AFCON U-23 Championship: Nigeria to battle Mali On Sunday

This group seems like the group of death in the tournament but Nigerian fans trust the abilities of Samson Siasia when it comes to youth football. Popular sports analyst Wale Scott backed Siasia to deliver the Rio 2016 ticket for Nigeria.

The two top teams in the U23 AFCON Group B, Nigeria and Mali, will slug it out on Sunday evening in the tourists’ resort of Mbour in Senegal in what many believe could determine the winners of this group.

Nigeria U23 team, Dream Team VI, will begin their campaign at the U23 AFCON on the artificial pitch of Caroline Faye Stadium by 5pm after they rounded up their training camp in The Gambia with a big 5-0 win over Gambia U20 team after both teams first drew 1-1 in another warm-up game.

Keshi Begs Nigerians Over AFCON 2015 Miss

Coach Stephen Keshi has offered apology to the country after failing to qualify the Super Eagles for the Equatorial Guinea Africa Cup of Nations staged earlier this year. The former Mali and Togo handler has been in the news of recent with speculations rife that he might be given a second chance of handling the country despite failing to reach the 2015 Afcon as well as having scores to settle with some top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation.

In a chat with journalists, his agent Emmanuel Ado described the relationship between the President of the Nigeria Football Federation, NFF and Stephen Keshi as of mutual respect and insists differences between them will be resolved amicably in the interest of the game.

WOW!!! Ghana's Sammy Kuffour Had His Hair Cut On Live TV After Betting On Ghana To Beat Ivory Coast

            
African TV pundit Sammy Kuffour showed his integrity on Sunday night after the Ivory Coast beat Ghana in the final of the African Cup of Nations. Kuffour, the former Bayern Munich defender, had promised to have his head shaved on SuperSport if the Black Stars failed to end the country’s first continental championship since 1982.

As we know now, the Ivorians beat Ghana in a thrilling penalty shootout, and after the match Kuffour paid for making his public bet on TV.

AFCON 2015: Winning With My Club Is Amazing, Winning With My Country Is Unbelievable - Yaya Toure

Yaya Toure looked more relieved than elated as he lifted the African Nations Cup for the first time at the sixth attempt, breaking his duck at international level with the Ivory Coast.

"When you win with your club, it's quite amazing but with your country it's something unbelievable," he said after the Ivory Coast shaded Ghana 9-8 on penalties in Sunday's final in Bata.
"I've been waiting for so many years now. I've been dreaming of this. It's difficult right now to describe the feeling as captain, it's something special."

AFCON FINAL: Ivory Coast 9 Ghana 8 - Watch All The Goals & Misses From The Penalties

             

CAF Must Take Stiff Action Against Equatorial Guinea - Ghana

Ghana have called for stiff action against Afcon 2015 hosts Equatorial Guinea after several Ghanaian supporters were injured in attacks by home fans during Thursday's semifinal between the two countries.

"It's a pity that this dark cloud overshadows our success and we really need to see some stiff action taken by the Confederation of African Football (CAF)," said Kwesi Nyantakyi, president of the Ghana Football Association who is also a senior CAF executive.

GHANA 3 EQUATORIAL GUINEA 0: Watch The Goals & Highlights

               

AFCON 2015: Gyan Benched Against Equatorial Guinea

Ghana have decided not to start Asamoah Gyan against Equatorial Guinea in their Africa Cup of Nations semifinal. The game will be played on Thursday evening in Malabo and ends a frenzied build up in the speculation of the captain's fitness.

The 29-year old suffered an abdominal injury after Guinean goalkeeper Naby Yattara hit him in the dying minutes of the quarterfinal last Sunday.

IVORY COAST 3-1 DR CONGO

                

Ivory Coast Must Maintain Discipline Against DR Congo - Herve Renard

Ivory Coast coach Herve Renard has called on his players to maintain their game discipline when they face DR Congo in the first semifinals of the 2015 Afcon. Both sides know each other well especially after coming through from the same group in the qualifiers to the Afcon. Ivory Coast lost 4-3 at home but managed a 2-1 away win over DR Congo.

The Elephants after impressively beating tournament favourites Algeria at the quarterfinals, have been tipped to win the Wednesday encounter in Bata.Renard who last won the Afcon with Zambia wh en Equatorial Guinea co-hosted the 2012 tournament with neighbours Gabon is envisaging a difficult game and wants his charges to tread cautiously.

GHANA 3 GUINEA 0: Watch The Goals & Highlights Here

              

COTE D' VOIRE 3 ALGERIA 1: Watch The Goals & Highlights

                 

EQUATORIAL GUINEA: Ghana, Ivory Coast Book Semi-Final Place

Ghana and Ivory Coast took their regular places in the African Nations Cup semifinals by beating Guinea and Algeria on Sunday as the tournament returned to normal after recent controversy.
Wilfried Bony finally came to life, scoring twice for the Ivory Coast, and a late Gervinho goal completed a memorable 3-1 win for the Elephants as they reached the last four for the fourth time in six tournaments.

Four-time champions Ghana comfortably dispatched surprise packages Guinea 3-0 to reach the semifinals for the fifth time in a row.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 2015: Who Will Knockout Who In The Quarter Finals?

At least one of the leading contenders for the Africa Cup of Nations title will be eliminated at the weekend when Algeria meet the Ivory Coast in the quarterfinals. Sunday's clash in Malabo between two teams who took part in last year's World Cup is the headline game of the last eight as the three-week tournament enters the knockout stage.

Ghana, another of the African sides who featured in Brazil six months ago, play Guinea in Malabo earlier on Sunday. On Saturday, hosts Equatorial Guinea seek to continue their fairytale run when they face Tunisia in Bata after a derby between Congo and neighbours the Democratic Republic of Congo.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 2015: Guinea, Mali Praying For Divine Intervention

Guinea and Mali will have to wait for the drawing of lots to take place to find out who will qualify for quarterfinals. CAF Article 74 has come into play to be the tiebreaker as the teams are level in every category.

The rule is also used by the world governing football body Fifa. It is not everyone's preferred manner and most fans have actually called for penalty shootout, which is more thrilling and entertaining than a draw that basically amounts to a lottery.

AFCON 2015: South Africa In Must Win Encounter Against Ghana

South Africa need a win against Ghana to have any chance of keeping their African Cup of Nations dreams alive. The 1996 champions must overcome Avram Grant’s men to have any chance of staying in the competition, but even then they require a favour from Senegal, who would need to beat Algeria in the other Group C match to ensure South Africa’s progression.

Captain Dean Furman is keen to rally the troops ahead of South Africa’s final pool match.
“We take a lot of confidence from the way we have played in these two matches, even if we have not got the results we hoped for,” the midfielder said.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 2015: Zambia Set To Demolish Cape Verde

Zambia coach Honour Janza has said he is not banking on luck to get the vital three points against Cape Verde on Monday night in their last gasp effort to qualify to the 2015 Africa Nations Cup quarterfinals.

Chipolopolo face Cape Verde in their final Group B match in search of a win to send them to the quarterfinals of the 2015 Africa Cup. Cape Verde lie second in Group B tied on two points with DR Congo; opponents Zambia are bottom with a point while Tunisia lead on four points.

Understanding AFCON Stalemates - Supersport

There are three possible results in a match: a win, draw or defeat. In most cases, a draw is what bridges the gap between the winner and loser. I have seen entertaining draws including the Angola versus Mali 4-4 draw, but what I saw when Cape Verde played DR Congo was the most atrocious game of the tournament so far.

The 30th edition has lacked the usual lustre and has done injustice to the advertisement of the game and while you try wrap your head around some of the reasons, here is why I think finding the back of the net is elusive with every kick off.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 2015: South Africa's Hope Fading After Draw With Senegal

South Africa's chances of progressing out of their Africa Cup of Nations group hang by a thread after Shakes Mashaba's team squandered a goal advantage for the second fixture on the trot, drawing 1-1 with Senegal in Mongomo, Equatorial Guinea, on Friday night.

Oupa Manyisa looked to be the hero South Africa were looking for when he put Bafana ahead a minute after halftime.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA 2015: Host In Do Or Die Clash Against Burkina Faso

Equatorial Guinea star Juvenal Edjogo-Owono has said Wednesday’s Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash against Burkina Faso in Bata will determine the host nation’s fate in the competition. Equatorial Guinea were forced to a 1-1 draw by Congo in the opening match of the tournament on Saturday, while Burkina Faso lost 2-0 to Gabon.

“Burkina Faso need to win the match especially after they lost their first game and we also have to win it. It’s win or die for both teams,” said Juvenal, who captained Nzalang Nacional when as co-hosts they reached the last-eight of the competition three years ago.