2015 Africa Cup: dates & venues for Morocco 2015 announced

The final draw for Morocco 2015 will be held in Rabat on 26 November.

28 Apr 2014
2015 Africa Cup - draw is made

Three teams were drawn in each group at Sunday's ceremony. A fourth team will emerge from two more qualifying rounds. 

27 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - TANZANIA - COACH - Mart Nooij appointed as head coach

Martin Ignatius, popularly known as Mart Nooij, has been named as head coach of Tanzania's national team, the Taifa Stars.

27 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - RWANDA - COACH - Ratomir Dujkovic on shortlist for Rwanda coach position

Dujkovic, who also took Ghana to the 2006 World Cup, is believed to be in a strong position. 

27 Apr 2014
stars in Europe - Everton may seek to extend Lacina Traore's stay

Everton are open to extending Lacina Traore's loan spell despite the Ivorian's injury-ravaged time at the club since he joined from Monaco.

26 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - COACHES - Uganda coach Sredojevic targets 2015 Nations Cup finals

Sredojevic is scheduled to name his squad on 30 April and would not be drawn on who he may include. 

25 Apr 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - MOROCCO - COACH - Herve Renard plays down links to position

Sochaux coach Herve Renard has distanced himself from reports he could become the next coach of Morocco.

24 Apr 2014
stars in Europe - Nathan Sinkala keen to stay on at Sochaux

Zambia midfielder Nathan Sinkala hopes to stay at Sochaux beyond the end of his loan from TP Mazembe.

23 Apr 2014
stars in Europe - Ghana midfielder Jordan Ayew is focussed on Sochaux

Jordan Ayew is the son of Ghana great Abedi Pele and has so far won 11 caps and scored two goals for the Black Stars. Ayew has scored three goals for Sochaux since he joined from Marseille on loan in January and knows playing well for his club can only help his chances of getting into the Black Stars' squad for Brazil. 

22 Apr 2014
2015 Africa Cup qualifiers - Mauritania go through to next round

Mauritania coach Patrice Neveu said the tactics he put in place paid off. "We came to get the qualification and we knew we should not defend"

21 Apr 2014

2015 AFRICA CUP - CAF - EBOLA AND NATIONS CUP - SOUTH AFRICA RULE OUT BEING 2015 HOSTS

AFRICA CUP 2015

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) approached South Africa last week, after Morocco asked to postpone the event because of the Ebola crisis.

"I can tell you unambiguously and categorically that hosting is a no no," Mbalula told South African media.

"Our budget cycle will not allow it - it is totally impossible."

South Africa were among seven countries sounded out by CAF as possible replacements for Morocco, who have major concerns about hosting the 17 January to 8 February tournament.

Almost 4,500 people have died in the Ebola epidemic that broke out in west Africa at the start of the year and Morocco youth and sports minister Mohamed Ouzzine said on Thursday he does not think the tournament can happen as planned.

Moroccan officials will meet with CAF on 3 November to discuss the situation.

Whatever the outcome, South Africa have made their stance clear.

Mbalula said the country had a responsibility to help fight to help fight the Ebola epidemic, with the United Nations predicting a surge in deaths and cases.

"We do not have a ready-made abundance of resources to be shifted to the Nations Cup, " he added. 

"We would like to give this one a pass.

"We will share the responsibility to fight Ebola - we are not immune to that. 

We must be prepared to share our skills, our doctors, to reinforce the research to find a vaccine."

South Africa have twice been emergency hosts of the competition, replacing cash-strapped Kenya in 1996 and strife-torn Libya last year.

Ghana are another of the countries to have been approached by CAF, according to the sports minister of the west African country.

The identities of the other five countries have not been officially revealed.

...

Most of the Ebola deaths have been in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. 

CAF has barred Guinea and Sierra Leone from hosting Nations Cup qualifiers.
 
Liberia were eliminated in the preliminary rounds.

Guinea have staged home fixtures in Moroccan commercial capital Casablanca.

Sierra Leone, having failed to secure a neutral venue, had to play home games against the Democratic Republic of Congo and Cameroon in Lubumbashi and Yaounde respectively.

20 Oct 2014
(BBC Sport UK)

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