TRANSFER - MOROCCO - Marseille sign Abdelaziz Barrada

Barrada started his career at Paris Saint-Germain before making his name in Spain with Getafe. The 25-year-old scored 15 goals in 34 appearances for Al Jazira last season.

17 Aug 2014
Transfer - Senegal - West Ham have signed striker Diafra Sakho from French side FC Metz

The 24-year-old Senegal international has moved to Upton Park after agreeing a four-year contract. His 43 goals over the last two seasons helped Metz win back-to-back promotions into France's Ligue 1.

16 Aug 2014
FIFA RANKING - Sierra Leone break new ground

Sierra Leone have climbed 14 places in the Fifa world rankings for August, lifting them into the top 50 for the fist time in their history.

14 Aug 2014
AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2014 - GROUP STAGE - 5TH MATCHES - ALL RESULTS

Semi-final line-ups complete.

11 Aug 2014
AFRICAN CONFEDERATION CUP 2014 - GROUP STAGE - 5TH MATCHES - Leopards stun Coton Sport as Nkana beat Al Ahly

A second-half hat-trick from Kader Bidimbou and a Cesaire Gandze strike gave Leopards the victory which helps them close the gap on leaders Coton Sport to just two points with one round of group matches remaining.

10 Aug 2014
African Confederation Cup 2014 - GROUP STAGE - 5TH MATCHES - PREVIEW

GROUP A
• Coton Sport vs AC Leopards -:-
• Asec Mimosas vs Real Bamako -:-

GROUP B
• Nkana vs Al Ahly -:-
• Etoile Sahel vs Sewe San Pedro -:-

8 Aug 2014
Transfer - ALGERIA - Carl Medjani and Kevin Constant join Trabzonspor

Algeria international Medjani, 29, has signed a three-year deal after Monaco agreed to terminate his contract. Constant, who can play in defence or midfield, has joined from Italians AC Milan for an undisclosed fee.

8 Aug 2014
TRANSFER - CONGO DR - Forest sign Congolese striker Assombalonga

Britt Assombalonga 
• son of Fedor Assombalonga, former Zaire international. 
• He scored 33 goals in 58 games for Posh last season and had attracted interest from Premier League clubs.

7 Aug 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - ZAMBIA - COACH - Honour Janza appointed as new coach

Janza's first challenge will be the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers. Zambia are placed in Group F and will open their campaign at home to Mozambique on 6 September, followed by a trip to Cape Verde four days later.

7 Aug 2014
AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2014 - GROUP STAGE - 5TH MATCHES - PREVIEW

GROUP A
TP Mazembe vs Al Hilal -:-
Zamalek vs AS Vita Club -:-

GROUP B
Al Ahli Benghazi vs CS Sfaxien -:-
Entente Setif vs Esperance -:-

7 Aug 2014

2015 AFRICA CUP - QUARTER-FINALS - DAY 14 - Ivory Coast vs Algeria - PREVIEW

AFRICA CUP 2015 GROUP C GROUP D Quarter-Finals

 

MATCH PREVIEW


MATCH PREVIEW

Ivory Coast and pre-tournament favourites Algeria go head-to-head in what has the makings of a classic quarter-final.

The Elephants have yet to his top gear and know they will have to raise their game against the leading side in Africa according to the Fifa rankings.

Neutrals will be hoping for a repeat of the 2010 quarter-final encounter between the teams in Angola, when the Ivory Coast led 2:1 going into injury time only for Algeria to equalise before triumphing 3:2 after extra-time.

However, Ivorian coach Herve Renard will settle for a solid defensive display from his side.

For all the attention given to captain Yaya Toure and an attack led by Wilfried Bony, it was their defence which particularly impressed in Wednesday's 1:0 defeat of Cameroon which took the Elephants through.

"There are not many teams in the world who are capable of attacking all the time. 

At international level Spain have been able to play that way and today maybe Germany too. But we are not Germany, we are Ivory Coast," said Renard.

In the opposite dugout will be Renard's fellow Frenchman Christian Gourcuff, an advocate of passing football.

He frequently complained that his team were unable to string passes together in their first two group games in Mongomo but saw an improvement in the 2:0 defeat of Senegal in Malabo on Tuesday that took his team through.

 

MATCH FACTS

• Ivory Coast and Algeria have met six times before in the Africa Cup of Nations, with two wins apiece and two draws

• However, only one of those meetings has been in the knockout stage - Algeria progressed to the semi-finals in 2010 after extra time, winning 3:2

• The Desert Warriors have made it past the quarter-final stage just once since winning the tournament in 1990, the aforementioned win over Ivory Coast.

• The Elephants have made the knockout stage of the competition for the sixth edition in a row.

• Serge Aurier attempted the most dribbles in the group stage (20)

• Sofiane Feghouli was the only player to provide more than one assist in the group stage (2)

• These two sides conceded the most fouls in the group stage - Ivory Coast committed 74 fouls, Algeria 62

• Max Gradel has scored in four of his last five competitive games for the Elephants

 

 

31 Jan 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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