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

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2019 - FINALS - 1ST LEG - RESULT

AFRICAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2019 

FINAL
1st leg

Wydad Casablanca vs Esperance 1:1 

Morocco's Wydad Casablanca and holders Esperance of Tunisia shared the spoils in the first leg of the 2019 African Champions League final with a 1:1 draw in Rabat on Friday night.

Two Ivorians, Fousseny Coulibaly of Esperance and Cheick Comara of Wydad, scored in a game where the Video Assistance Referee (VAR) was used twice.

Wydad played most of the second half with 10-men after captain Brahim Nakach was sent off for two yellow cards in the 49th minute.

Esperance is a great team.

We had to make a huge effort to come back and score in the game

The final began at a frantic pace with Wydad pushing forward in the first twenty minutes, but Esperance found their rhythm thanks to Franck Kom and Fousseny Coulibaly in midfield.

The Tunisians broke the deadlock one minute before the break.

Coulibaly had his header from a free-kick parried away, but he was quickest to follow up and he found the back of the net to put Moine Chaabani's Esperance in front, with an important away goal.

In an eventful end to the first half, Wydad's reaction was immediate.

El Amloud thought he had equalised, but the Egyptian referee, Jihad Gricha, ruled the goal out after consulting VAR.

The drama continued at the start of the second half when hosts Wydad were reduced to 10-men after captain Brahim Nakach was sent off for a second booking.

In the 57th minute VAR was consulted again to check whether Esperance's Khalil Chamm had blocked a goal-bound shot using his hand.

The decision went Esperance's way, but Wydad kept up their momentum despite being a man down, and their pressure told 11 minutes from time.

Cheick Comara struck a header to make it 1:1 and give the Faouzi Benzarti's Wydad some hope ahead of next Friday's second leg.

" I had already said before the match that small details can be decisive.

We have seen the two goals scored from two set pieces, which shows that it was not an easy game" said Benzarti, Wydad's coach.

Esperance is a great team.

We had to make a huge effort to come back and score in the game.

I would like to thank my players for the level they have shown despite having a player sent off", he added.

Esperance head coach, Mouine Chaabani, expressed his regret about conceding late and being denied an away-win.

"We could have achieved a better result today.

We were successful in the first half, but we failed in the second as we couldn't defend our 1:0 advantage.

"The Champions League winners are not yet decided.

We are facing a great team, who have enough experience and a great coach. There is still another game for which we have to prepare well."

The 1:1 draw leaves the final wide open ahead of next week's second leg, as Wydad seek to take revenge on Esperance who beat them in the 2011 Champions League final.

 

 

26 May 2019
(BBC Football Writer, Morocco by Jalal Bounouar

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