COACH - Nigeria did not renew the contract of Stephen Keshi

The 52-year-old, who became the first Nigerian to lead the side into the second round at a World Cup, is attracting the interest of other countries.

7 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - IVORY COAST - COACH - Giovanni Trapattoni in talks to become Ivory Coast boss

The Elephants are looking for a new manager after deciding not to renew the contract of French coach Sabri Lamouchi, who failed to guide the side past the group stages at the World Cup in Brazil.

6 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 21 - QUARTER FINALS - ARGENTINA VS BELGIUM 1:0

QUARTER-FINALS 
5th July 2014

Argentina vs Belgium 1:0

5 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 21 - QUARTER FINALS - NETHERLANDS VS COSTA RICA 4:3

QUARTER-FINALS
5th July 2014

Netherlands vs Costa Rica 4:3
Netherlands reached the semi-finals. Through on penalties

5 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - Brazil - win World Cup for injured star Neymar - Thiago Silva

Brazil captain Thiago Silva called on his team-mates to win the World Cup for injured star Neymar after the forward was ruled out of the tournament.

The 22-year-old scored four goals in five matches before breaking a vertebra in his spine during the quarter-final win against Colombia.

5 Jul 2014
Transfer - Cameroon - Choupo-Moting signs for Schalke from German rivals Mainz

Cameroon forward Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting has joined Schalke on a free transfer from Bundesliga rival Mainz.

5 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 20 - QUARTER FINALS - FRANCE VS GERMANY 0:1

QUARTER-FINALS
4th July 2014

France vs Germany 0:1

4 Jul 2014
2014 WORLD CUP - DAY 20 - QUARTER FINALS - BRAZIL VS COLOMBIA 2:1

QUARTER-FINALS
4th July 2014

Brazil vs Colombia 2:1

4 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - USA - 2014 WORLD CUP - USA look to bright future despite lost opportunity

We’ve got a few young players coming through and that gives us optimism looking ahead to the future of American football and the national team. “It was a phenomenal tournament for us,” Klinsmann continued. 

2 Jul 2014
NATIONAL TEAM - BELGIUM - 2014 WORLD CUP - Belgium welcome attack-minded foes

“The United States came out to win the match rather than avoid defeat. We were then able to take advantage of the extra space,” confirmed Kevin De Bruyne, who opened the scoring in the third minute of extra time and put in a fine all-round performance, linking well with Eden Hazard in particular. “It was a real pleasure to play such free-flowing football,” he added.

2 Jul 2014

2017 AFRICA CUP - GROUP C - DAY 03 - DR Congo VS Morocco 1:0

Africa Cup 2017
Group C
Day 03
6th match

DR Congo vs Morocco 1:0

 
Goal Congo DR
Kabananga (55')
 
 

DR Congo put their difficult Africa Cup of Nations build-up behind them to beat Morocco in their Group C opening fixture, despite finishing with 10 men.

Florent Ibenge's side, who went on strike over unpaid bonuses on Friday, almost trailed early on at Stade d'Oyem when Mbark Boussoufa struck the bar.

Junior Kabananga put them ahead before substitute Lomalisa Mutambala was booked twice in 16 minutes.

Morocco's Youssef El-Arabi missed with two headed chances late on.

The substitute glanced wide from a set-piece delivery and then met a cross cleanly to force a parry from DR Congo keeper Ley Matampi.

The Leopards were down to nine men for several minutes in the closing stages when they lost defender Gabriel Zakuani to injury having made all of their substitutions.

The Northampton Town player returned for six minutes of injury time, as Ibenge's side saw out pressure to ensure Kabananga's guided finish from 10 yards put them top of their group.

Morocco - managed by two-time Cup of Nations winner Herve Renard - are bottom of the group after the first round of fixtures, as defending champions Ivory Coast and Togo drew 0:0 earlier in the day.

Renard, who guided Zambia to the title in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, has been told by the country's FA that reaching the quarter-finals is a minimum requirement.

But despite managing 62% of possession and 15 shots against a side eight places above them in Fifa's rankings, they were unable to turn their numerical advantage into a positive start.

 

...
 
Notes before the match
 

Morocco

The Atlas Lions trumpeted the loftiness of their ambitions by jilting manager Badou Zaki last year despite being joint-top of their qualifying group and replacing him with Hervé Renard, the Frenchman who has won the tournament with Zambia and Ivory Coast. 

But they have yet to find real consistency under the new manager and their quest to become African champions for the first time since 1976 has been undermined by a slew of injuries to important players, including the striker Oussama Tannane, the midfielders Nordin Amrabat and Sofiane Boufal and the nifty creator Younès Belhanda. 

They will still have a degree of ingenuity in front of a Mehdi Benatia-led defence, with Mbark Boussoufa, in particular, capable of creating chances. 

But they will not be as creative as they would have been with a fully fit squad so will have to achieve a high chance conversion rate if they are to advance. 

When Morocco met Ivory Coast in World Cup qualification in November the countries fought out a 0:0 draw and this month’s battle between the pair, and with DR Congo, promises to be similarly fierce. 

Key player: 

Medhi Benatia

 

...

 

DR Congo

Florent Ibengé has forged a potent collective from an array of skilful players spread across many European and domestic clubs, including the fine left-back Joyce Lomalisa of AS Vita, the Congolese side that Ibengé runs in addition to his national team duties. 

Ibengé was in charge when DR Congo finished third two years ago and several of the current squad, including Lomalisa, played under him last year when the country triumphed at the African Nations Championship, the continental tournament for home-based players. 

Their chances of following that up by winning the continent’s most prestigious competition have been reduced by the loss of Yannick Bolasie but the Leopards should still prove formidable contenders, especially if Neeskens Kebano, the dinky schemer signed by Fulham last summer, and the thrilling Villarreal forward Cédric Bakambu are on song. 

The latter partnered Antoine Griezmann when winning the Under-19 European Championship with France in 2010 and, having made his debut for DR Congo last year, he could now win a senior title with a side spearheaded by Dieumerci Mbokani. 

That is not as unlikely it might sound to fans of Hull City. 

Key player 

Cédric Bakambu

 
 
16 Jan 2017
(afrofootball.com_bl)

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