Sports

Cape Verde Beat Ghana 2-1 in Group B Match

Garry Rodrigues scored a dramatic stoppage-time winner as the Cape Verde Islands beat four-time champions Ghana 2-1 in Group B to continue Sunday’s sequence of surprise results at the Africa Cup of Nations finals.

It was the third match of the day in Abidjan and followed Nigeria’s draw with Equatorial Guinea in Group A while Egypt needed a last-gasp penalty to draw with Mozambique in the opening Group B match at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium.

Cape Verde went ahead in the 17th minute when Dutch-born Rodrigues’s shot was parried by Ghana goalkeeper Richard Ofori, falling for Jamiro Monteiro to tuck away from close range.

Ghana thought they had equalised 10 minutes before halftime when Majeed Ashimeru struck a powerful shot into the net from outside Cape Verde’s penalty area.

But after a VAR check it was disallowed because Ransford Konigsdorffer, in an offside position, was deemed to be interfering by being in the goalkeeper’s line of sight.

Konigsdorffer was making his way back after inadvertently striking the upright when a punched clearance from Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha hit him flush on and cannoned back towards goal.

Ghana did find parity 11 minutes into the second half with Alexander Djiku heading home from Jordan Ayew’s corner, bending down to get his head to the ball as the islanders’ defence failed to clear an innocuous delivery.

The Black Stars might well have gone ahead with Joseph Paintsil narrowly missing out at the back post after being teed up by Antoine Semenyo.

But after that chances repeatedly fell Cape Verde’s way.

Djiku made a goal-line clearance to deny Bebe 20 minutes from time while Rodrigues was twice denied in the last 10 minutes.

The breakthrough came in stoppage time after Mohammed Salisu failed to clear and a clever touch from debutant substitute Gilson Benchimol took it past Ofori and into Rodrigues’s path.

Ghana veteran Dede Ayew came on with 28 minutes left to mark his participation in his eighth Cup of Nations tournament, equalling the record held by Cameroon’s Rigobert Song and Egyptian Ahmed Hassan.

The earlier Group B game saw Mohamed Salah convert a stoppage-time penalty to spare Egypt’s blushes in a 2-2 draw with Mozambique, playing at their first finals since 2010.

Ghana meet Egypt next on Thursday while Cape Verde take on Mozambique on Friday, both at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium.-Reuter

Sports

CAF President conveys condolences to the victims of Guinea stadium tragedy

The Confédération of African Football (CAF) President Dr Patrice Motsepe has conveyed condolences to the victims of the Guinea stadium tragedy.

According to a press release by CAF, Dr. Motsepe is deeply saddened by the stadium stampede that claimed the lives of over 50 football fans and left others injured during a football match at the Stade du 3 Avril in N’Zérékoré.

The tragedy occurred during a friendly football tournament between the city of N’Zérékoré and the city of Labe.

CAF President Dr Motsepe conveys his and CAF’s deepest condolences to the families of the deceased, the Fédération Guinéenne de Football (FGF) Leadership and the people of Guinea.

Dr Motsepe also wished a speedy recovery to the injured football fans.
(Sports village square)

Sports

Leicester city coach Steve Cooper sacked

Leicester City have sacked Steve Cooper after a run of two wins in 12 Premier League matches.

Assistant Manager Alan Tate and First Team Coach and Analyst Steve Rands have also been released by the club.

The statement from the club reads: “Steve, Alan and Steve depart with our thanks for their contribution during their time with the Club and with our best wishes for the future

Men’s First Team training will be overseen by First Team Coach Ben Dawson, supported by coaches Danny Alcock and Andy Hughes, as the Club begins the process of appointing a new manager, which we hope to conclude as soon as possible.”

Leicester City currently sit 16th in the table and a point adrift of safety.

The club dropped the hammer on Steve Cooper after their defeat against Chelsea on Saturday

Sports

Bayern Munich Apologise To PSG For Offensive Banners

Bayern Munich apologised to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday for the presence of banners with offensive messages aimed at the French club’s president Nasser al-Khelaifi during their Champions League clash.

PSG visited Bayern’s Allianz Arena on Tuesday and a section of the home support unveiled a banner with a profanity aimed at the “plutocratic Al-Khelaifi”.

A separate banner with a picture of Al-Khelaifi’s head crossed out was also displayed, as well as two banners reading “Minister, club owner, TV rights holder, UEFA EXCO member & ECA chairman all in one”.

Some Bayern fans also reportedly sang insulting chants about the French club itself after the match, which the hosts won 1-0.

“FC Bayern would like to apologise when its opponents and their representatives in its stadium feel personally attacked in this manner and tone and are offended as a result,” read a statement on Bayern’s website.

“The club would like to make it clear that these banners were not authorised by FC Bayern and do not reflect its stance.”

“They are not in keeping with the good and long-standing relationship between the two clubs. The tone of these banners also goes against the style of FC Bayern and the respectful relationship the club has with its international partners,” the Bavarian club added.

Al-Khelaifi became president of PSG in 2011, following the acquisition of the club by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI).

The 51-year-old has also been the president of the European Club Association since April 2021, and was reelected in September of last year on a four-year mandate.

In addition, Al-Khelaifi is the chair of beIN Media Group, which holds distribution rights for various football competitions, including France’s Ligue 1 and Germany’s Bundesliga.

QSI is a subsidiary of the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) — the country’s sovereign wealth fund which has assets worth hundreds of billions of dollars.

AFP