NATIONAL TEAM - NIGERIA - COACH - Stephen Keshi close to new deal

The 52-year-old led Nigeria to their third African title in 2013 and the last 16 at the World Cup in Brazil but his deal was allowed to expire.

4 Aug 2014
COACHES - IVORY COAST - Herve Renard appointed Ivory Coast boss

Frenchman Herve Renard has been appointed coach of Ivory Coast. The 45-year-old had two spells as Zambia coach and led them to the Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012.

3 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - Nigeria - Striker Imoh Ezekiel joins Qatari side Al-Arabi SC

"Being with Standard has filled me with good memories and I cannot thank the club enough," Ezekiel said in an emotional video message to Standard TV.

3 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIER - 2ND ROUND- 2ND LEG - RESULTS SO FAR

Saturday
Malawi vs Benin 1:0 (Agg: 1:1)
Rwanda vs Congo 2:0 (Agg 2:2)
Guinea-Bissau vs Botswana 1:1 (Agg: 1:3)

2 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIER - 2ND ROUND- 2ND LEG - PREVIEW

Saturday:
• Malawi vs Benin -:- (0:1)
• Rwanda vs Congo -:- (0:2)
• Guinea-Bissau vs Botswana -:- (0:2)
• Mauritania vs Uganda -:- (0:2)
Sunday:
• Mozambique vs Tanzania -:- (2:2)
• Kenya vs Lesotho -:- (0:1)

1 Aug 2014
2015 AFRICA CUP QUALIFIERS - GROUP STAGE - TOGO - 1ST MATCHES - PREVIEW - Emmanuel Adebayor

The Tottenham Hotspur striker, 30, refused call-ups for World Cup qualifiers last year following a spat with then coach Didier Six after the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations.

1 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - ALGERIA - GOALKEEPER Rais Mbolhi joins Philadelphia Union

The French-born 28-year-old impressed during the 2014 World Cup in Brazil where Algeria reached the last 16.

The African side were beaten 2:1 by Germany after extra-time but Mbolhi was named man of the match following a series of fine saves.

31 Jul 2014
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COAST - YAYA TOURE - MAN CITY MIDFIELDER - MY FUTURE IS AT ETIHAD

Toure, who signed a new four-year deal last season, also wants to see more signings in the coming weeks to help establish City as a "massive" club.

30 Jul 2014
TRANSFER - Guinea - Crewe Alexandra - Mathias Pogba exit will raise transfer funds

The Guinea international, who missed the first five months of last season with a knee injury as Crewe finished four points outside the relegation zone in League One, found the net 21 times in 63 appearances for the Alex.

30 Jul 2014
TRANSFER - GHANA - International Player Jordan Ayew signs for Lorient

He made a switch last winter by spending six months on loan at Sochaux, where his five goals in 17 matches could not prevent the club from relegation from the top flight.

29 Jul 2014

2015 AFRICA CUP - CONGO - COACH LEROY BELIEVES THAT ONIANGUE CAN INSPIRE THE TEAM

AFRICA CUP 2015 GROUP A

Frenchman LeRoy has coached four different teams at seven editions of the tournament, winning the competition in 1998 with Cameroon.

And Oniangue feels LeRoy will inspire them in Equatorial Guinea.

"Most times he gets to the quarter-finals at least, so we can work knowing that target is very possible," he said.

LeRoy's Nations Cup record as coach
1986 - Runner-up with Cameroon
1988 - Winner with Cameroon
1990 - Semi-finalist with Senegal
1992 - Quarter-finalist with Senegal
2006 - Quarter-finalist with DR Congo
2008 - Third place with Ghana
2013 - Group stage with DR Congo

The 26-year-old Oniangue, who plays his club football in France for Reims, told BBC Sport he is confident LeRoy's knowledge of the tournament will help propel the team out of a group that contains the hosts, Burkina Faso and Gabon.

"Having a coach like Claude LeRoy helps a lot. 

He's going for his eight Nations Cup appearance and that brings a lot to the team," Oniangue added.

Congo enjoyed their heyday in the 1970s, when the Red Devils beat Mali 3:2 in the final of the 1972 tournament.

Two years later, the holders took eventual finalists Zambia to extra-time in the semi-finals before losing 4:2.

Congo have failed to reach a Nations Cup semi-final since but Oniangue, who scored against Nigeria and Sudan during the qualifiers, said: "I think everything is possible.

"We will play the opening game and do the maximum to reach the quarter-finals.

"We have to take it match after match. 

The minimum will be to reach the quarter-final, no one expect us to be there so maybe we can shock people again.

"Congo has a young generation, a lot of people did not give us a chance in Nigeria but we won there.

"As players we believe in ourselves and in our coach we have a man with big experience, so I know we can surprise everybody again in Equatorial Guinea."

The tournament will be played between 17 January and 8 February.

 

17 Dec 2014
(BBC Sport by Oluwashina Okeleji)

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