Category sport-news

At the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday, hosts Morocco eased to a 3-0 victory over Zambia to advance to the last 16 as group winners.

In Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, the Olympiakos’ striker scored in each half in front of 62,532 spectators, while Brahim Diaz from Real Madrid added another goal in the third match in a row.

Morocco moved up from Group A to first place with seven points after winning the first round with two victories and a draw. With a score of 0-0 against Comoros, Mali finished second after a third straight draw.

Therefore, Walid Regragui’s Moroccan side will have the advantage of staying in Rabat on Sunday, January 4 for a last-16 matchup with one of the best third-place finishers.

Achraf Hakimi, the host nation’s captain, made his first appearance since suffering an ankle injury in Paris Saint-Germain’s early November game, starting as a second-half substitute. The host nation enjoyed the occasion.

The Atlas Lions’ 19-game winning run came to an end with a 1-1 draw with Mali last time out, but they bounced back and outclassed their Zambian foes.

Read more about Appollis’ Penalty that sends South Africa past Zimbabwe in the final 16 of the AFCON.

According to the FIFA rankings, Morocco leads Africa by 80 spots, overtaking Zambia by 91. In addition to their World Cup qualifying victories, they also won at home and away against the Copper Bullets.

The visitors were also in the difficult position of having to win their final group game in order to advance to the knockout stages, which is a difficult task for a nation that hasn’t won an AFCON championship since 2012 when they lifted the trophy in 2012.

With nine minutes left, Morocco led when Azzedine Ounahi clipped a first-time ball to the back post, where El Kaabi nodded in before fleeing in celebration, covering his face with a smile.

Just before the half-hour mark, Ounahi’s incredible pass released Abde Ezzalzouli after a superb move led to the second goal. El Kaabi squandered his low ball in from the left, but Diaz won the match with a third goal in as many games.

El Kaabi escaped the Zambian offside trap and received another assist from Ounahi with an overhead kick to make it 3-0 six minutes after half-time for Morocco.

El Kaabi joins Diaz and Riyad Mahrez on three goals at the top of the AFCON scorers’ list after the goal was initially rejected for offside before being awarded following a VAR check.

Hakimi’s debut came in the 64th minute to replace Noussair Mazraoui for his first tournament start, and he was only denied entry by a strong save late on from Willard Mwanza, who had already greeted him with a huge cheer.

Following the tragic accident in Ogun State, in which Kevin Latif Ayodele and Sina Ghami, the former heavyweight champion, was hurt and lost two of his associates, President Bola Tinubu said he spoke on the phone with boxer Anthony Joshua and his mother.

“I personally spoke with AJ over the death of his two associates,” he said on the phone. I gave him my best wishes and prayers. He assured me that he was receiving the best care in the hospital, according to President Onanuga’s statement on Monday.

I also spoke with AJ’s mother and prayed for her. She appreciated my call greatly.

Additionally, I spoke with Governor Dapo Abiodun, who was also with them in the hospital. The Governor promised to do everything in his power to give AJ the best care.

Read more about Anthony Joshua’s injuries in an ogun car crash and the deaths of two others.

Tinubu expressed deep sympathies for the boxer over the accident on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway earlier in a statement on X.

As you deal with this tragic incident’s emotional weight, I feel for you and your family. You have always exhibited unwavering love for our country, discipline, and courage as a sportsman. The former governor of Lagos State wrote, “These are characteristics that have made you a source of national pride.

We must encourage one another as brothers and sisters with a shared destiny in times like this.

In this trying time, I ask for your strength, wisdom, and grace. May God speed up your recovery and rest for the departed’s souls.

In the wake of Joshua’s victory over YouTuber Jake Paul, Joshua and his associates traveled to Nigeria for the Yuletide.

After thorough clinical examinations at a Lagos medical facility, the heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua and another passenger are stable, according to Ogun and Lagos state.

This was contained in a statement that the Lagos State Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotoso, and the Special Adviser to the Governor of Ogun State for Information and Strategy, Kayode Akinlade, both signed.

They were immediately taken to a specialized medical facility in Lagos. Doctors have established that both patients are stable and do not require any urgent medical care at this time following thorough clinical evaluations. The statement read, “A full medical team has been assembled and will continue to closely monitor them.”

The governments of Ogun and Lagos state want to confirm that Anthony Joshua, a British-Nigerian two-time unified world heavyweight boxing champion, was involved in a traffic accident earlier today along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway.

Read more about Anthony Joshua’s injuries in an ogun car crash and the deaths of two others.

The 35-year-old internationally acclaimed boxer was driving a team of four when it reportedly collided with a stationary truck, causing two fatalities.

The statement further stated that “we pray that Almighty God gives the families of those who lost their lives in this tragic incident” and that “we have the strength to bear this difficult loss.”

Anthony Joshua is conscious and has communicated with his family, according to both governments.

The governors of Ogun and Lagos state are closely monitoring the situation, and they will provide the best medical care for the victims. Investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident have also begun.

We appreciate the concern expressed by public officials, and we kindly request Anthony Joshua’s and his family’s privacy at this time.

On Monday, Joshua was involved in a road accident in the Ogun State’s Makun region.

Two people were killed in an incident that occurred around 11 a.m. along the heavily traveled Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Joshua’s SUV allegedly collided with a stationary truck.

The 35-year-old former heavyweight champion was rescued from the wrecked car on video, which appears to have sustained injuries.

The incident occurred just eight days after Jake Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, defeated the former heavyweight world champion in a Netflix-backed fight in Miami.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) attributed the collision to a wrongful overtaking and overspeed in a statement.

It claimed that preliminary investigations indicated that a Lexus Jeep that was suspected of going over the legal speed limit on the corridor lost control while attempting to overtake and collided with a truck that was well packed by the side of the road.

The crash’s “primary causes, which are excessive speed and wrongful overtaking,” are serious traffic violations and continue to be one of the leading causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways, according to FRSC.

Following the tragic accident on the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway that claimed two lives and injured the boxer, President Bola Tinubu has expressed his sincere sympathies to former world champion Anthony Joshua.

President Tinubu described the tragedy as casting a dark cloud over this season in a statement posted on his official X handle.

Tinubu expressed his sympathy for you and your family as they bear the weight of this tragic incident.

You have always shown unwavering love for our country, as a sportsman, and courage. These characteristics have given you a sense of pride in the country.

We must encourage one another as brothers and sisters with a shared destiny in times like this.

Read more about Anthony Joshua’s injuries in an ogun car crash and the deaths of two others.

In this trying time, he prayed for strength, wisdom, and grace for Joshua, asking God to speed up his recovery and restore the souls of the deceased.

Anthony Joshua was involved in a road accident on Monday in the Ogun State Makun region, according to Channels Television.

Two people were killed in an incident that occurred around 11 a.m. along the heavily traveled Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Joshua’s SUV allegedly collided with a stationary truck.

The 35-year-old former heavyweight champion was reportedly hurt when she was rescued from the wrecked car on a video of the incident.

The incident occurred just eight days after Jake Paul, a YouTuber-turned-boxer, defeated the former heavyweight world champion in a Netflix-backed fight in Miami.

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) attributed overspeeding and wrongful overtaking as the cause of the collision in an official statement.

Preliminary findings from the FRSC show that the Lexus Jeep, which was suspected of going over the permitted speed limit on the corridor, lost control during an overtaking maneuver and collided with a truck that was loaded by the side of the road.

Overuse of speed and wrongful overtaking are the primary causes of fatal road crashes on Nigerian highways, according to FRSC, which continue to be one of the leading causes of fatal crashes.

South Africa won the Africa Cup of Nations game 3-2 over Zimbabwe on Monday, earning qualification for the knockout stages thanks to Oswin Appollis’ late penalty.

Bafana Bafana must announce their opponent for the round of 16 on Wednesday. Ivory Coast, the defending champion, or Cameroon, the five-time champion, are likely to win.

Egypt, which rested stars like Mohamed Salah and has already secured first place, won Group B with seven points in Agadir’s 0-0 draw against Angola.

Zimbabwe had one point each, while South Africa had six and Angola had two. One of the top four third-placed teams, Angelo, might be able to reach the knockout stages.

South African Patrice Motsepe, president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), was among the small but obnoxious crowds at Marrakech that saw Bafana Bafana gain traction early on.

Appollis’ low sixth-minute shot, which Zimbabwe goalkeeper Washington Arubi, was intercepted just before the line, and he grasped the ball.

South Africa was ahead in the conflict of neighboring countries a minute later when Tshepang Moremi, a rising star, was on hand.

Moremi received the ball playing across the pitch just outside the box. A deflection off Divine Lunga led to the release of a goal-bound shot that lobbed over 40-year-old Arubi into the net.

Zimbabwe fell short of its goals, but Motherwell’s Scottish Premiership side Tawanda Maswanhise scored the winning goal in the 19th minute to give them adeserved victory.

Read more about Late Penalty Miss’s Deny Uganda’s AFCON victory over Tanzania

 Frustrations 

Maswanhise dribbled past two opponents to score the ball into the far corner, which the South African national’s captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams had already received.

South Africa was blasted by the equalizer. They were fortunate not to fall behind as the match drew near the half-hour mark, which was a bronze medallist at the 2024 AFCON.

Unmarked Munashe Garananga should have headed the ball head-over from close range after a Zimbabwe free kick was floated into the goalmouth.

Just before half-time, South Africa’s frustrations with being unable to dominate erupted. Sipho Mbule, who had already been warned, got into a fight with the Moroccan referee, putting himself at risk of receiving a second yellow and a red.

South Africa aggressively began the second period, as was the case in the first half. Lyle Foster, a Burnley striker, gave them a 50-minute lead back.

The veteran goalkeeper outsprinted the veteran goalkeeper as the player raced after receiving a headed back pass from Arubi, who was slow to reacting.

After scoring against Angola, the 25-year-old scored the winner of the tournament. The only South African player in the major European league right now is him.

Maswanhise was a constant threat throughout the second half, and he almost equaled scoring again. A shot from the box’s edge was bent to the post by him.

After soaking up some pressure for a while, Aubrey Modiba scored an own goal on 73 minutes.

Maswanhise found himself parried by Williams after receiving a superb long pass from substitute Tawanda Chirewa. Modiba was struck by the rebound and rolled into the net.

Appollis then scored from a penalty in the 82nd minute to give Bafana a third consecutive lead, which they successfully kept.

The countries are getting a sense of how far they must still go on the pitch at the upcoming edition in Morocco as Uganda and Tanzania co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.

The major continental powers have long faced early elimination from this AFCON in crucial group games on Tuesday, and the East African countries have long struggled to compete with them.

Tanzania and Tanzania meet Tunisia, both of whom almost certainly need victories to advance to the last 16.

Since reaching the 1978 final, only one victory has been recorded for Uganda at three different AFCON competitions. Tanzania have never won a game and are just their fourth Cup of Nations appearance.

Read more about Appollis’ Penalty that sends South Africa past Zimbabwe in the final 16 of the AFCON.

On Saturday, the teams drew 1-1 in Rabat, with Uganda equalizing before missing a late penalty.

Coach Miguel Angel Gamondi told AFP, “We are the fourth-weakest team in the Africa Cup of Nations, but we have played two games at a higher level.”

The Argentinian, who had previously played for Tanzania’s Singida Black Stars, was hired on the day of the tournament.

Despite having an estimated population of more than 70 million, which is the fourth-largest on the continent, Tanzania is ranked 112th and 27th in Africa. They suffered a close defeat to Nigeria as they kicked off their AFCON campaign.

– “Change The Mentality”

“I want to change the mindset of these players, show that we can compete, and put them in a winning mindset,” Gamondi said. “If we are already 112, I hope we can be lower than 100 in a few days,” he said.

Although Tanzania finished third in their group, there were indications of progress in World Cup qualifying, according to Gamondi, who is aware that things must have to change.

According to Gamondi, “One of the issues in Tanzania is that clubs can field 12 foreign players,” adding that this is because Young Africans and Simba, the continent’s top sides, are so successful.

Infrastructure is also a significant issue, according to the author. No high-quality pitches are present. The lack of youth development is, in my opinion, the biggest issue.

Because in the local league, there is no competition and players can’t grow up, what we need in Tanzania is good players who can go to Europe to compete and develop there.

Ally Samatta, a former Aston Villa striker from France, is Tanzania’s biggest star. The majority of their AFCON squad plays at home, and they also have fourth- and fifth-tier English players.

Uganda has a significantly higher ranking. Their squad also lacks elite experience, despite ranking 17th in Africa and 85th in the world.

Belgian coach Paul Put, a coach for Uganda, said, “We have a very young team and my responsibility is to build a team for 2027.”

We must be fit with strong players for 2027.

At least they are here to gain that knowledge because 113th-ranked Kenya has lost its previous three AFCON competitions.