Sport
Zambia will fall says Ndong
Former Enugu Rangers’ man, Jesus Ndong, has predicted that African champions, Zambia will be dethroned at next year’s Afcon in South Africa.
Ndong told supersport.com from his base in Madrid, Spain that he believes the Chipolopolo “will do well” but defending their title will be out of their reach.
However, the Equatorial Guinean did not mention which nation will be crowned African champions next year though he tipped Nigeria believing their chances are based on their performance with each game.
“No, Zambia won’t win the Nations Cup but they will do well,” said Ndong in a blunt and straightforward tone.
Nigeria & Group C foes
But the former Stella and Mogas 90 attacking midfielder said the Zambians will win Group C ahead of Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ethiopia.
And he picked the Africa Cup of Nations holders and Nigeria as the teams to qualify from their group.
“I think Zambia and Nigeria will pass (through Group C into the next round). I have seen all the teams (in Group C) play and I think with what I saw Zambia will top the group but Nigeria may go ahead and win the cup if they improve match by match,” said the Equatorial Guinean.
Ndong thinks Zambia will have an easy passage into the quarterfinals while Nigeria’s Super Eagles will be put under stern test from Group C opponents.
“Like I said it will be easy for Zambia because everybody will come out for the Super Eagles. Right now Zambia are not doing badly and they are very rich in confidence too,” he said.
But Ndong will not stick his head outright to predict who will win the Afcon in 2013 as he believes there will be many talents to be showcased from the 16 participating teams.
Equatorial Guinea missing the Afcon
However, Ndong feels let down that his nation failed to qualify for the 2013 Afcon after playing co-hosts with Gabon in 2012.
He, however, believes that Equatorial Guinea will work hard for the 2014 World Cup qualifiers as well as reach the 2015 Afcon
“Yes but it’s okay we didn’t qualify but we wish we did. We shall prepare for the World Cup and the next edition (of the Afcon in 2015) and we shall surely be there, as football is becoming a very popular sport in our country,” he remarked.
Ndong was born in Spain but was brought to Nigeria at the age of seven by his parents. He was formally educated in schools in Ibadan, Abeokuta and Lagos.
Surprisingly, he started out as a basketball player by representing Oyo and Ogun states.
In 1986, he dumped basketball to become a professional football and played for Stationery Stores FC, Enugu Rangers, Sharks, Julius Berger FC and Mighty Jets in the Nigerian top division.
Ndong also played for Ivorien clubs, Stella and Asec Mimosas and Mogas 90 in Cotonou, Benin Republic during his playing days.
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DID FERNANDO TORRES DIVE?
Here’s a question for you:
Was Fernando Torres fouled by Jonny Evans or not?
I just want to gauge the opinion of as many Chelsea, football fans on this issue because it seems that there IS a divided opinion.
Even Gary Neville on SkySports after the game said it was the wrong decision and showed a close up video of the footage that shows Evan’s catches Torres on his shin.
You have to remember that Torres was walking a fine line already after being booked in the first half (which should have been a red card anyway) so you have to ask yourselves whether or not Torres would “dive” knowing that situation with diving these days and the focus it has received of late.
Should Evans have been carded instead for putting himself in that position and going to ground or do you feel as though Torres should have stayed on his feet?
Would love to hear from as many of you as possible on this!
Chelsea lodge complaint against ref
Premier League referee Mark Clattenburg could find himself in hot water after Chelsea lodged an official complaint about him using “inappropriate language” to two of their players in a tumultuous 3-2 defeat by Manchester United on Sunday.
Leaders Chelsea’s unbeaten start to the Premier League season came to an end when Javier Hernandez scored a dubious-looking 75th minute winner for United after Clattenburg had shown red cards to Chelsea’s Branislav Ivanovic and Fernando Torres in quick succession in the final half hour.
“We have lodged a complaint to the Premier League match delegate with regards to inappropriate language used by the referee and directed at two of our players in two separate incidents,” a club spokesman told reporters.
“The match delegate will pass the complaint to the Football Association. We will make no further comment at this time.”
The club would not name the players in question or of what nature the remarks were, but the spokesman refused to deny that John Obi Mikel had visited the referee’s room after the game.
Mikel was booked for dissent during the second half.
Clattenburg made no comment.
It completed a incident-packed afternoon in west London which also saw a steward taken to hospital with a leg injury after fans’ anger boiled over following Clattenburg’s decision to send off Torres for diving under a challenge from United defender Jonny Evans.
The whole weekend of Premier League action was marred by poor decisions by officials with Luis Suarez having a winner wrongly ruled out for offside in a 2-2 derby draw with Everton.
Mikel Arteta’s goal in Arsenal’s 1-0 win over Queen’s Park Rangers was given despite being offside.
Fifa referee Clattenburg, no stranger to controversy, was criticised by Chelsea manager Roberto Di Matteo for “ruining” the match.
While Ivanovic could have few complaints after accidentally impeding Ashley Young who was through on goal, the decision to show Torres a second yellow and dismiss the Spaniard sparked outrage on and off the pitch as he appeared to be clipped.
“We must be disappointed that key decisions were wrong,” Chelsea manager Di Matteo told reporters.
“At 2-2 we looked like the team that was going to win the game. It was a good game between good teams and the official ruined it. Key decisions have to be right and you don’t want the referees to have such a big influence.
“I think it’s obvious in the eyes of everybody that the second yellow for Fernando was wrong. It was a foul for us and probably he should have booked their player.
“Their winning goal was an offside goal. It’s a shame a game like that had to be decided by officials in that manner. Surely when he see it he will realise that he made big mistakes.”
Before the match both sets of players, apart from Manchester United’s Young, had worn anti-racism t-shirts in support of the Kick it Out organisation.
Eto’o reopens feud with Alex Song
Cameroon legend Samuel Eto’o has fanned the embers of discord between him and midfielder Alex Song that has been at the heart of the Indomitable Lions slump from grace in recent years.
Both players have been at war since 2010 when Eto’o was made skipper of the national team by French coach Paul Le Guen, while Song’s cousin Rigobert Song – who Eto’o replaced – was still active in the side.
The pair reportedly met in Yaounde to work out their differences ahead of the Lions’ recent Nations Cup stumble against Cape Verde, but it is apparent the bad blood lingers.
While answering a question on Canal Plus about whether the problem between the “two stars” had been resolved, Eto’o dissed his compatriot. “There is no conflict between stars to speak of, because I’m one of the best players in the world and Song isn’t even among the best in Cameroon,” the Anzhi striker, 31, said.
Despite boasting some of the finest talents in the African game, Cameroon have been badly hit by the fierce duel between both stars. They have failed to qualify for the last two Nations Cup finals and were bundled out of the 2010 World Cup without a single point.
The four-time African champions are also struggling in their 2014 World Cup qualifiers, currently lying third in Group I behind Libya and the Congo DR after two games.
United to wear anti-racism shirts
Alex Ferguson has revealed all his players will wear the anti-racism “Let’s Kick It Out” T-shirts ahead of their game with Stoke this weekend despite pleas from Reading striker Jason Roberts to boycott the show of unity.
The Manchester United manager hit out at Roberts for going against the campaign, with the Reading striker believing the anti-discrimination body have failed to tackle racism over the last year in the wake of the John Terry and Anton Ferdinand case.
Roberts said on Thursday: “I find it hard to wear a T-shirt after what has happened in the last year. I won’t wear one.
“I’m totally committed to kicking racism out of football but when there’s a movement I feel represents the issue in the way that speaks for me and my colleagues, then I will happily support it.
“I think people feel let down by what used to be called ‘Let’s Kick Racism Out of Football’. People don’t feel like they have been strong enough.”
But Ferguson believes every player in the country should back the plan to ensure the right message is given and insisted all his players -including Rio Ferdinand whose brother was involved in the John Terry case – will wear the shirts before the game at Old Trafford.
“I have to disagree with Jason Roberts, he is making the wrong point,” Ferguson said. “Everyone should be united, all the players in the country wearing the top, the warm-up tops.
“I do not know what point he is trying to make or trying to put himself on a different pedestal to everyone else.
“He really should be supporting all the rest of the players who are doing something. If you are doing something then everyone who believes in it should do it together, we should not have sheep walking off. He is making the wrong message.
“Yes, all my players will wear it. All the players will be wearing it, except for Roberts who seems to be different.”
Ferguson has revealed Ashley Young will return to action against Stoke after a lay-off with a bruised cartilage and is hoping the former Aston Villa winger can add more attacking threat to his forward-laden United side.
“I don’t think he is forgotten, it’s always the same when a player is injured. Very few players cross the ball as well as he can, his goal-scoring ratio is very good.
“I don’t think you can forget that or underestimate it. I think any player with the ability to come to our club from Aston Villa will want to do well.”
The return of Young and the recent comeback of Darren Fletcher added to the good form of Tom Cleverley means Ferguson is more than happy with his midfield options despite claims United are light in the area.
He added: “Young coming back gives us another option. The strength in our squad is in the attacking options and we are getting better in the midfield with Darren Fletcher coming back.
“Cleverley is also doing well and Anderson. All the fears about midfield positions are evaporating.”
Nani expects United to get rough ride
Manchester United winger Nani is expecting a physical confrontation with Stoke when Sir Alex Ferguson’s team returns to Old Trafford for the first time since their surprising loss to Tottenham.
Beaten twice already in their opening seven Premier League games of the season, United know there is little margin for error against Tony Pulis’ side after their surprising 3-2 home reverse to Spurs late last month.
But Nani is also aware that Stoke – who may have only won one game this season but have also only lost one match, by a solitary goal at league leaders Chelsea – present a difficult fixture on the return from the international break.
“It is always hard to play against Stoke because they play a different kind of football to most teams in the Premier League,” Nani told the club’s in-house broadcaster MUTV.
“They are very physical and have very strong players. It is also difficult because most of the game is in the air. We need to be strong and try to play our game.
“We are playing at home and we have to believe we can win the three points. It is very important because when you play at home, you have a good chance to win these games.”
With international fixtures behind them for the foreseeable future, United face a potentially pivotal period of seven league games in five weeks which could make or break their attempts to wrestle the league title away from local rivals Manchester City, especially as their next league game comes at current leaders Chelsea.
“It is a good time for us,” said Nani. “We had a very good result last time against Newcastle before the international break so we are confident and it is a good time to start to believe.
“But we do not set long-term targets – our only target is to always win the game and to finish on top.”
United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is still without skipper Nemanja Vidic (knee) and fellow defender Phil Jones (knee).
However, Chris Smalling could return to the defence after recovering from a metatarsal fracture which has kept him out of action since last season.
Ashley Young is also in contention to make a return following a knee injury while Ferguson is likely to start with Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie together after both strikers scored for their respective countries during the international break.
Rooney has netted three times for England since he last wore a United shirt in the 3-0 win at Newcastle on October 7 and van Persie scored his 31st goal for the Netherlands on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Stoke’s French midfielder Steven Nzonzi is looking to take inspiration from a shock win at United last season when his team attempt to end a nightmare eight-match Old Trafford losing run in the league.
The Stoke player was part of the Blackburn side that, despite eventually suffering relegation, sentenced United to a shock 3-2 defeat in front of their own fans on December 31.
“It is one game, and people may not give us much chance on Saturday, but similarly nobody gave Blackburn a chance when we went there last season, and look what happened that day,” Nzonzi said.
“We have performed well this season and picked up points from games where people may not have thought we would get anything. We are moving in the right direction and I am really enjoying being a part of it all.”
‘Terry affair damaged England’s reputation’
The reputation of English football has been tarnished by the long-running John Terry affair, according to Football Association chairman David Bernstein.
Chelsea skipper Terry decided not to appeal against a four-game ban for using racist language towards Queens Park Rangers defender Anton Ferdinand on Thursday, bringing to a close an unsavoury chapter that put racism under the microscope.
Terry, who was cleared in a lawcourt of racism in July, apologised for his “inappropriate” language on Thursday although he continued to express “disappointment” at the FA’s ruling.
Bernstein said having football dragged through the lawcourts marked a difficult period for the English game which has made large strides in erasing racism from stadiums.
“The decision by John Terry not to appeal his FA charge hopefully brings to a close a difficult period for the domestic game in England in which, unfortunately, the reputation of English football has been damaged,” Bernstein said in a statement.
“It is a shame that one high-profile incident has had such a major impact.
“But this single event should not be allowed to overshadow the massive strides taken by players, managers, clubs, leagues and so many across the national game in terms of equality and inclusion.
“The damage of this affair is not irreparable, but as events this week have shown there are still many lessons to be learnt in the wider fight against racial abuse and discrimination of all types.
“No player should suffer the intolerable abuse the likes of which Danny Rose was subjected to in Serbia.”
The FA have complained to world governing body Fifa after Tuesday’s under-21 match in Serbia was marred by incidents of alleged racist abuse towards England’s black players.
While campaigns in England such as “Kick it Out” have been successful in the fight against discrimination, the Terry affair which has rumbled on for a year and led to the resignation of former England coach Fabio Capello as well as his own retirement from international football, have cast a cloud over the game.
“John Terry has now been sanctioned and held accountable for his actions. I am pleased he has apologised and we must now draw a line under this matter. However, we too will learn from the case,” Bernstein said.
Bernstein rejected criticism over the length of time it took to punish Terry for the incident in Chelsea’s Premier League game at QPR last October.
“I understand the concern about the time the process took but the most important thing was getting it right for all the concerned parties,” he said.
“I can appreciate that many observers believed The FA’s investigation was overly delayed and, ideally, we would have operated on a short time frame, not least due to the impact this process has on individuals and their families and the resultant stress and loss of trust.
“Had there been no criminal investigation and prosecution, it is likely that this case would have been concluded in a matter of weeks.”
Terry, who was also fined 220 000 pounds ($353 000) by the FA, also faces disciplinary action by Chelsea although he has not been stripped of the club captaincy.
He begins his four-match ban in the away fixture at Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday.
Bafana assistant Madigage passes on
Assistant Bafana Bafana coach Thomas Madigage has been killed in an accident near Burgersfort, Limpopo police confirmed on Friday morning.
“We can confirm that he passed away last night between 10pm and midnight,” said Brigadier Hangwani Mulaudzi.
Madigage was alone in his car on the R37 – between Polokwane and Burgersfort – when a donkey crossed the road.
“There was one car towing a caravan in front of him. That car managed to swerve and avoid the donkey but he could not. His car hit it.”
Mulaudzi sent his condolences to the Madigage family and the soccer fraternity in South Africa.
The South African Football Association (Safa) has also released a statement confirming the sad news,”It is with shock and regret that the South African Football Association has learnt of the untimely passing on of Bafana Bafana assistant coach, Thomas Madigage in a car accident near Burgersfort in Limpopo in the early hours of this morning.”
Safa president Kirsten Nematandani sent his hearfelt condolences to the family and the nation, “We are shocked and at a loss for words and as we speak, we are on our way to meet the family and find out what actually happened,”
“We would like to pass our sincere condolences to the family, friends and the entire nation on this shocking development,” added the Safa president.
Madigage, a long-serving assistant coach at Premiership club SuperSport United, was appointed assistant to new Bafana Bafana mentor Gordon Igesund in July.
Having joined the United coaching staff in 2002, Madigage helped the top-flight club win six titles, including three successive league crowns between 2008 and 2010.
AVB, Spurs on Chelsea revenge mission
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas insists his players will be the only ones on a revenge mission when his former club Chelsea visit White Hart Lane in Saturday’s London derby.
With Chelsea captain John Terry suspended after deciding not to appeal the four-match ban imposed for racially abusing QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, the focus will be fixed firmly on Villas-Boas as he confronts the Blues for the first time since his dismissal after just nine months in the job.
Villas-Boas was bitter about his exit in March and to make matters worse, his former assistant Roberto Di Matteo oversaw a revival that delivered the FA Cup and the Champions League.
Chelsea’s European triumph ensured their return to the competition despite finishing in sixth place in the Premier League, and consigned fourth-placed Spurs to the Europa League.
And Villas-Boas claims that will prove the more significant motivation for his team, who face the unbeaten league leaders on the back of a run of four straight wins, than any personal thoughts of revenge.
“In the end there is one thing which has been to a certain extent blown out of proportion in some ways – this is certainly not a personal matter,” Villas-Boas said.
“I feel this is much more about Tottenham in the sense that Chelsea are the team who took this club out of the Champions League, and who prevented this team from playing in FA Cup final last year.
“So in the end we certainly have ingredients for it to be a spectacular match.
“But this game is not going to decide the future of both teams in the Premier League, after this game there will be 30 more games to play, and both teams will have to have decisive matches in front of them.
“It counts as three points. It doesn’t win us a trophy.”
Villas-Boas stood by Terry when allegations were first made against the defender last October, but he admits the centre back’s absence will boost his side’s chances of a win.
“Obviously you have to make sure to take into account that this is an extremely good player, an experienced player and Chelsea’s captain,” Villas-Boas said.
“A player of this dimension is always surely missed. But the other centre-backs are tremendously good too.
“But obviously he is a player of massive experience, and an emotional leader that can push the others through.
“He’s certainly someone who will be missed by Chelsea but the options they have are extremely good.”
Villas-Boas is expected to stick with England’s Jermain Defoe as his side’s lone striker, with Emmanuel Adebayor remaining on the bench, but faces a tough decision between Brad Friedel and Hugo Lloris for the keeper spot.
But Spurs will once again be with midfielder Scott Parker and left back Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
Di Matteo, meanwhile, will call-up Gary Cahill to deputise for Terry alongside David Luiz with Ashley Cole set to start 48 hours after being fined £90 000 for his abusive tweet directed at the FA following criticism of his role in the wake of Terry’s clash with Ferdinand.
Fernando Torres will again lead the Chelsea attack after revealing last week the depth of his personal frustration last season when he struggled to get into the Blues starting line-up ahead of the now departed Didier Drogba.
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