January 30, 2008
Eto’o eyes history as Cameroon face Sudan
Samuel Eto’o has a chance to make African Nations Cup history when Cameroon face table-propping Sudan in their Group C decider on Wednesday.
The striker needs one goal to break the record of 14 in the tournament set by Ivory Coast’s Laurent Pokou in 1970.
Cameroon should win comfortably to make the quarter-finals along with defending champions Egypt, who lead the group with six points and need a point against Zambia in their match in Kumasi (also 1700) to go through.
Zambia and Cameroon have three points apiece but the Indomitable Lions hold the advantage of having won their match against the Zambians 5-1 should they finish equal on points.
Eto’o said: “My first objective is to keep scoring for my country and make sure we get our ticket for the quarter-finals.
“But I also want to beat the goalscoring record in my next match,” added the striker, who has scored three goals in the tournament in Ghana, equalling Pokou’s record with a penalty in Saturday’s 5-1 rout of Zambia.
Sudan, making their first Nations Cup appearance for 32 years, seem the perfect opponents for Eto’o after shipping three goals in each of their first two games against Zambia and Egypt.
Sudan, with Nigeria the only team yet to score in the tournament, have no points and only a mathematical chance of progressing.
The other game pits Egypt’s attack, which has already mustered seven goals, against the notoriously leaky Zambian defence.
The Zambian rearguard were involved in a comedy of errors in the Cameroon defeat and are unlikely to relish the thought of facing the Pharaohs, who have looked the most accomplished team in the tournament so far.
Le Roy compares Ghana to Cameroon in 1988
Ghana coach Claude Le Roy has rated the quality of the African Nations Cup hosts on a par with the Cameroon side he led to the title in 1988.
Ghana’s impressive win over Morocco on Monday saw Le Roy into his sixth Nations Cup quarter-finals, and he has more than a sneaking impression that his side cango all the way.
“I’ve got long experience, this is my sixth quarter-final, and I can say this Ghana team are very
close to Cameroon in 1988 in terms of skill and dedication,” he said at the team’s hotel on Tuesday.
“It seems that day after day we’re becoming very difficult to beat. I’ve got the same feeling as I had in Morocco in 1988.
“Perhaps there are teams here wwith more execptional players but mentally there’s not one stronger than us.”
Reflecting on Ghana’s 2-0 win over the Atlas Lions which earned them a last eight date with either Ivory Coast, Mali or Nigeria, the Frenchman who turns 60 next month said: “That was their best performance since I took charge.
“Technically, tactically, physically and mentally we played at a very high quality.”
Explaining his switch in tactics to allow Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien more space – and which worked to a tee – Le Roy said: “I asked a lot from Quincey and Sulley (Muntari), they played an important role tactically to give Michael more space.
“We had to win the battle in midfield, and we did that.”
Le Roy inevitably wasn’t giving any clues away to the side that he’ll pick for the quarter-final.
“The day I decide the team the first people who will know is the players. I’ll pick the best XI to beat whoever we play.
“The first quality for intelligence is to be able to adapt, that’s what we’ll do depending on who we play.”
Celta Vigo star Quincy Owusu Abeyie believes the intense criticism directed at the Black Stars after their unconvincing display in their second game
against Namibia was unjust.
“The attacks were very rough, I don’t think it helped us as the Morocco game was very important.
“Sometimes the media are too harsh towards the players. There’s no need for that, we’re going out there to give it our all.”
Udinese striker Asamoah Gyan in particular was singled out and his family subjected to taunts and reported death threats which led to the police setting up
surveillance of the family home in Accra.
Le Roy commented: “Asamoah was in a very bad way on Saturday morning (when he’d packed his bags ready to quit the squad, his morale low after all the taunts).
“He’s recovered now but even so I was surprised with his performance yesterday. I wasn’t sure I’d see him at his best after all that’s happened, but he played a high level game.
“He’ll be a key player again in our quarter final because he’s so skilful and dedicated.”
Le Roy has been in Africa long enough to know that, as elsewhere, results are the be all and end all, and if he doesn’t deliver the title to the Black Stars on February 10 he could well be out of a job.
“It all depends on how we do,” he said when asked about his future.
“If we’re not champions a new coach will arrive,that’s life.
“For sure my aim is to stay here and prepare Ghana for the World Cup qualifiers.
“If I have to move on you’ll find me on a pitch somewhere for the next few years. I’ve got a lot of experience, but the only problem with that is it means I don’t have a long future!”
Eagles Players Unite Against Benin
Rising from a no holds bared session on the future of the team at the on going Confederation of African Football (CAF) Nations Cup tournament, Super Eagles players resolved to erase Nigerians’ tears caused by their unpardonable performances against Cote d’Ivoire and Mali by winning the group’s last match against Benin Republic in Sekondi Takoradi.
The players who confirmed to THISDAYSports of inundated unanimous phone calls and threat text messages warning them not to attempt returning to Nigeria after crashing out woeful at the event saying they risk being lynched by irate Nigerians. Nigerians back home THISDAYSports learnt have been expressing displeasure over the lackadaisical performance of the team which they described as the worst since 1982.
The story is the same with other Nigerians who travelled to support the team in Ghana, but who have also suggested that the team be sanctioned for disappointing the country without resistance.
However, assistant captain of the team Joseph Yobo told our correspondent in Sekondi Takoradi that despite the spurious attacks and condemnation of the team, the players’ had resolved to do the country proud by winning its remaining match against Benin Republic this evening. Yobo who said in football anything is possible said Nigeria could still qualify despite the team’s standing on the group’s table.
His words: “We are being crucified because we have not done well in the tournament. It would have been the same assuming we have excelled since the beginning of the tournament. We’ve taken everything in good stead and we are still hopeful that we will do well. Football is not mathematics where 1 + 1 is 2 but we wait and see what happens in the end.”
On the possibility of the team getting beyond the first stage, the assistant captain said nobody can rightly predict what will happen in today’s match saying that the group’s qualifiers will have to wait till the end of the evenings matches.
“We know we have done well this time but we also know that it is not yet over till the end of the matches this evening.”
Against this backdrop, Yobo said the team will have no excuse not beating Benin in today’s match.
“We have had terrible outing in this year’s tournament but I don’t think we will have excuses if we fail to win a match in the tournament. As a result, the players are more than ever united to deliver the goods in today’s match.”
El-Karkouri retires from Morocco
Morocco defender Talal El-Karkouri has announced his retirement from international football.
The 31-year-old has quit the Atlas Lions after the north Africans failed to progress to the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana.
El-Karkouri, who plays in Qatar for club side Qatar Sports Club, says he wants to concentrate on club football.
“Each beginning has an end, I’ve thought about this for many nights and I want to focus on my club,” he said.
“I’ve had an amazing time representing my country, and after the Nations Cup here in Ghana, I feel it is the right time to step aside,” El-Karkouri told BBC Sport after Morocco’s 2-0 defeat to Ghana on Monday.
Morocco were tipped as one of the favourites to lift the 2008 African title after drawing 2-2 with France and brushing aside Senegal 3-0 in pre-tournament friendlies.
But despite their early exit, El Karkouri says the Atlas Lions have a bright future.
“We have to forget about this tournament and think about the future because with all these fantastic young players we can achieve great things.
“This team can play together for the next eight to ten years and I know with this team we can qualify for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.”
El-Karkouri was part of the team that finished runners up in the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations.
The defender started his club career with Raja Casablanca before moving to France in 2000 to join Paris St. Germain.
He went on loan to Aris in Greece and Sunderland in England because of lack of first team opportunities before sealing a move to Charlton in 2004.
El-Karkouri moved to Qatar after leaving Charlton at the end of last season.
Adebayor Relishing Scoring Run
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor loves nothing more than scoring goals, but insists working hard is the key to his rich vein of form…
The 23-year-old hitman has been in scintillating form, scoring eight goals in his last six matches for the Gunners.
Only on-fire Cristiano Ronaldo has more Premiership goals than Adebayor, who is still on exile from the Togo international team over a pay row.
“This year I’ve had a chance to start all the games and just try to make goals,” Adebayor enthused. 
“At the moment, everything is going into the net. Everything is going the right way for me and the fans are singing my name. I am just enjoying myself.
“Since the beginning of the season I have been working and working, and you can see what’s happened. Now I have the secret, and just want to carry on working to the end of the season and the end of my career.
“I have had a chance to talk with a lot of people. They have all told me I have good qualities, I can jump high, am strong and can run fast. I just have to work hard a bit more than before and it will pay off.
“The most important thing is to keep my head on my shoulders and my feet on the ground, keep on doing what I can to work hard for the team.”
Ivory Coast Win Group B, Nigeria Through In Second
Nigeria 2 – 0 Benin
The Super Eagles made hard work of Benin, but did enough to secure all three points after coming into the game late on, reaching the second round in the process.
Nigeria started with Getafe’s Ikechukwu Uche and John Utaka of Portsmouth up front, with Mikel and Aiyegbeni in support, as they set about beginning a game that they needed to win.
A slow start ensued, though, and even as news filtered in that the Ivory Coast had taken an early lead against Mali, the Super Eagles found chances hard to come by.
Indeed, while the Super Eagles dominated the early possession, and always looked dangerous on the break even against a back line of five, Benin had the first great chance when Gaspoz seized on a poor clearance to drive from long-range, bringing out a great low save from Ejide.
However, Odemwingie showed once again that Nigeria are fine on the break with a great run down the left soon afterwards. Skipping past onrushing ‘keeper Yoann Djidonou to play the ball across goal, he was unlucky to see his pass cleared.
Odemwingie kept terrorising down that flank right up unitl the half hour mark, but Yoann was the equal of his crosses after that earlier error.
As half-time approached, Nigeria grew disheartened by a lack of chances, allowing Benin to seize the initiative, but the minnows were unable to do much with their spell of possession.
Straight after the break, though, Nigeria set about taking the lead, and although Omotoyossi had the first chance for the Squirrels, they soon did so.
The die had been cast by a superb piece of pressure from Uche and Yakubu two minutes earlier, but it was John Obi Mikel who gave his side the lead 51 minutes in. The Chelsea ace won a free-kick at range, and although Taiwo’s drilled effort was parried by the goalkeeper, there was Mikel on hand at the far post to head it over the line.
The Ivory Coast went 2-0 up soon afterwards, meaning that, as things stood, Nigeria were through. However, another goal would have made it that much more secure, and they duly went about looking for it.
Substitute Obinna Nsofor fired wide just before the hour mark, and after a sustained period of possession, Ikechukwu Uche showed his class to rise in the box after falling under a challenge and bringing out a great save from Yoann with a snapshot.
But while Benin were clearly starting to tire, again Nigeria struggled to make the breakthrough, and the fact that they’d have just one goal in the tournament so far became obvious.
Nsofor missed an absolute sitter seven minutes from the end, for example, but eventually the Super Eagles gained the goal that they craved, and the one that once and for all secured their passage to the next round. 85 minutes in, Yakubu got on the end of Mikel’s long ball to sail through a statuesque defence and finish confidently.
Ivory Coast 3 – 0 Mali
A comprehensive win for Cote d’Ivoire saw Mali leave the tournament empty-handed, despite their previous good work.
The Malians started with Traore playing just off Kanoute up front, while Drogba and Kone linked up in a slightly altered forward line for the 4-4-2 Ivorians.
And although Mali needed to win to keep their destiny in their own hands, the Elephants started the better side, and duly took the lead after eight minutes when Drogba celebrated his 50th international appearance with a curling finish after Yaya Toure’s pass.
That meant that Mali were under enourmous pressure to score, yet the Ivorians had the best chances before the 20 minute mark, Traore coming close, and then Zoro fluffing a free header from six yards when it seemed easier to score.
Still, he redeemed himself a minute later by snuffing out Mali’s best half-chance, beating Kanoute to the through ball when Barry failed to come out for it.
Again the Ivorians pressed after that, Arouna Kone of Sevilla missing an absolute sitter after good work from Tiene, while Sammy Traore then missed a fine chance for Mali by heading wide at the far post.
Other than these few opportunities, though, Mali had managed little of note heading into the interval, leaving themselves with it all to do in the second half, even though they were still through on goal difference then.
As of the 53rd minute, though, they were out. Zoro Kpolo was the goalscorer for the Ivorians, atoning for his earlier miss with a fine header after Toure’s corner from the left.
Drogba almost made it a rout seven minutes later, but Mali began to fight back, Traore rattling a header off the crossbar twenty minutes from time as elimination stared his side in the face.
Sidibe came forward from a wide position to shoot just past the post soon afterwards, but the Ivory Coast always had a bit more composure about them, and well and truly killed the Malians off seven minutes from time with their third.
Sanogo had the easy task of steering home from close range after Sibide had done well to parry Yaya Toure’s long-range shot.
That sent the Ivorians through with a 100% record, while Mali go homewards to plan ahead for World Cup qualification.
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