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censorthiis

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Double disaster taints image of African football

JOHANNESBURG, June 5 (Reuters) - Two football related disasters in Africa at the weekend have set back efforts to project a positive image of the 2010 World Cup finals.

Twelve people died in a stampede at the end of an African Nations Cup qualifier in Zambia on Saturday, followed 24 hours later by the death of 23 supporters, including Togo's sports minister, in a helicopter crash in Sierra Leone.

The disaster in Zambia was the second such incident in a decade in a country that is being earmarked to host peripheral activities before and during the 2010 World Cup finals in South Africa.

Three children were among the dead after spectators stampeded through a narrow exit at the Konkola stadium in Chililabombwe, where Zambia had beaten Congo, in order to get to free buses. More than 40 were also injured.

In Freetown, Togo sports minister Tata Avlessi Adaglo and 21 supporters died when the helicopter ferrying them on a seven minute flight from the Sierra Leone capital to the airport crashed.

Togo had beaten Sierra Leone 1-0 in their Nations Cup qualifier.

The two disasters follow closely on a bid by FIFA and the South African organisers to lay to rest doubts over the country's ability to host the finals, the first major sporting event of its kind on the African continent.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter last week used the FIFA Congress in Zurich to show support for South Africa saying: 'The World Cup is staying in Africa, there is absolutely no problem about this.

'It is staying in South Africa. Plan A is South Africa, Plan B is South Africa, Plan C is South Africa and Plan D is South Africa.'

South Africa 2010 Local Organising Committee chief executive officer Danny Jordaan said the country had to accept that Africa's colonial legacy was always going to leave its ability open to question.

'Africa has never had a chance before to show what it can do and as a result there will always be doubters who expect us to fail. There is nothing we can do to change their minds until they see a well organised event in 2010.

'In the mean time we have to learn to live with the constant speculation about our ability,' he told Reuters.

Jordaan has been pushing FIFA in recent months to allow more World Cup activities to take place in other countries in the southern African region, including Zambia.

FIFA has already hinted they would accept a change of rules that would allow teams to stay in neighbouring countries before matches at the World Cup finals.

Southern African countries are also expected to host a raft of pre-tournament friendlies in May 2009.

But Zambia's participation will now be in doubt.

The main stadium in the capital Lusaka has been closed because of its dilapidated state. Future use of the alternative venue in Chililabombwe, on the country's Copperbelt close to the border with the Democratic Republic of Congo, is now expected to come under close scrutiny

In recent weeks, FIFA officials have been travelling throughout Africa inspecting stadiums before the start of qualifiers for the 2010 World Cup finals.

FIFA last year warned that venues that were not safe enough would be prohibited from hosting World Cup qualifiers.

Source.

Uh oh. =/
 

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Yeah tell me about it :head:

The last time there was a stampede, bees where the cause in National Stadium ... apparently, there was a hive so huge, the match had to be stopped + some player was a hero in the papers for saving a child being stepped on :rolleyes:

We are supposed to have a stadia-program which was supposed to be well underway by now, but from what I've heard, not yet been initiated + just talk: renovating the National Stadium (Independence Stadium) in Lusaka + two more other 'modern' (I'll be the judge of that when I see them) stadiums in two other cities. The Konkola Stadium was a temporary host + is owned by Konkola Blades - A team run by one of the Copper Mines that was recently privatized.

Something I didn't understand because there are three other stadiums in the capital (habitual runaway league leaders + winners Zanaco's for example - sponsored by a National owned Bank) which would have been more central + I IMO were secure enough. I was under the opinion that the Konkola Stadium was more secure + probably just edged Zanaco's stadium in capacity ... but after this? :head:

Fuck ... FAZ has been shit ever since the resurgence from the plane crash. Filled with incapable corrupt pieces of shit who have no serious intent in developing the game - a game which Zambia has a huge tradition in. Fucking Retards! We can say goodbye to a lot of income that the World Cup would have generated at this rate :mad: Seriously, sometimes I think I would do a better job running the country :o
 

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Minister asks for patience over stampede deaths

GOVERNMENT has advised the public to await a commission of inquiry report on the death of the 12 soccer fans instead of speculating on the cause.

The 12 soccer fans died during a stampede at the Konkola Stadium on Saturday after an international match between Congo-Brazzavile and Zambia, which ended 0-3.

Minister of Sports, Youth and Child Development Gabriel Namulambe said that the public should wait for the report because at the moment no one knew what caused the stampede.

Mr Namulambe was speaking to journalists yesterday after he visited the funeral house of a deceased soccer fan in Kitwe's Kwacha East township.

"No one can claim to know what caused the death of the soccer fans. Let us wait for the report. I hope they will be able to finish the investigations by Friday," Mr Namulambe said.

Government has set up a commission of inquiry to investigate the death of the 12 soccer fans.

He also said Government had managed to acquire the coffins for the deceased and would meet logistical needs during the funerals.

"The committee will gather facts and ensure steps are taken to avoid such accidents in future," Mr Namulambe said.

Copperbelt Minister, Mwansa Mbulakulima, Sports permanent secretary, Bob Samakai, Football Association of Zambia vice president Kalusha Bwalya, Kitwe District Commissioner Macdonald Mtine accompanied Mr Namulambe when he visited the funeral house yesterday.

Meanwhile, United Party for National Development (UPND) has joined the nation in mourning the 12 soccer fans.

UPND president, Hakainde Hichilema, said in a statement released by his spokesperson, Douglas Syakalima, that the incident had exposed poor management of soccer in Zambia.

" We would like to call on government, through the Ministry of Sport, to put in place measures that will guarantee safety of both players and soccer fans during such important matches," Mr Hichilema said.

And Basic Education Teachers Union of Zambia (BETUZ) said the incident was regrettable and a big loss as the nation lost committed patriots who gave massive support to the victorious national team.

"Further, we make an earnest appeal to the Football Association of Zambia to re-introduce stringent measures of limiting the number of fans at stadiums to avoid similar incidents in the near future," BETUZ general secretary, Cosmas Mukuka said.

Congo minister regrets fans’ death
By STEPHEN PHIRI

CONGO-BRAZZAVILLE Minister of Sport, Marcel Mbani, has described the death of 12 fans after last Saturday’s 2008 Ghana Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Zambia as regrettable.

In his message of condolences to the Zambian government, Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) and the bereaved families, Mbani said in a telephone interview from Brazzaville yesterday that the Chipolopolo had lost genuine followers through the tragedy.

He said the Congolese people were equally mourning.
Mbani said fans formed an integral part of the game and the tragedy had “put the country into reverse gear.”

“We are mourning with you. It is sad that the tragedy happened when you were supposed to be celebrating the win,” he said.

The incident was triggered in the aftermath of Zambia’s 3-0 thrashing of Congo at Chililabombwe's Konkola Stadium as fans trooped out of the stadium that had been filled to capacity.

Mbani said Congo and Zambia were “brothers” and there was need to be together in trying moments.

And the Zambia under-20 national team has expressed shock at the demise of the fans.

Team manager, Yonah Mufweba, said from the Netherlands yesterday that the players and officials received the news of the tragedy with shock.

Mufweba said a minute of silence was observed on Sunday before the under-20 played Brazilian side Internacional in the PSV Otten Cup.

The under-20 lost 4-3 on post match penalties after a barren draw.

"Our condolences go to the bereaved families. It was sad that the tragedy happened when the nation could have been celebrating the victory,” he said.

The under-20 is in the Netherlands to prepare for the World Youth Championship billed for Canada starting on June 30.

Zambia is in Group B with Spain, Uruguay and Jordan.
 

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On a more positive note ...


Kalusha salutes Under-23

By Sports Reporter

FAZ vice-president, Kalusha Bwalya, has hailed the Zambia Under-23 soccer squad for defying all the odds to beat a much-fancied Ivory Coast 2-0 in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Group B qualifier at Nchanga stadium in Chingola at the weekend.
Kalusha, a star at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, said the Peter Kaumba’s Under-23 squad showed a lot of character against a dangerous opponent to ensure a good start to their campaign.
“There was a lot of heart against dangerous opponents like Ivory Coast. It was an excellent game and also a good start in the Olympics qualifiers,” Kalusha said.
The former Zambia skipper said despite Ivory Coast being a tough opponent, Zambia still managed to take their chances.
He added that after such a good game, he hoped the team would continue to perform well in the upcoming Group B matches against other West African opposition, Mali and Senegal.
At the 1988 Olympic Games, Kalusha was instrumental in Zambia’s 4-0 demolition of Italy where he fired a hat-trick. He was later to be named 1988 African Footballer of the Year.
National senior team coach, Patrick Phiri, said despite Ivory Coast having a lot of tactical discipline, Zambia still managed to capitalise on some lapses to score two goals.
Phiri congratulated Kaumba’s team for ensuring Zambia’s clean sweep at the weekend after the senior team’s 3-0 emphatic win over Congo Brazzaville in the 2008 African Cup qualifier.
However, the two victories were overshadowed by the death of 12 soccer fans in Chililabombwe after a stampede that followed the senior team’s win over Congo at Konkola stadium.
The Zambia Under-23 squad will next play Mali on August 22 in Bamako before facing Senegal.

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Just thought I'd rub it in, Passion :tongue:

Still quite a way to go with the Malian + Senegalese famed youth programs. A good start though ...
 

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censorthiis said:
Double disaster taints image of African football
(...)
In Freetown, Togo sports minister Tata Avlessi Adaglo and 21 supporters died when the helicopter ferrying them on a seven minute flight from the Sierra Leone capital to the airport crashed.
Source.

Uh oh. =/
The Togo national team were the next in line for the heli shuttle to the airport... By no means I'm quantifying the value of a human life, but I shudder at the thought it could have been them.
 

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I'm quantifying life + will go a step further in saying a loss of a corrupt African politician (and this based on instincts especially considering the monitory drama associated with Togo during the last WC) is less of loss than it may seem.
 

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Well, hope I'm not pushing my luck by triple posting, but then, this is an exception ... The greatest African Footballer of All Time: Kalusha Bwalya :proud:

 
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^^^ First time I see your hero play, a shame, I know... but I'm just not THAT old ;)

What a great team it was + what a loss :(

Thanks for posting.
 

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Thanks Passion.

Coach Godfrey Chitalu (up there with 'Lusha' as our best ever - played in the 70s + early 80s) has been missed. He was initially the youth coach + was promoted to NT Coach alongside his players. Ian Potterfield did well right after the crash, but after his departure, we've never really had the administration to match.

More than that, the general undivided attention football got from the public has been lost. Something real special is lacking to wake up the nation ... much like Chitalu + Lusha did.
 

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Why did he go to Mexico of all places when he wasn't even that old ? If he had stayed in Europe, he probably would have appeared on my radar at that time (OK OK... veeery optimistic assumption... LOL).

And why did he resign as a coach last year ?

Inside scoop, please :D
 

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Passion for *9* said:
Why did he go to Mexico of all places when he wasn't even that old ? If he had stayed in Europe, he probably would have appeared on my radar at that time (OK OK... veeery optimistic assumption... LOL).
Well, I really can't give you an exact reason as to why he left Europe. I remember an interview he had, after the Gabon disaster, where he pledged to do everything in his power to reinstate the National Team as a continental power in order to honor his teammates. With that in mind, he seemed bitterly disappointed at not qualifying to USA '94 + losing to Nigeria in the ACN '94 final. So he probably was demoralized. My guess is a less strenuous calender year in Mexico + the fact that he wasn't really in the best of shapes at 31 when he left PSV ... he also seemed to save his best for the NT. BUT ...
Passion for *9* said:
And why did he resign as a coach last year ?

Inside scoop, please :D
Hence the reason why I can't pinpoint exactly why he left Europe. Such an irony that I don't entirely believe most comments made by my most favorite footballer of all time :rolleyes: Unfortunately, his undeniable inspiration on the pitch hasn't been matched by a shady period as player/coach, Technical Adviser and Vice President of FAZ (which he still is). A controversial newspaper (for the government, i.e.) The Post, which is a the mainstay of most political gossip, had a disturbing article that mentioned Lusha renting out his properties in Lusaka + residing at an expensive hotel for more than two years ... the estimated figures (his bill) weren't pleasing :head: There was also an ongoing debate as to whether any person could do both the coaching + administrative jobs to full effect simultaneously.

But, when he took over as coach, he did mention he was inexperienced for the job + said he would step down after ACN '06 if he failed to lead us to a World Cup debut.

That said though, any tarnishing his work off the pitch may have caused to his image will be quickly forgotten once one looks at what he was done for Zambian Football on the pitch. First competitive game after Gabon was against Morocco at the Independence Stadium in an ACN '94 qualifier. The same stadium that was filled with a weeping President (who turned out to be quite the con artist :o ) + fans, barely 2 months ago. Down 0-1 from a Moroccan first half strike, in the 70th minute, a direct freekick was awarded ... not too close to the penalty area, but you always knew. The crowd chanting 'Lusha Lusha ...' and he didn't disappoint/ We went on to win the game 2-1 :proud:

But still, being FAZ VP and all, he should know better. We NEED a qualified expatriate coach IMMEDIATELY!
 

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Brilliant Patrick Phiri's innovative tactics have effectively put to end any hopes of us qualifying to Ghana 2008 :o I'm not too disheartened since I saw this coming for quite sometime. When will FAZ finally accept the fact that Zambian football terribly needs foreign intervention? Idiots :rolleyes:

ACN Ghana 2008: fixtures, date and time

Botswana 2-1 Mauritania - 16/6/07
Seychelles 0-2 -Sudan - 16/6/07-16h30
Eriteria 1-0 Kenya - 16/6/07- 15h30
Burkina Faso 0-1 Tanzania- 16/6/07-18h00
Algeria 2-0 Guinea - 16/6/07-21h00
Cap Vert 0-0 Gambia - 16/6/07-16h00
Namibia 1-1- RD Congo - 16/6/07-15h00
Zambia 1-1 Tchad - 16/6/07
Malawi 0-1-Marocco - 16/6/07

Morocco are through.

Not only was that Chad's first point, but also their first goal in the qualifiers :rolleyes:

Edit: To make matters worse, South Africa slipped up with a 1-1 draw versus Congo - the first goal they've conceded. We would've closed the gap had we won :head:

Standings with only one round of games to go.
 
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Seems like Barca ain't done getting back what they've allegedly donated to Unicef - and haven't we seen enough of that :rolleyes: Next up on which third world Club to pay them hefty amounts to make an appearance are current South African champions, Sundowns.
 

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^^^ No one is forcing them to play Barcelona + cough up the 2 million or whatever they're demanding this time for showing up. Sundowns could also follow Al-Ahly's example + solicit corporate sponsors ;)

Thanks btw for the elaborate reply above, I really appreciate your effort ;) I remember the story about living it up at the federation's expense but for some reason it escaped me that Kalusha had been the culprit :rolleyes:
 

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^^ Anytime :tongue:

Well, in his defense, Lusha mentioned it was FAZ policy that the VP be reachable in Lusaka at all times + he is isn't from Lusaka. But The Post investigated + uncovered some pretty lush belongings that were allegedly tied to him within Lusaka through a third party. I think he simply stepped into the norm which is at FAZ ... can't imagine what other officials took. So he's one of the culprits.

I was rather pleased then when the current Zambian administration publicly prioritized the fight against corruption, which has been on the decline ever since. They also cut the funds going to FAZ citing their stadia projects ... which I don't mind since they've been investing in other sectors - mainly education, health + transport. But a European coach surely wont cost THAT much.

Our U-20 Team's in Canada for the FIFA Junior World Cup. Hopefully they'll do well :)
 

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MTN/CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE UPDATE

Group A: ASFAR (Morocco), ESS (Tunisia), Ittihad (Libya), JSK (Algérie)

Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), Hilal (Sudan), EST (Tunisie), ASEC Mimosas (Côte d'Ivoire)

24-06-2007
Group Stage: First Day matches
ASFAR 0-1 ESS 23/06/07 20h:00
Ittihad 1-0 JSK 22/06/07 21h:00
Ahly 2-0 Hilal 24/06/07 20h:30
EST 0-0 ASEC 23/06/07 19H:10

Seems like its a North African affair ...
 

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madtherchot said:
MTN/CAF CHAMPIONS LEAGUE UPDATE

Group A: ASFAR (Morocco), ESS (Tunisia), Ittihad (Libya), JSK (Algérie)

Group B: Al Ahly (Egypt), Hilal (Sudan), EST (Tunisie), ASEC Mimosas (Côte d'Ivoire)

24-06-2007
Group Stage: First Day matches
ASFAR 0-1 ESS 23/06/07 20h:00
Ittihad 1-0 JSK 22/06/07 21h:00
Ahly 2-0 Hilal 24/06/07 20h:30
EST 0-0 ASEC 23/06/07 19H:10

Seems like its a North African affair ...


FORZA ASEC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D Unfortunately they're not really in form at the moment, so one of those North African cheats will most likely win the thing :rolleyes:
 

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^^ True, but a draw away from home was commendable. Also, if I remember correctly, Enyimba (Nigeria) did a similar feat three years ago. So you never know ...
 

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Time To Party!!! :d

1514: FULL TIME! South Africa 1-3 Zambia The whistle goes for full time and Zambia get Group Eleven's automatic ticket to the next year's African Cup of Nations in Ghana. It was a poor performance for the hosts of the 2010 World Cup but they still have a chance to pick up one of the best three runners-up slots for the tournament in Ghana.

Only have the match report ( :rolleyes: ) but here it is anyway :tongue: :D What a weekend this has been :)
 

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Did I mention Parreira's head coach? :D I know I've been yapping about Patrick Phiri's position ... maybe I was wrong. But one good result doesn't change much for me. He's still got to go + be replaced by a foreign experienced coach if we want to relive prior accomplishments. Even though we've qualified, I don't expect us to impress in Ghana ... even if I'm all up for a pleasant surprise :D :cool:
 

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Eaglets rejoice in hat-trick
10/09/2007,

'Three is a magic number' goes the old song and FIFA U-17 World Cup Korea 2007 winners Nigeria are unlikely to disagree. The tournament has now been held three times on Asian soil and, having scaled the heights at China 1985 and Japan 1993, the Africans will now leave the continent with their third global crown. No doubt less than enamoured with the number three, opponents Spain have now reached three finals and tasted defeat in every single one.

Yemi Tella's Nigerians appeared potential candidates for the main prize right from the off, and were certainly not lacking in confidence. "We'll take the trophy back to Nigeria," announced the African champions' coach, and those words seem more than a little prophetic now. France, Japan, Haiti, Colombia, Argentina and Germany all fell by the wayside, unable to cope with tireless captain Lukman Haruna in midfield, technically-superb duo Rabiu Ibrahim and King Osanga and goal-scorer extraordinaire Macauley Chrisantus.

Fearsome going forward, Nigeria proved against Spain in the final that they are also rock solid at the back. And while it was their forwards who took most of the plaudits in the earlier rounds, it was goalkeeper Oladele Ajiboye who emerged as the hero when it mattered, following 120 minutes of goalless football and a penalty shoot-out. Asier Illarramendi missed the target altogether, but Ajiboye denied both Fran Merida and Iago, which meant successful attempts from Matthew Edile, Daniel Joshua and Ganiyu Oseni earned the Golden Eaglets their third title to equal Brazil's record.

In the Spanish camp, some will no doubt wonder what could have been if Bojan had been leading the line. The FC Barcelona striker was in scintillating form until the semi-finals, only to miss out on the showpiece match through suspension, and Juan Santisteban's side were certainly weaker without his experience, technique and vigour. As a result, they end the tournament as runners-up, just as their predecessors did at Italy 1991 and Finland 2003.

Germany take bronze, Kroos takes gold
Back on the global stage after an eight-year absence, Germany touched down in Korea without too much fanfare. They are generating plenty of noise now, though, proud and suitably content with their excellent third-place finish after starting the competition as unknowns. Indeed, coach Heiko Herrlich was only appointed two months before the festivities began, but he was able to assemble a team that thrilled spectators with heavy doses of skill and suspense.

They kicked off with a mouth-watering 3-3 draw with Colombia, swept past Trinidad and Tobago 5-0 and took top spot in Group F with a 3-2 win over Ghana, before star man Toni Kroos powered them to a 2-0 Round of 16 victory over the USA and a 4-1 demolition of England in the last eight. Nigeria proved too strong in the semi-finals, but their reunion with Ghana in the match for third place produced a 2-1 success and a place on the podium.

They also boasted the tournament's top player in Kroos, who picked up the adidas Golden Ball ahead of Nigeria's Chrisantus and Spain's Bojan. Scorer of five goals, the talented midfielder took his team to another level thanks to a combination of exquisite technique, outstanding vision and deadly set-pieces. And in a typical demonstration of his worth, the Bayern Munich playmaker capped his stay in Korea with a sumptuous free-kick strike plus a late assist in the match for third place.

Chrisantus took the adidas Silver Ball, but the deadly marksman is hardly wanting for awards of the golden variety. Aside from his gold medal as part of Nigeria's victorious team, he collected the adidas Golden Shoe as top scorer with seven strikes. As for Bojan, the Spaniard lived up to all the rave reviews heading into the tournament and will long regret the second yellow card he picked up against Ghana in the semi-finals. Having just fired in the winner, the Barça ace denied himself a place in the Final and perhaps even the adidas Golden Ball itself when he received his marching orders during stoppage-time.

Lacklustre Brazil
On the eve of Korea 2007, three of the sides involved looked to be in a league of their own. Three-time winners Brazil, Bojan's Spain and impressive qualifiers Nigeria all stood out from the rest and many experts expected the Final to feature two of them. That meant one of the trio falling short, of course, and ultimately it was Brazil who tripped up first. Still, few could have anticipated them losing to Ghana in the Round of 16, especially not after commencing their bid with a crushing 7-0 victory over New Zealand and a similarly stark 6-1 score-line in their game against Korea DPR.

Their last-gasp defeat at the hands of England ought to have served as a warning, but Lucho Nizzo's charges seemed to freeze instead, failing to make their numerical advantage count against ten-man Ghana. The disappointment is sure to be immense back in Brazil, though players like Alex, Tales, Lulinha and Fabio all provided glimpses of an exciting future.

The USA also arrived with dreams of taking the top prize, yet losses to Tajikistan and Tunisia in their first two outings left them hanging by a thread. Triumph over Belgium in their final group game assured passage to the knockout stages, however they were powerless to stop a well-organised and clinical Germany side in the Round of 16.

In a similar vein, France and England set their sights on campaigns to match their standing in the global game, only to come unstuck in the quarter-finals. The English shone brightly in their first four matches before bowing out to Germany 4-1, while Francois Blaquart's Bleuettes came tantalisingly close to upsetting Spain. Leading 1-0 at one stage, they missed their chance to snatch victory in extra-time and consequently left themselves at the mercy of penalty kicks to decide a winner. The 2001 world champions did well to turn things around against Japan and to see off Tunisia in the Round of 16, but Spanish custodian David De Gea eventually stopped their adventure in its tracks.

Newcomers thrive, hosts disappoint
Two of the hot favourites may have contested the Final, but Korea 2007 was also notable for some encouraging performances from the newcomers. Debutants England reached the quarter-finals as mentioned earlier, while Syria and Tajikistan both qualified from the group stage on their first-ever appearances at this level. The Tajiks even sprung the first shock of the tournament when they beat the USA 4-3 in their opening fixture, and Syria had a win of their own to celebrate when they overcame Honduras 2-0, having already played out a goalless draw with Argentina and lost 2-1 to Spain. Honduras, Belgium and Togo were not able to progress, on the other hand, but each of them will have learnt valuable lessons and gained priceless experience.

Rank outsiders Haiti had a tournament to remember too, despite falling at the first hurdle. With an entire nation behind them, the islanders performed with gusto in Group D, one of the toughest in the competition, and their high point was an emotional draw with former colonial rulers France. The triumphant welcome reserved for Jean-Yves Labaze and his players bore witness to the buzz the team's displays stirred back home.

At the other end of the scale, Korea Republic's bid was a letdown from the very start. Beaten 1-0 by Peru in the opening match and then 2-0 by Costa Rica, the hosts can only look back at their 2-1 success over Togo with any fondness. In spite of that result and the support of their loyal fans, the Taeguk Warriors failed to advance in their very own FIFA U-17 World Cup. Neighbours Japan fared no better, meanwhile, and for all the efforts of talented forward Yoichiro Kakitani - scorer of one of the competition's finest goals - the Blue Samurais came away with losses to France and Nigeria and a consolation victory over Haiti.

Participants:
Ghana, Nigeria, Togo, Tunisia, Japan, Korea DPR, Korea Republic, Syria, Tajikistan, Germany, England, Belgium, Spain, France, Costa Rica, USA, Haiti, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, New Zealand, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Peru.

Final Standings:
1. Nigeria
2. Spain
3. Germany
4. Ghana

Cities and stadiums:
Changwon Main Stadium (Changwon), Cheonan Sports Complex (Cheonan), Goyang Stadium (Goyang), Gwangyang Soccer Only Field (Gwangyang), Jeju FIFA World Cup Stadium (Jeju), Seoul FIFA World Cup Stadium (Seoul), Suwon Sports Complex (Suwon), Ulsan Complex Stadium (Ulsan).

Total goals:
165 (average per match: 3.17)

Top scorers:
7 goals: Macauley Chrisantus (NGA)
6 goals: Ransford Osei (GHA)
5 goals: Toni Kroos (GER), Bojan (ESP)


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Hope Desailly was taking note. Toni Kroos from Germany and Bojan from Spain sound like quite a catch as well. Anyone follow the tournament?
 

GreatKalu

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MTN Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2008

Bit late, groups were drawn almost two weeks ago. But here's the list + as usual, in keeping with the tradition of Zambia being pitted against the defending champions, they've added the previous winners, Cameroon, to the group :rolleyes: Oh well ... :head:

Group A
1. Ghana (hosts)
2. Morocco
3. Guinea
4. Namibia

Group B
1. Nigeria
2. Ivory Coast
3. Mali
4. Benin

Group C
1. Egypt (holders)
2. Cameroon
3. Zambia
4. Sudan

Group D
1. Tunisia
2. Senegal
3. South Africa
4. Angola

For list of fixtures, click here

EDIT : Meanwhile, the Cosafa Cup final between South Africa and Zambia takes place later on in the evening, in neutral grounds ... Bloemfontein :head: Here's Parreira's pre-match comments.

Speaking of Bafana Bafana, for those that thought Thabo Mbeki didn't deserve to be hoisted up, Rugby WC in hand, during the Springboks' triumph, he put in his 2cents on South African football. Doesn't he have more important things to deal with, like for example, South Africa's astonishingly high crime rate? :rolleyes:
 
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*rossonera*

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granted, most teams are unknown quantities to me but ghana got lucky, didn't they, drawn into an easy group matching their current standard of play.
 

GreatKalu

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Rex said:
^^You're so into African football, aren't you ? :D ;)
Well, I'm from Zambia ... and anything involving them certainly has my interest :D
*rossonera* said:
granted, most teams are unknown quantities to me but ghana got lucky, didn't they, drawn into an easy group matching their current standard of play.
Guinea aren't anything to sniff at ... I've seen them before, and they can be quite a pain. But you're right, groups B and C definitely look to be the harder ones. I may even push my luck when saying the eventual winner may even be from those two ;)
 

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Hope egipt wins it again just cause i like the game pharaoh:) :) :)


Gonna have to watch some games cause i kinda don`t know anything about african football:D
 

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^^ I think games will be live on EuroSport. At least they were in 2006.

South Africa won their second Cosafa Castle Cup on penalties last night. Match ended goalless. :rolleyes:
 

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madtherchot said:
Guinea aren't anything to sniff at ... I've seen them before, and they can be quite a pain.
someone we know scouts feinduno when she's not scouting benzema/arfa, i think he's from guinea?

madtherchot said:
But you're right, groups B and C definitely look to be the harder ones. I may even push my luck when saying the eventual winner may even be from those two ;)
i think some of the teams bandied as favorites have been rather poor recently [granted, the teams coached by germans are the only ones whose results i follow], we could easily see a surprise winner + my hunch is mali. so you could be right about group b.
 
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