before facing Leganes in La Liga on Sunday, 15 December.
-
Politics4 days ago
Alleged Ugochinyere’s Expulsion, Null, Void, No Effect – PDPNWC
-
Niger Delta4 days ago
Woman Petitions IGP Over Husband’s Murder In Cocoa Farm
-
News4 days ago
Tax Reform: SERAP Urges NASS To Assess Human Rights Impacts
-
Opinion4 days ago
Child Rape: A Global Menace
-
News4 days ago
Stakeholder Hails Fubara Over Ekpeye Chieftaincy Title
-
Politics4 days ago
After S’Court Victory, It’s Time To Work, Soludo Urges APGA
-
Maritime4 days ago
MOWCA, NIMET Collaborate On W’Africa Maritime Safety
-
News4 days ago
Kwara Hospital Threatens Mass Burial For Unclaimed Corpses