Author: Xoxo

 

As the Round of 16 wound up on Tuesday night, the full fixtures for the quarter finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is complete.

The last eight will commence on Friday, February 2 after a two-day break.

Recall the competition started with 24 teams of which 16 nations have been sent packing from the tourney.

Shocks from the Round of 16 were the defending champions, Senegal booted out of the competition so early and perennial winners, Egypt also exiting the competition at the hands of DR Congo.

The Atlas Lions of Morocco also suffered similar fate after losing 2-0 to Bafana Bafana of South Africa, bowing out so early to the surprise of many.

Here are, however, the Quarter Final full fixtures:

AFCON 2023: Quarter-finals (Full Fixtures) — Date, Time, Venue

Friday, February 2

Nigeria vs Angola (Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, 6pm)

DR Congo vs Guinea (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Saturday, February 3

Mali vs Ivory Coast (Stade de la Paix, Bouake, 6pm)

Cape Verde vs South Africa (Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro, 89m)

Semi-finals

Wednesday, February 7

Nigeria or Angola vs Winner 4 (Stade de la Paix, Bouake, 6pm)

Winner 3 vs DR Congo or Guinea (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Third place play-off
Saturday, February 10

Loser semi-final 1 vs Loser semi-final 2 (Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Final
Sunday, February 11

Winner semi-final 1 vs Winner semi-final 2 (Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan, 9pm)

Sport9jaa

 Pep Guardiola said he has “everything a manager could dream of” at Manchester City as Erling Haaland is set to return from a two-month injury layoff against Burnley on Wednesday.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, and Guardiola’s former player Xavi, who is now in coach of Barcelona, both announced their intention to step down at the end of the season in recent days, citing the emotional strain that comes with management at the top level.

Guardiola also cut short his hugely successful spell in charge of Barca after four years and spent only three seasons at Bayern Munich before arriving in Manchester in 2016.

Now into his eighth season at City, Guardiola has racked up five Premier League titles and the club’s first ever Champions League among 15 major trophies.

But the 53-year-old said he had no intention of stepping down soon, praising the environment that surrounds him at the Etihad.

“I have everything that a manager could dream of,” he said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday.

“The hierarchy they always support me. We have changed a lot of players in seven years but all of them have been incredibly supportive.

“(It’s a) good environment so I have everything. Still, I feel good and of course one day it is going to finish but I don’t think about that right now.”

City look primed to add to that trophy haul with Haaland back fit for the business end of the season.

The Norwegian has been sidelined for the past 10 games, but City have won nine and drawn one of them — lifting the Club World Cup in that time — and remain on course to defend their treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup.

“Erling is an important player for us. Two months out, but he feels good – we have a training session (today), but apparently tomorrow he will be with us,” added Guardiola.

Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku have also recently returned from injuries, while defenders John Stones and Manuel Akanji could also make their comeback in midweek.

“The most important news is almost all the squad are fit,” added Guardiola.

“That is the best news. The important part of season starts now. FA Cup, the Champions League is around the corner and of course the Premier League – it’s important that we have everyone available. We have all the squad, we are stronger definitely.”

City are five points behind Liverpool at the top of the Premier League but have a game in hand.

Guardiola’s men ended their hex at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Friday to progress to the fifth round of the FA Cup and are huge favourites to progress when they face FC Copenhagen in the Champions League last 16 next month.

And Guardiola said he can afford to throw Haaland back into the thick of the action quicker than De Bruyne, whose return has been managed after five months out with a hamstring tear.

“Kevin’s was muscular with surgery,” he said. “Erling’s was a stress on the bone, so a different approach.”

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Nigerians have trooped to social media to react as Super Eagles first choice goalkeeper, Stanley Nwabali, swapped his jersey with the Cameroonian counterpart, Andre Onana, after their Round of 16 match that ended 2-0 in favour of Nigeria at the ongoing African Cup of Nations, AFCON, in Cote d’Ivoire.

Super Eagles defeated the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday as Atalanta forward, Ademola Lookman, got a brace for Jose Peseiro’s side during their knock-out game.

Nwabali was subbed off for Francis Uzoho after getting an injury about 70 minutes of play in the game, but Onana was unused as Fabrice Ondoa was between the sticks for Cameroon.

Nigerians have been heaping praises on Nwabali who has only conceded one goal at the tournament but critcisised him for the post he made on his X account on Monday.

The 27-year-old posted his picture of hugging Onana after the match, and the video of the Cameroonian goalkeeper’s jersey he swapped with him on Saturday.

Reacting on X, Nigerians were dissatisfied with the action saying it was a bad omen for the Chippa United’s goalie and Super Eagles, as they argued that he was better than 

Manchester United’s goalkeeper.

Here are some of the comments:

@AGINAS said, “Of all players, na Onana Jersey you go collect. My own be say, just dey fit for next match. We go discuss this Onana jersey issue after we win AFCON.

@xx_zamani wrote, “You collect Onana jersey keh 😭😭 why now.”

“U’re way better than Onana no let’s say because he Dey playfor Man United make u think otherwise,” @gideonjunior_ said.

@ChessLordK posted, “Nwabali please let’s not be unfortunate oo. Throw that thing away oo.”

“Abeg no wear the jersey o until after afcon,” @omojaytee2 said.

“See who you go collect em jersey, person wey u better pass. Before I close my eyes and open am make u don return that jersey now!!!”@kingbollei added.

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Arsenal ended a barren run on the road as goals from Gabriel Jesus and Bukayo Saka beat Nottingham Forest 2-1 to close to within two points of Liverpool at the top of the Premier League on Tuesday.

Jesus had the assistance of former Arsenal goalkeeper Matt Turner to break the deadlock as the American let the Brazilian’s shot from a narrow angle slip through his legs.

Arsenal winger Saka then rounded off a blistering counter-attack from the visitors and Nottingham Forest’s Taiwo Awoniyi’s late strike was too little, too late for the home side.

Mikel Arteta’s men had not won away from home since early December as their title challenge stumbled over the festive period.

But Arsenal kept the pressure up on Liverpool with the two sides set to face off at the Emirates on Sunday.

Forest had won all of the previous three meetings between the sides at the City Ground, including the defeat that mathematically ended Arsenal’s title challenge last season.

But Nuno Espirito Santo opted to just try and contain Arsenal and Forest’s gameplan was undone once Jesus broke the deadlock 25 minutes from time.

The lack of a clinical striker has been pinpointed as the weakness in the Gunners’ bid for a first Premier League title in 20 years.

For long spells it appeared the Arsenal could again rue the absence of a natural goalscorer as they struggled to make 80 percent possession count before half-time.

Jesus fired against the post with his first big chance early in the second half after an inviting flick from Martin Odegaard played him through.

Turner then unconvincingly parried from Saka’s shot across goal as the Arsenal pressure built.

They finally got their reward as Forest switched off from Oleksandr Zinchenko’s throw-in.

Jesus burrowed his way down the by-line but his effort should have been stopped at his near post by Turner.

Forest were architects of their own downfall again seven minutes later as Gonzalo Montiel’s stray pass straight into the path of Odegaard sprang Arsenal on the break.

Odegaard picked out Jesus, who crossed for Saka to take a touch before firing in his 10th goal of the season.

Arsenal were cruising to victory as Forest had barely offered a threat all game until Awoniyi outmuscled William Saliba and fired home from close range in the 89th minute.

Awoniyi was then denied a dramatic equaliser deep into stoppage time by David Raya after Arsenal failed to clear a corner.

The Nigerian’s return for the first time since November offers Nottingham Forest hope in their battle to survive.

But defeat leaves Nottingham Forest perilously placed just two points above the relegation zone and with the threat of a points penalty hanging over the club after admitting to breaches of the Premier League’s financial rules last season.

Kingzozoworld 

 

Bafana Bafana of South Africa have booked a place in the quarter finals of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after defeating tournament favorites, Morocco 2-0 on Tuesday.

This follows a major upset witnessed on Monday night when hosts Cote D’Ivoire knocked out champions Senegal 5-4 on penalties.

Evidence Makgopa gave South Africa the lead just before the hour mark in the Ivorian coastal city of San-Pedro, but Morocco had the chance to draw level five minutes from time from the penalty spot.

Paris Saint-Germain star Hakimi squandered the opportunity, sending his kick off the top of the bar and over, before Morocco’s misery was compounded as Sofyan Amrabat was sent off in stoppage time and Teboho Mokoena scored South Africa’s second from the resulting free-kick.

Bafana Bafana go through to a quarter-final on Saturday in Yamoussokro against tiny Cape Verde, who have been one of the surprise packages of the tournament so far.

But Morocco, World Cup semi-finalists in 2022, add to an ever-growing list of the continent’s biggest names to have been knocked out of this Cup of Nations, 24 hours after champions Senegal were eliminated on penalties by hosts Ivory Coast.

Africa’s top-ranked side were hoping to follow up their remarkable run to the last four in Qatar just over a year ago by winning their second AFCON title, 48 years after their first.

Instead they go the same way as Senegal, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt in being knocked out, meaning none of the five top-ranked African nations will be present in the quarter-finals, as well as none of the four semi-finalists from the last edition.

A South Africa side featuring eight players from the country’s leading club Mamelodi Sundowns in their starting line-up took the lead in the 57th minute.

Themba Zwane released Orlando Pirates striker Makgopa, who finished past Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.

Sport9jaa

 Manchester United has reacted to Victor Osimhen’s performance in Nigeria’s 2-0 win over Cameroon in the round of sixteen of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations.

The Red Devils appear to have monitored proceedings as the African giants clashed on Saturday.

Ademola Lookman put Nigeria ahead in the first half and made a double late in the second half to hand the Super Eagles a well deserved 2-0 victory.

Manchester United goalkeeper, Andre Onana was on the Cameroon bench throughout the game.

The Indomitable Lions boss, Rigobert Song, prefered Onana’s cousin, Fabrice Ondoa in between the sticks.

In their review of the game, Erik ten Hag’s side’s official website highlighted the role played by the Napoli forward in the build-up to Lookman’s opener.

It was, however, the three-time AFCON champions who took the lead before the interval, with Osimhen initially showing great strength to hold off Oumar Gonzalez,” Manchester United wrote.

“The Napoli forward played in Lookman with a neat pass and the 26-year-old made no mistake from close range, tucking home despite Ondoa’s best efforts.”

Manchester United are among a host of clubs said to be interested in signing Victor Osimhen. Napoli have also confirmed the Nigerian could be on his way out of the Italian Serie A champions at the end of the season.

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