FIFA RANKING - AUGUST 2015 FOR AFRICA

Congo reach new high in Fifa rankings.

7 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - ALGERIA - CLUB - Riyad Mahrez extends his contract

Riyad Mahrez - Leicester City winger signs new contract.

6 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - GHANA - CLUB - Waris joins Lorient

Ghana forward Abdul Majeed Waris joins FC Lorient.

6 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - MALI - CLUB - Bakary Sako joins Crystal Palace

Bakary Sako joins Crystal Palace on a free transfer.

5 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - GUINEA - CLUB - Striker Pogba joins Partick Thistle

Mathias Pogba signs a one-year contract with Partick Thistle.

4 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - TUNISIA - CLUB - Leicester City sign Yohan Benalouane

Leicester City sign Yohan Benalouane and N'Golo Kante.

4 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - GABON - CLUB - Aubameyang extends deal

Dortmund forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has extended his deal 

3 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - IVORY COST - CLUB - Max Gradel on the move to Bournemouth

Ivory Coast forward Max Gradel has medical at Bournemouth.

3 Aug 2015
NATIONAL TEAM - MALAWI - COACH - Ernest Mtawali appointed as coach

Ernest Mtawali appointed as head coach of Malawi.

2 Aug 2015
STARS IN EUROPE - BENIN - CLUB - Rudy Gestede sign for Aston Villa

Aston Villa have completed the signings of striker Rudy Gestede

2 Aug 2015

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2015 - PRELIMINARIES - 2ND LEG - PREVIEW

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2015

 

Kaizer Chiefs this weekend even though they have never won a Champions League tie.

Favoured Chiefs snatched a 2:1 preliminary-round, first-leg victory two weeks ago thanks to a stoppage-time header from centre-back Tefu Mashamaite following a corner.

It was not a result that justified the pre-match boast of Chiefs official Bobby Motaung that his club "can compete against anybody in the world".

Rollers have played in the premier African club competition six times and fallen at the first hurdle every time, with the losses including a 7:1 drubbing by Nigerians Shooting Stars.

But Madinda Ndlovu, once the scourge of defences as he launched right-wing raids for Bulawayo club Highlanders and Zimbabwe, believes history can be rewritten on Saturday.

A capacity 18,000 crowd is expected at the National Stadium in capital Gaborone and Ndlovu says Rollers are ready to shock the Chiefs.

"Our ambition is nothing less than victory and a place in the next round," Ndlovu told reporters.

"We know their strengths and weaknesses and have worked hard plotting ways of eliminating them.

"My boys were in awe of Chiefs for half of the first leg only to realise after equalising just after half-time that the South Africans could be beaten."

Rollers were rocked by an early Mathew Rusike goal, but levelled through rising star Segolame Boy.

England-born coach Stuart Baxter is predicting an away victory for a "meaner" Chiefs team.

"We are going to deliver a good professional performance," stressed the former South Africa and Finland boss.

"The crowd in Gaborone will see a much meaner Chiefs side than that which played the first leg.

"I know what to expect now and we have to win this match - we have to perform better than in Soweto."

Baxter is spoilt for choice when it comes to goalkeepers with fit-again captain Itumeleng Khune challenging 2015 Africa Cup of Nations stopper Brilliant Khuzwayo.

Guineans Kaloum are another club hoping to cause a shock having built a 2:1 away advantage over Ivorians Sewe Sport, the 2014 Confederation Cup runners-up.

However, Kaloum cannot enjoy home advantage when the clubs meet Sunday as Guinea are barred from hosting Confederation of African Football fixtures because of the Ebola epidemic.

Mali capital Bamako will stage the West African derby instead with two Ivorians, coach Francois Zahoui and captain Ben Adama Banh, key Kaloum figures.

And two Malians, Cheick Oumar Ballo and Mandala Conte, scored the goals in Abidjan that stunned a Sewe side that recently lost three stars to Democratic Republic of Congo giants TP Mazembe.

Ambitious Sudanese side El-Merrikh spared no expense preparing to tackle Champions League debutants Azam from Tanzania.

Lengthy training camps in Egypt and Qatar preceded a warm-up draw with German Bundesliga club Schalke.

But Merrikh were overrun in Dar es Salaam, losing 2:0 to Didier Kavumbago and John Bocco goals, and a 2:0 victory in Omdurman is the minimum requirement for survival.

After a humiliating early exit from the 2014 Club World Cup at home, Moroccans Moghreb Tetouan are staring further disappointment as they trail Malians CO Bamako 2:0 with a home game to come.

 

 

27 Feb 2015
(BBC Sport UK)

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