NATIONAL TEAM - CONGO DR - COACH - Florent Ibenge appointed new coach

The 52-year-old, who fills the position left vacant since Claude LeRoy's departure, will combine the duties with his role as coach of AS Vita Club. President of the Congolese Football Federation Constant Omari said: "We decided to give a local coach a chance.

17 Aug 2014
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 2016 - 2ND ROUND / 2ND LEG - so far

African Champions League 2016

2nd round / 2nd leg
2015 Champions: TP Mazembe


Tuesday: 19.04.2016

Zesco Utd vs Stade Malien 2:1 (3:1) agg: 5:2

• MO Béjaïa vs Zamalek 1:1 (0:2) agg 1:3

Entente Setif vs Al Merreikh 0:0 (2:2) 
  (agg: 2:2 - Setif go through on away goals)

 

Wednesday: 20.04.2016

• Mamelodi Sundowns vs Vita Club -:- (0:1) 

• TP Mazembe vs Wydad -:- (0:2) 

• Etoile du Sahel vs Enyimba -:- (0:3) 

• Al Ahly vs Young Africans -:- (1:1) 

• Ahly Tripoli vs Asec Mimosas -:- (0:2) 


TP Mazembe's fans will be hoping to lift their team to victory over Wydad Casablanca

Holders TP Mazembe of DR Congo must overcome a 2:0 deficit against visiting Wydad Casablanca of Morocco in the African Champions League.

The two clubs meet on Wednesday in the second leg of their tie with the winners progressing to the group stages of the tournament.

The losers get a second chance as they enter the draw for the play-offs in the second-tier Confederation Cup.

For the first time continental club matches are being played in midweek.

Mazembe's French coach Hubert Velud described the club's players as "incredible professionals" when he was hired this year.

The clubs also met in a last 16 tie five years ago with Wydad winning 1:0 at home and losing 2:0 away only to be reinstated when Mazembe were disqualified for using an ineligible player.

Wydad went on to finish runners-up, the second best showing by the club from the Moroccan commercial capital after winning the 1992 competition.

Mazembe have been much more successful, winning the premier African club competition in 1967, 1968, 2009, 2010 and last year.

But their African campaign this year has been less convincing.

They needed the help of an own goal to draw 2:2 with Saint George in Ethiopia and took 85 minutes to score the only goal of the second leg through a Jonathan Bolingi penalty.

"Winning trophies is a habit at Mazembe and you are aware of that although I was not given specific objectives when signing a one-year contract," Velud said.

"Continual success in the Champions League is very important to Mazembe because winning the competition secures a place at the Fifa Club World Cup."

Wydad coach, twice Real Madrid manager and former Liverpool and Wales striker John Toshack has mixed emotions ahead of the second leg in Lubumbashi.

"Our first leg performance was among the best since I joined the club two years ago, but it is likely to be a very different game in DR Congo," he said.

"We will be playing on an artificial surface in an atmosphere unique to Africa.

What does count in our favour is not conceding at home."

Mazembe have yet to find a successor to Tanzania striker Mbwana Aly Samatta, who has moved to Belgium.

Mazembe and Wydad are among nine Champions League winners seeking group places and just one of the eight second legs does not involve a title-holder.

On Tuesday ex-Birmingham City and Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish guides Egypt's Zamalek as they defend a 2:0 lead over Mouloudia Bejaia in Algeria.

Another Algerian club Entente Setif, who won the title in 2014, scored two vital away goals in a 2:2 draw in Sudan against Al Merreikh.

On Wednesday Enyimba of Nigeria defend a 3:0 lead over Etoile du Sahel in Tunisia.

The Nigerian lead thanks to a first leg hat-trick from Mfon Udoh, who is the top scorer in the competition so far with seven goals.

Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa hope Colombian Leonardo Castro and Zimbabwean Khama Billiat can transfer sparkling domestic form to Africa as they strive to overcome a 1:0 defeat by AS Vita Club in DR Congo.

Al Ahly of Egypt, under former Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol, enjoy home advantage over Young Africans after drawing 1:1 in Tanzania.

The other tie sees Al Ahly Tripoli take on Asec Mimosas of Ivory Coast at a neutral venue due to the political instability in Libya, the first leg ended 2:0 to the Ivorians.

Zambia's Zesco United beat Malis Stade Malien 5:2 on aggregate to progress in the African Champions League.

 

 

19 Apr 2016
(BBC Sport UK)

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