EGYPT ENDS CHIPOLOPOLO AFCON CAMPAIGN
Manucho set for Greece loan
Manchester United’s January signing Manucho is set to head out on loan to Greek giants Panathinaikos. 
Sir Alex Ferguson raised a few eyebrows when swooping for the Angolan, after he impressed during a trial at Old Trafford.
United have been frustrated in their attempts to secure a work permit for a player who is contracted to the club until 2011 and have opted to send him out on loan.
It is believed that United were approached by 14 clubs when it emerged Manucho could be available for loan.
Teams in Portugal, Italy and Belgium came in with offers, but they have been beaten to the punch by Panathinaikos.
The forward is currently playing for his country at the African Cup of Nations, but he has confirmed he will be heading for Athens.
”After the ACN I will return to Luanda and then head to Athens,” said Manucho. “I am looking forward to playing in Greece before hopefully being a success at Old Trafford.”
by Allan Matiya
The Zambia national soccer Africa Cup of Nations campaign ended on wednesday after a 1-1 draw with the Egypt in their final round match in Group C played at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi at the on going competition in Ghana.
The Pharaohs of Egypt held the Chipolopolo of Zambia to a 1-1 in Kumasi to qualify for the quarterfinals of the 26 MTN Africa Cup of Nations Tournament. The Egyptians continue their march towards a possible Sixth Africa Cup of Nations Crown after holdin Zambia.
The defending Champions found themselves ahead in the 14th minute after Mansour Zaky latched onto a pass to hit a drop shot in the back of the net. Zambia launched a series of attacks as the Egyptians played on a defensive, but despite earning three corner-kicks in the early minutes of the first half, Zambia could not find an equalizer. The Egyptians caught the Zambians on a counter attack in the 28th minute but they were denied a goal when the Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene made a brilliant fingertip save.
Zambia continued to rampage the Egyptian defence as they kept on creating holes in the defence but could not get a goal. The Malian referee, Coulibally Koman flashed a yellow card to Felix Katongo who would have missed Zambia’s next match if they had gone through to the quarterfinals and Isaac Chansa just five minutes before the close of the first half for hard tackles.
The Zambian team continued their attacking game at the beginning of the second half as they forced the Egyptians into a defensive game. The Pharaohs also made frequent attacks in the second half but the Zambia defence stood on guard to stop the menace.
Zambia would have leveled the scores in the 88th minute when James Chamanga missed the target as the Egyptian defence was caught unaware, but it was skipper Christopher Katongo who gave Zambia the equalizer in the 88th minute. Katongo was voted MTN man of the match while Said Addel Woawad of Egypt won Samsung fair-ply player of the match.
Zambia has never passed through the Group stage since the 1996 Africa Cup of nations in South Africa when they came out third after beating Ghana in the third and fourth play offs.
In the other Group C match played in Tamale the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon also made it to the last eight of the 2008 competition after a 3-0 win against Sudan with Samuel Eto’o becoming the top scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations as he score two goals. Eto’o goal from a penalty in the 27th minute was his 15th which broke Ivory Coast’s Laurent Pokou;s 1970 record of 14 goals.
Egypt: El Hadari, Mohamed, Hany Said, Moawad, Gomaa, Fathi, Abd Rabou, Shawky, Hassan (Aboutrika 60), Moteab (Ibrahim Said 77), Zaki (Zidan 60).
Subs Not Used: Abdel Monssef, Sobhy, El Saeed, Fathallah, El Mohamady, Gamal, Mostafa, Shaaban, Fadl.
Goals: Zaki 15.
Zambia: Mweene, Musonda, Himonde, Mwanza (Kampamba 30), Hachilensa, Chansa (Kalaba 77), Bakala, Felix Katongo, Christopher Katongo, Jacob Mulenga (Phiri 65), Chamanga.
Subs Not Used: Poto, Kakonje, Chinyama, Nketani, Kasonde, Clifford Mulenga, Njovu, Mayuka, Sunzu.
Booked: Felix Katongo, Chansa.
Goals: Christopher Katongo 88.
‘We blew it’, says Chris Katongo
Zambian captain and Brondby striker Christopher Katango was not a happy man last night following a disappointing draw against the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions Egypt at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi.
The Zambian sharp shooter was voted as a Man of the Match and he capped his performance on the night with a superb strike earning his side a well-deserved draw.
“We are taking our failure to qualify to the next round as a failure. We blew it,” said the clearly disappointed former Jomo Cosmos and PSL top goalscorer.
“We did well beating Sudan in the opening game but it is the game against Cameroon where we lost it. We have learnt something as a team and we will give it a go next time.
“Personally though, I do not think I have failed as a player. I think I proved that I can score goals. It is important though that I keep on working hard,” he added.
Katongo also dismissed questions that were suggesting that one of their downfall in the tournament was due to the fact that the players played more as individuals rather than as a team.
“We play as a team in Zambia. However, you cannot take away any of the individual brilliance of players that make the team.
“Players want to achieve big in their careers. We played well today as a team. Our aim coming to the game was to score first, but that did not work as Egypt were the first to score.
The Chipolopolo Boys’ coach, Patrick Phiri praised the Pharaohs for their performance thus far in the tournament.
“They beat both Cameroon and Sudan coming into this game. This proves that they are a quality side. I think we did well against them, holding them to a draw.
“Against Cameroon it was a disaster, but the players bounced back well in this game. They showed determination when Egypt scored first in the game.
“We are going home now, but it is pity because I believe we could have done much better in this tournament,” he added.
Phiri confident Bafana can shine tonight 
Zambian national team coach Patrick Phiri believes that Bafana Bafana can surprise Senegal tonight at the Baba Yara Stadium in their last Group D encounter at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Zambian mentor who guided his side to an emphatic 3-1 victory against Southern African neighbours in September last year, has given Bafana a morale boost ahead of a must-win clash against Senegal tonight.
“I believe Bafana Bafana can do well against Senegal. I have watched the South African since the beginning of the tournament and they have done well,” he told KickOff.com after coming off the bench in their match against Egypt.
“It was a pity that they lost against Tunisia after committing a couple of mistakes. Senegal is looking a bit disorganised at the moment and they should be demoralised following the surprise defeat at the hands of Angola last Sunday,” he added.
Clifford Mulenga Nominated for CAF Award
Zambia national team winger Clifford Mulenga has been nominated for CAF Young player of the year 2007 ( Under 23-year old )
. Mulenga,20 was very instrumental in the Zambia Under -20 success last. The left footed wing wizard was part of the Under-20 squad that partcipated at the African Youth Cup and FIFA World Youth Cup.
The speed winger played for the national team at all levels in 2007. The player who won his first international cap in 2005, featured for the Under-23 in addition to the U-20.
He was also part of the Chipolopolo boys that was booted out of Ghana 2008 last night.
He played in the first against Sudan.
Globacom/CAF Awards,1st of February 2008
African Player of the Year
Fredric Kanoute -Mali/Seville
Didier Drogba -Ivory Coast/Chelsea
Micheal Essien – Ghana/Chelsea
Inter-Club Player of the year 2007
- Chermiti Amine (Etoile de Sahel,Tunisia)
- Ezeh Godwin Nou Buisi (Al Hilal, Sudan)
- Mputo Mabi (Mazembe Englebert,RD Congo) -Arsenal trialist and target
National Team of the year 2007
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Sudan
- Nigeria U-17 National Team
Club of the year 2007
- Al Hilal (Sudan)
- Etoile de Sahel (Tunisia)
- Sfax (Tunisia)
Young player of the year 2007 ( Under 23-year old )
- Ibara Franchel (Congo U-20 National Team)
- Mulenga Clifford (Zambia U-20 National Team)
- Oseni Gani (Nigeria U-17 National Team)
Women Footballer of the year 2007
- Cynthia Uwak (Nigeria)
- Perpetua Nkwocha (Nigeria)
- Modise Portia (South Africa
Coach of the year 2007
-Bertrand Marchand (Etoile De Sahel, Tunisia)
- Michel Decastel (Sfax,Tunisia)
- Yemi Tella (Nigeria U-17 National Team
National Milling to sponsor City ‘Yamoto’
National Milling Company (NMC) has taken over the sponsorship of Super Division side City of Lusaka.
NMC managing director Peter Cottan announced at a press briefing yesterday that the company would sponsor the club this season.
“We have decided to take over the club together with the Woodlands Stadium as our own home base. It will therefore change to National Milling City of Lusaka Football Club,” Cottan said.
He said his company would take over funding for the club and rehabilitation of the stadium and would renew the contract at the end of the season.
Cottan also appointed Prisca Chimolula of National Milling to represent the company at the club’s executive committee to ensure accountability.
And welcoming the offer, City of Lusaka director Sunday Nkonde said the sponsorship had come at the right time.
“The club has had no sponsors, we are always unable to send our team to foreign camps and yet we have competed with big clubs. So, I am very happy that the club that has been surviving on its own has finally found sponsorship,” Nkonde said.
He clarified that the club had not abandoned Celtel but had engaged NMC on different terms.
“Celtel was not our sponsor. They were doing their social responsibility, but NMC has taken over the entire sponsorship. This means the stadium and football kits will be branded in National Milling colours,” said Nkonde.
Retire all defenders from national team, says Wawa
RETIRE non-performing defenders at the national team, former Chipolopolo Boys defence pillar Harrison ‘Wawa’ Chongo has advised.
Commenting on Zambia’s 1-5 defeat to Cameroon at the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations last Saturday, Chongo said none of the defenders deserve a place in the national team.
He expressed displeasure at the quality of the Chipolopolo Boys defenders.
Chongo’s partnership with Elijah Litana was voted the best central defence at the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations when Zambia lost 2-1 to Nigeria in the final.
He said the current defenders were not even showing signs of improvement.
Chongo said the amateurish marking of Zambian defenders in the match against Cameroon left much to be desired.
“Look at those defenders, they were at the last Africa Cup and now they make such mistakes, you can’t allow it,” he said.
Chongo observed that Zambian defenders wanted to outmark Barcelona star Samuel Eto’o in last Saturday’s match.
He, however, said the players who included shaky Clive Hachilensa, Kennedy Nketani, Billy Mwanza and Joseph Musonda were caught napping.
Chongo said it was time to change the entire defence as Zambia prepares for 2010 World Cup qualifiers kicking off at the end of May.
“Apart from Joseph Musonda, the rest of the defence should go. How can one defender miss the ball when aiming for the header?” he wondered, before laughing; “And then the other one fails to clear.”
Chongo, a former Mufulira Wanderers defender who also played in the Middle East, said enough chances had been given to the current defenders to prove their worth in the first team.
“When we went to the Africa Cup in 1994, it was the first time. We didn’t consider Rashid Yekini as a star… we just considered him like any other player but these defenders were afraid of Eto’o,” he said. “They should learn from us… we learnt from people like (late) John Soko and (late) Estone Mulenga.”
Coach Patrick Phiri has hinted that reshuffles would be made to the Zambian defence playing Egypt today but Chongo insists that the likes of Hachilensa and Nketani should have no places in the team.-THE POST
Momo: I turned down Toon and Spurs 
Former Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko has revealed he could have joined Tottenham or Newcastle.
The all-action midfielder signed for Juventus on Tuesday for the sum of £8.2 million – a £3.2 million rise on what Liverpool originally paid for him.
Sissoko’s first two seasons on Merseyside saw him become a huge fans’ favourite for his industrious displays – most notably in Camp Nou in the 2-1 win over Barcelona.
However, the Mali international suffered a crisis of confidence at the start of the current campaign, marked by a dire showing in the 1-0 home defeat to Marseille.
Rafa Benitez attempted to stick by his man, but Sissoko soon found himself behind Steven Gerrard, Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso and Lucas Leiva in the pecking order.
Sissoko opted for Juve, but he admits he could have stayed in England.
“A lot of people were interested in me, notably Tottenham and Newcastle,” he was quoted as saying in The Daily Mirror.


The Benfica rumoured bound has been impressive at the tournament that has seen claim the two man of match. The Petro Athletico de Luanda has been one of the stars of the group stages so far alongside his former teammate Manoucho. The Manchester United bound striker has notched in three goals for Angola.


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