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/ 4 November 2008
Obafemi Martins scored twice as Newcastle United produced a stirring second-half performance to beat Aston Villa 2-0 on Monday.
Football statistics are weighted in Nigeria’s favour at this weekend’s clash between the Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana. Nigeria may be in a renewal process of their own, but one cannot see how a Bafana side with a new coach, with no proven strikers and playing in front of a hostile crowd, will defeat them, writes Percy Zvomuya.
Africa’s top footballers head wearily back from a demanding club season in Europe for an intensive month of World Cup qualifiers starting this weekend. Players like Michael Essien, Samuel Eto’o, Frederic Kanoute, Nwankwo Kanu and Emmanuel Adebayor go from the cauldron of top club competition into an equally demanding round of qualifiers for the 2010 finals in South Africa.
Now is the time for budding Bafana Bafana stars to stand up and be counted as South Africa take on Nigeria in a tough 2010 African Nations Cup qualifier in Abuja on Sunday. Kick-off is at 5pm South African time. There is no Benni McCarthy, and three midfield aces in Teko Modise, Delron Buckley and Lerato Chabangu are all nursing an assortment of injuries.
Kevin Keegan insists Premier League safety hasn’t yet been secured despite watching rampant Newcastle United dismantle Tottenham Hotspur 4-1. Keegan’s free-flowing side moved back into mid-table and nine points clear of trouble as they capitalised on a shambolic defensive display from the League Cup holders to run out emphatic winners.
Chelsea kept their Premier League title hopes alive with a 1-0 victory over Middlesbrough on Sunday but their performance would have caused few alarms for leaders Manchester United. Ricardo Carvalho’s well-placed header inside the opening six minutes at Stamford Bridge proved sufficient for Avram Grant’s side to close the gap to five points.
Newcastle United drew a scrappy Premier League relegation clash 1-1 at Birmingham City on Monday leaving coach Kevin Keegan still without a win in eight league matches since returning to the club. James McFadden opened the scoring for the home side with a well taken goal after muscling Abdoulaye Faye out of his way.
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/ 8 February 2008
Although his new side failed to make it past round one at the Africa Cup of Nations, Carlos Alberto Parreira won’t be entirely depressed. Bafana’s performance at the tournament in Egypt in 2006 was marked by a medley of administrative foibles, disruptive player mutinies, pre-tournament shenanigans and sepulchral lethargy that showed on the field when they failed to score.
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/ 2 February 2008
Côte d’Ivoire are the favourites to go one step better than two years ago and win the Africa Cup of Nations. Chelsea striker Didier Drogba captained the Elephants to three straight wins in a tough Group B that included Nigeria, Mali and Benin. They next play Guinea in the quarterfinals on Sunday in Sekondi.
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/ 20 January 2008
Downtown Accra is decorated with ”Go Ghana” banners as this lively city of nearly three million people prepares for the start of the continent’s most storied soccer tournament. A million visitors are expected in the West African state for the Africa Cup of Nations, which begins on Sunday with a sold-out opener between the host nation and Guinea.
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/ 18 January 2008
There has been much debate about whether the African Cup of Nations should be held at the end of the European season so that there is not a club-versus-country clash. Two football experts discuss the pros and cons. The continental showpiece kicks off in Ghana on Sunday.
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/ 9 December 2007
Ryan Giggs’s 100th league goal saw Manchester United on the way to a 4-1 win against bottom-of-the-table Derby County to keep up the pressure on Premier League leaders Arsenal on Saturday. Victory at Old Trafford, where Carlos Tevez scored either side of halftime, left second-placed United a point behind the Gunners
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/ 6 December 2007
The latest wonder striker from Emmanuel Adebayor was not enough for an under-strength Arsenal to claim all three points as Newcastle hit back to secure a 1-1 draw with the unbeaten Premier League leaders. Steven Taylor’s second-half equaliser earned some valuable breathing space for the under-pressure Sam Allardyce.
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/ 2 December 2007
Emmanuel Adebayor sent Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League as Arsene Wenger’s side won 2-1 against Aston Villa on Saturday. Adebayor headed the winner to extend Arsenal’s lead over second placed Chelsea after Mathieu Flamini had cancelled out Craig Gardner’s opener at Villa Park.
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/ 23 October 2007
Martin Jol’s Tottenham tenure looks almost certain to be coming to an end following his team’s 3-1 loss at Newcastle on Monday night. Sam Allardyce’s side may have hammered the final nail in the Dutch manager’s coffin with a dominant display and deserved victory.
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/ 24 September 2007
Arsene Wenger will let Arsenal’s youngsters off the leash when he sends the club’s next generation of stars into League Cup action against Newcastle on Tuesday. Wenger’s side have enjoyed a superb unbeaten start to the season and sit top of the Premier League thanks to the effervescent displays of Cesc Fabregas, Emmanuel Adebayor, Robin van Persie and company.