Author: Xoxo

 

Equatorial Guinea striker Emilo Nsue has apologised for missing a penalty in his team’s 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON, Round of 16 defeat to Guinea on Sunday.

Nsue, who leads the 2023 AFCON scoring charts with five goals, missed a penalty in the second half against Guinea.

Guinea defeated Equatorial Guinea 1-0, thanks to a late stoppage-time strike from Mohamed Bayo.

“I apologise personally for my penalty miss,” Nsue said.

“They won at the last minute; we have to learn from our mistakes and keep working.”

AFCON: Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Guinea

Mohamed Bayo headed in a dramatic winner in the eighth minute of injury time as Guinea beat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 1-0 on Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The last-16 tie at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan was heading for extra time when Bayo, of French Ligue 1 side Le Havre, struck right at the death to spark frenzied scenes of celebration among the Guinea team and their large support.

It was a historic moment for the Syli National, who had never previously won a Cup of Nations knockout tie — they were runners-up in 1976, in an era when the final four played a round-robin format to decide the winner of the trophy.

Equatorial Guinea players slumped to the turf at the end while Guinea celebrated with their noisy support in a crowd of 36,340, as Abidjan’s sizeable Guinean community turned out in force for the occasion.

Guinea had appeared to be handicapped by coach Kaba Diawara’s decision to leave prolific VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy -– scorer of 17 goals in the German Bundesliga this season -– on the bench at kick-off, with ex-Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita also dropping out.

Guirassy had missed Guinea’s first two group games and was replaced again here by Bayo.

The tie only came to life in the second half, with Guinea midfielder Mory Konate heading in a free-kick in the 53rd minute only for the goal to be disallowed for offside.

Moments later came the red card, with Tunisia-based Bikoro being dismissed for a reckless follow-through that saw him plant his studs into Bayo’s abdomen.

Guirassy was then introduced, but it was the 10 men of Equatorial Guinea who won a penalty on 67 minutes.

The Somalian referee was summoned to the pitchside monitor after Iban Edu went down under Sekou Sylla’s challenge as he tried to connect with a Pablo Ganet free-kick.

A spot-kick was duly awarded, but the competition’s top scorer Nsue could not take the chance to net his sixth goal of this AFCON, sending his penalty against the post and wide.

It was to prove crucial, as Guinea instead made the extra man count by scoring right at the end of injury time when Bayo strained his neck to head in a cross by the impressive Ibrahim Diakite.

 

DR Congo will face Guinea in the second quarter-final fixture at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) after both sides defeated their opponents on Sunday to advance to the last eight of the competition.

DR Congo defeated perennial champions Egypt 8-7 on penalties after playing out a 1-1 draw (aet).

The Congolese took the lead for the first time in the AFCON when Meschack Elia nodded in Yoane Wissa’s cross, putting the 67th-ranked team on track for the latest surprise result in a tournament highlighted by underdog victory in Ivory Coast.

Their lead lasted nine minutes when Mostafa Mohamed converted a penalty on the stroke of halftime after Ahmed Hegazi was felled by Dylan Batubinsika’s flailing arm.

Egypt finished with 10 men following the left-back. Seven minutes into extra time, Mohamed Hamdy received a second yellow card for a mistimed lunge on Simon Banza.

And, after Egypt goalie Gabaski clipped the top of the crossbar in the ninth round of the shootout, Mpasi

stepped up to convert and give DR Congo the win.

Last-gasp Bayo goal takes Guinea into quarter-finals

Mohamed Bayo headed in a dramatic winner in the eighth minute of injury time as Guinea beat 10-man Equatorial Guinea 1-0 on Sunday to advance to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The last-16 tie at the Ebimpe Olympic Stadium in Abidjan was heading for extra time when Guinea’s Bayo, of French Ligue 1 side Le Havre, struck right at the death to spark frenzied scenes of celebration among the Guinea team and their large support.

It was a historic moment for Guinea, who had never previously won a Cup of Nations knockout tie — they were runners-up in 1976, in an era when the final four played a round-robin format to decide the winner of the trophy.

Guinea vs DR Congo – Date, Time, Venue

DR Congo will play Guinea in the quarter-finals at Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan.

The match will take place on Friday, 2nd February. 9pm Nigeria time.

 

Manchester City will travel to Luton in the FA Cup fifth round, while non-league giant-killers Maidstone face Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry in the FA Cup draw.

Treble winners City won 1-0 at Tottenham in the fourth round thanks to Nathan Ake’s late goal on Friday.

Pep Guardiola’s side now head to Kenilworth Road to take on a Luton team that won 2-1 at Everton on Saturday.

Maidstone pulled off one of the great upsets in FA Cup history by winning 2-1 at Championship high-fliers Ipswich on Saturday.

The sixth-tier National League South club are the lowest ranked side left in the competition.

They will now travel to another Championship side to face the winners of the replay between Wednesday and Coventry in the last 16.

Maidstone have already beaten two other league clubs in the FA Cup this season, having knocked out Barrow and Stevenage.

Newcastle face a trip to the winners of Monday’s tie between Blackburn and Wrexham.

The winner of the replay between Chelsea and Aston Villa, who drew 0-0 on Friday, will host Leeds or Plymouth.

Brighton travel to Wolves and Bournemouth entertain Championship leaders Leicester in the FA Cup draw.

Chasing silverware in Jurgen Klopp’s final season in charge, Liverpool, 5-2 winners against Norwich on Sunday, will face Watford or Southampton, who played out a 1-1 draw.

The winners of the replay between Bristol City and Nottingham Forest host Manchester United, who survived blowing a two-goal lead in their 4-2 victory at fourth-tier minnows Newport on Sunday.

Fifth round draw:

Blackburn or Wrexham v Newcastle

Chelsea or Aston Villa v Leeds or Plymouth

Bournemouth v Leicester

Liverpool v Watford or Southampton

Bristol City or Nottingham Forest v Manchester United

Wolves v Brighton

Sheffield Wednesday or Coventry v Maidstone United

Luton v Manchester City

 Mikel Arteta, it is reported, has no plans to leave Arsenal for Barcelona this summer. This is coming against the background of rumours that he will replace Xavi.

Recall that there had been a sensational report in Spain claiming he could walk away at the end of the season, MailOnline reported.

Sport, a Catalonia-based publication, claimed that Arteta has told those close to him that he is considering stepping away from his post early.

Sources close to Arsenal have adamantly denied that there is any truth in the Catalan press reports. They said Arteta was committed to managing the Gunners.

Barcelona are looking for a new manager this summer to replace Xavi. And they have close links to Sport, who claim that Joan Laporta is a big fan of Arteta.

Arteta

Arteta is tied down to a contract running until 2025. And with the Gunners challenging for the Premier League title and Champions League as the season nears its climax.

Arteta took charge at Arsenal in 2019 after leaving his role as Pep Guardiola’s trusted No. 2 at Manchester City. He has gone on to win three trophies during his spell in north London. He got the FA Cup and the Community Shield twice.

The Spaniard also guided Arsenal to a sensational Premier League title charge last season. It ensured they returned to the Champions League. 

Arteta progressed through the famed La Masia academy at Barcelona. But he struggled for opportunities and then joined Rangers in a deal worth £6 million in 2002. 

Xavi

Xavi announced he would leave Barcelona shortly after their 5-3 defeat by Villarreal. 

Speaking post-match, he said: “Before you ask me the pertinent questions, I want to announce that as of June 30, I will not continue as Barca coach.

“We have been talking about it with Laporta and with the sports area. And, as a cule, I think that the club needs a change of dynamic. Thinking about the club and the players; I think they will free themselves and will be calmer.

‘Thinking as a club man I think, ‘The best thing is to leave on June 30’.

“That said, I will give my best in the remaining four months. I think we can have a good season and I hope the dynamic changes.”

Arteta, who has managed 211 matches at Arsenal and won 121 of them, may well now be seen as a strong contender to step in to replace Xavi. MailOnline

 A shock-riddled Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast has reached the round of 16 with four ties between winners of the competition highlighting a four-day schedule that kicks off on Saturday.

The clashes of champions pit Nigeria against Cameroon, Egypt against Democratic Republic of Congo, title-holders Senegal against Ivory Coast and Morocco against South Africa.

None of the other four matches feature a former winner, but 2015 semi-finalists Equatorial Guinea will attract attention after topping a group including more fancied Nigeria and Ivory Coast.

Here, AFP Sport looks at the eight matches and predicts which countries will advance to the quarter-finals of the African football showpiece.

Saturday

Angola v Namibia

This clash of southern Africa neighbours was totally unexpected given Angola had not gone beyond the group stage since being 2010 hosts and Namibia had been winless in three earlier appearances.

Angola overshadowed Algeria and Burkina Faso to top Group D with Gelson Dala scoring twice while Namibia stunned Tunisia, were crushed by South Africa, then exceeded expectations to hold Mali.

Prediction: Angola to win

Nigeria v Cameroon

When it comes to finals in the Cup of Nations Cameroon have won all three against Nigeria, who got the better of the Indomitable Lions in three other meetings.

A Victor Osimhen-led Nigerian attack have found goals hard to come by with just three in three matches, including a penalty and an own goal, but the Cameroon defence is far from impregnable.

Sunday

Equatorial Guinea v Guinea

Equatorial Guinea captain Emilio Nsue, the leading tournament scorer with five goals, told his team “not to get carried away” after topping Group A through a shock 4-0 win over Ivory Coast.

Guinea are a team who regularly reach the knockout phase, then make little impact. They will hope fit-again Serhou Guirassy can recapture his Bundesliga scoring form.

Egypt v Democratic Republic of Congo

It would have been hard to imagine before the tournament began that record seven-time champions Egypt would qualify without winning a match, but they drew all three in Group B.

The absence of injured talisman Mohamed Salah is a massive blow against a workmanlike Congolese side, led by impressive centre-back Chancel Mbemba, that also progressed after three draws.

Monday

Cape Verde v Mauritania

This is another tie that no neutral observer would have foreseen before Mauritania, after two unlucky losses, stunned two-time champions Algeria to finish third and squeeze through.

They need to avoid conceding free kicks in their half as Cape Verdean Bebe scored from a 40-metre set-piece against Mozambique. Holding Egypt suggests they will not be pushovers.

While one of the favourites, Senegal have lost both previous Cup of Nations matches against Ivory Coast and must bury a jinx which has seen the last six holders fail to retain the trophy.

Ivory Coast fired coach Jean-Louis Gasset after being humiliated by Equatorial Guinea and caretaker Emerse Fae knows only a drastic improvement when attacking will offer any hope.

Prediction: Senegal

Tuesday

Mali v Burkina Faso

A clash of former runners-up with Malian Lassine Sinayoko and Burkinabe Bertrand Traore among eight players who have scored twice so far in the Ivory Coast.

Both sides are physically powerful, with Mali exploiting that factor in a group victory over South Africa, and they have been more impressive than rivals who surprisingly fell to Angola.

Prediction: Mali

Morocco v South Africa

While Morocco will be favourites, they have won only one of five meetings with South Africa, who rank among the most unpredictable teams in this tournament.

Outmuscled by Mali, they thrashed giantkillers Namibia, then fought a dour goalless draw with Tunisia. Morocco have several potential match-winners while South Africa rely on Themba Zwane.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar LeBron James was voted into the NBA All-Star Game for a record 20th time on Thursday, named among 10 starters for next month’s 73rd All-Star contest.

James, a four-time NBA Most Valuable Player, was named an All-Star starter for the 20th consecutive year, a streak that began in 2005, his second NBA campaign.

The 39-year-old US playmaker, a four-time NBA champion, broke the record for All-Star appearances that he had shared with another Lakers legend, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The NBA All-Star Game will be played on February 18 at Indianapolis between elite squads from the Eastern and Western Conference.

As the top West point-getter, James will serve as captain and join a starting lineup that also includes Phoenix’s Kevin Durant and Serbian center Nikola Jokic, a two-time MVP from the defending champion Denver Nuggets.

West guards included Slovenian Luka Doncic of Dallas and Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of Canada.

Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo of the Milwaukee Bucks was named captain for the East, whose frontcourt starters also include Cameroon’s reigning NBA MVP and this season’s top scorer Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston’s Jayson Tatum.

“You never want to take it for granted,” Tatum said. “For the fans to consistently vote me in is truly an honor. I grew up wanting to be in All-Star weekend every year and to live out that dream in real time is pretty cool. I’m very grateful.”

East guards included Indiana’s Tyrese Haliburton, the NBA assists leader, and Milwaukee’s Damian Lillard, making his eighth All-Star appearance after being traded from Portland to the Bucks before this season.

Fan balloting to determine starters ended last Saturday. Fan votes counted 50% with a media panel and NBA players each counting 25%.

The All-Star Game reverts to an East versus West format after several years where two top vote getters were named captains and drafted lineups from among other top vote-getters.

Reserves for both teams will be announced next Thursday, with all 30 NBA coaches selecting two guards, three frontcourt players and two others at any position from their respective conference.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver will select the replacement for any player unable to play in the All-Star Game, selecting a substitute from the same conference.

 

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has slammed Aleksander Ceferin after the UEFA president claimed European football’s governing body was right to punish the Premier League champions for financial breaches.

UEFA banned City from European competition for two years in February 2020 for breaching its Financial Fair Play rules, but the ban was later overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

CAS found that some of the charges against City were “not established” and others were time-barred.

Ceferin remains adamant his organisation was correct, telling the Daily Telegraph on Thursday: “We know we were right. We wouldn’t decide if we didn’t think we were right.”

The Slovenian’s remarks came as City await a Premier League hearing after being charged with 115 breaches of their domestic competition’s profit and sustainability rules.

A furious Guardiola said that by speaking out now, Ceferin had not respected City’s ongoing process with the Premier League.

“As the lawyer that he is, as president of UEFA, he should wait – and after do whatever he wants,” he told reporters on Thursday.

“He has to respect it and he has to wait. He has a lot of jobs to do at UEFA. A lawyer should respect the procedure. He knows we have the right to defend ourselves.”

City will again be without striker Erling Haaland for their FA Cup fourth tie at Tottenham on Friday.

But the Norway striker is nearing a return after almost two months out with a foot injury.

“He is on the verge of coming back. For Friday he is not ready but he is close,” Guardiola said.

“The training camp was good, he trained some sessions. The last few days he’s trained but it is not perfect and we will wait a little bit more.”

John Stones is back in contention after an ankle injury but fellow defender Manuel Akanji remains on the sidelines. Goalkeeper Ederson is also fit after limping off in City’s last game at Newcastle.

City have lost on all five of their previous visits to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium without even scoring a goal.

Calling on the FA Cup holders to break their duck, Guardiola said: “That is the reality, (and shows) how tough it is for us.

“Of course this is a ‘final’, a knockout game and to go through we have to score goals. Always it is a new opportunity to break it.

“The feeling is most of the times we played really good but the reality is there, no goals, five defeats – so they were much better than us.”

 Jannik Sinner ended Novak Djokovic’s bid for a record 25th Grand Slam title on Friday, snapping the Serb’s astonishing 33-match winning run at Melbourne Park to reach his first major final.

The Italian fourth seed was unfazed by dropping his first set of the tournament against the king of Rod Laver Arena, winning the semi-final 6-1, 6-2, 6-7 (6/8), 6-3.

He will face either Russian third seed Daniil Medvedev or German sixth seed Alexander Zverev in Sunday’s title match, meaning there will be a new name on the trophy.

Ten-time champion Djokovic fought off a match point in the third-set tie-break but notched up 54 errors and failed to create a single break point in an sub-par display by his stellar standards.

“It was a very tough match,” said Sinner. “I started off really well. He missed in the first two sets. I felt like he was not feeling that great on court so I just tried to keep pushing.

“Then in the third set I had match point and I missed the forehand but this is tennis. I just tried to be ready for the next set, which I started off really well.”

Sinner, 22, said he felt he had learned from defeat to Djokovic in last year’s Wimbledon semi-finals — the furthest he had previously gone at a Grand Slam — and had been looking forward to the match.

“I think we play really similar — you have to return as many balls as possible, he’s such an incredible server,” he said. “So I was just trying to push him around a little bit — I’m not going to tell you the tactics.”

– Djokovic record bid –

Djokovic, who had not tasted defeat at the Australian Open since 2018, lacked his usual metronomic consistency as the super-cool Sinner raced into a 3-0 lead.

The Italian broke again in the sixth game and seized the first set when Djokovic went long with a forehand.

But his error count continued to mount and Sinner, who had beaten Djokovic in two of their previous three encounters, broke in the third game to establish a vice-like grip on the match.

Djokovic urged the crowd to come to his aid and cries of “Nole” rang around the packed stadium but he was broken again and slipped two sets down.

The match was paused at 5-5, 40-40 in the third set as medical staff treated a fan in the crowd but Djokovic brushed off the interruption to hold serve and send it to a tie-break.

The Serb nudged ahead but Sinner came back to earn his first match point, only to dump a forehand into the net.

Djokovic made no mistake when presented with his chance to seal the set, raising a clenched fist to the crowd.

But the Serbian’s serve came under renewed pressure again in the fourth set and he cracked to give Sinner a 3-1 lead.

The Italian kept his nerve and forged a second match point, 55 minutes after his first, hitting a forehand winner to earn victory after three hours and 22 minutes and end an era at Melbourne Park.

 Manchester City midfielder Kalvin Phillips joined West Ham on loan on Friday for the rest of the season as the England international aims to boost his chances of featuring at Euro 2024.

Phillips has rarely featured for the English champions since joining from Leeds in a £45 million ($57 million) move in July 2022.

However, England boss Gareth Southgate has continued to select the 28-year-old at international level and regular first-team football gives Phillips the chance to push his case for a starting spot in Germany later this year.

West Ham will reportedly have an option to make the move permanent at the end of the season.

“There’s always been a lot of speculation about me moving to West Ham, so I’m really excited to get going now,” said Phillips.

“There’s so much to look forward to in the second half of the season for the club and I can’t wait to be part of it.

“There’s an unbelievable group here and if I can come in and add the quality that I know I’m capable of, I’m sure we can give the West Ham fans plenty to be excited about between now and the end of the season.”

The Hammers have their sights set on qualifying for the Champions League for the first time, either through the Premier League or winning the Europa League.

David Moyes’ team sit sixth in the table with fifth potentially good enough to qualify for the Champions League this season if English sides perform strongly in European competitions.

Last season’s Europa Conference League winners have also progressed to the last 16 of the Europa League.

“We are really pleased to bring a player of Kalvin’s quality to West Ham United,” said Moyes.

“We’ve been big admirers of him for a long time and we believe that he will add strength and competition to our squad.

“Kalvin is an England international midfielder, with proven Premier League experience. We’re excited to welcome him into the group and look forward to working with him.”