African Cup of Nations - Ghana-2008

[Nipponyid]

No worries m8, the Ghana tourney will be streamed..

[Nipponyid]

African Nations Cup Qualifier Update: Groups 2 & 9

Weekend Fixtures:


Friday 12 October.

Group 9
Sierra Leone 0 - 2 Benin
Togo 0 - 2 Mali

[B]Mali and Benin qualified for the 2008 African Nations Cup in Ghana after a tense climax to Group 9 on Friday.Frederic Kanoute from Uefa Cup and Spanish Cup holders Sevilla broke the deadlock after 38 minutes in the Togolese capital by heading home a Bassala Toure cross. Then Mamadou Diallo scored in injury time to seal a 2-0 win for Mali over Togo in Lome while Benin triumphed by the same score in Sierra Leone with Oumar Tchomogo on target twice. Mali finished first on the final standings with 12 points from three victories and three draws and automatically qualified for the biennial tournament.The result dashed Ugandan dreams of a first appearance at the Nations Cup since 1978 when the Cranes reached the final only to lose 2-0 against hosts Ghana in Accra. AFP


Saturday 13 October.

Group 2
Mauritania 2 - 0 Burundi
Egypt 1 - 0 Botswana

The Pharaohs of Egypt have qualified for the 2008 African Nations Cup in Ghana. The defending champions needed a win over Botswana to qualify but played the first half to a goalless draw in Cairo.
Egypt were impressive and could have won on a more larger scale but strikers Emad Moteab and Amr Zaki failed to find the back of the net.
In the 76th minute, midfielder Mohamed Sadle, who had come on as a substitute, headed home the lone goal of the match which was enough to book Egypt a place in the Ghana finals.
In the other Group 2 match, Mauritania secured a 2-1 win over Burundi to finish second in the group.
Pascal Dominique and Ahmed Teguedi scored the two goals for Mauritania to earn coach Birama Gueye his a win in charge of the team.
Burundi scored a consolation goal in the dying minutes through to a penalty that was converted by Abdallah Irambona.

Egypt 1 - Botswana 0 (Africa Cup Of Nations qualifier, October 13, 2007) Mohamed Fadl ensured that the defending champions will participate in the 2008 tournament in Ghana.
http://www.d1g.com/video/show/1455900

Following the African Cup of Nations qualifier between Mali and Togo, which Mali won 2-0 to progress to the competition, violence erupted with Sevilla striker Freddy Kanoute and Stoke City’s Mamady Sidibe both suffered injuries. Sidibe was cut on the arm by a spectator while Kanoute needed stitches for a cut on his back.

A video showing the violence can be seen here.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=a6VEWEsEQvM

[Nipponyid]

Ghana 2008 draw:

The ACN 2008 finals draw will table place in Accra on the 19th October 2007.

Teams in the draw & profiles;

Ghana (hosts)
The Black Stars reached their sixteenth Africa Cup of Nations without kicking a ball by virtue of being the hosts.
The Stars failed to shine at the last edition in Egypt in 2005, where they bid farewell after the group stages.
A wonderful performance during their maiden appearance at the World Cup in Germany in 2006, is a booster for the Stars who have sworn to repeat the “host and win” tradition associated with the competition since 2004.

Egypt
The defending champions had to rely on late minute goal by substitute Mohammed Fadl to beat Botswana 1-0 in the ultimate qualifier to go through.
The Pharaoh’s have never missed out the continental party since 1984, and unbeaten run in Group Two ensured they maintained their status as the only team to have played in more editions since its inception in 1957.
Despite, some initial setbacks, the Pharaohs organized their squad to emerge group winners ahead of ambitious Burundi , who fell 1-2 to Mauritania in Nouakchott .

Angola
The 2006 FIFA World Cup finalists was the first team from the COSAFA region to qualify in a group that had Eritrea , Kenya and Swaziland as the other teams.
The Palancas Negras confirmed their superiority to finish on 13 points with the superb scoring rate of 16 goals against five despite the absence of influential midfielder Fabrice Akwa.
Angola lost just a game in the qualifiers and was followed closely by Eritrea on four points less with the Harambee Stars and the Swazis in that order.
This is Angola ’s second successive final and fourth in general.

Senegal
The Teranga Lions recovered from a poor start to qualify for their fourth successive continental championships since 2002.
But had to wave off serious threats from Tanzania ’s Taifa Stars and Mambas of Mozambique to wrap up their place on the final day of the qualifiers.
The Teranga Lions hammered the Stallions of Burkina Faso 5-1 on ultimate clash to finish on eleven points, after their closest contenders, Taifa Stars went down 0-1 at home to Mozambique .
Senegal whose only appearance in the last two came in Mali in 2002 is making their eleventh appearance at the finals.

Guinea
The Syli Nationale stunned 1990 winners, Algeria to claim the Group Eight slot.
The Desert Warriors, winners in 1990 will for second successive time miss out on the continental fiesta due to a slump in performance.
The new-generation of Guinea players led by Saint- Etienne striker Pascal Feindouno have been excellent in the qualification series which included beating the Desert Warriors home and away.
The Sylis wrapped up the automatic spot on the final qualifiers with a 4-0 crushing of Cape Verde , while Algeria surprisingly lost 1-2 in Gambia .
Guinea, who exited the last edition at the quarter-finals are appearing for the ninth time.

Namibia
The Brave Warriors scaled through by causing one of the major upsets in the qualifying series against the highly favoured DR Congo.
Namibia who had just qualified for the biennial event once in 1998 ensured the DR Congo missed out by claiming the solitary spot in a photo-finish from a group which had Libya and Ethiopia also in the reckoning.
The Brave Warriors beat the Walya Antelopes 3-2 in Addis Ababa to finish on ten points in the decisive match as DR Congo could only manage a one all draw with Libya in Kinshasa.

Zambia
The Chipolopolos will be making their thirteenth appearance by confirming themselves as the most consistent team in Southern Africa as Group Eleven winners.
Not many have tipped them to finish first in a group which had 2010 FIFA World Cup hosts, South Africa and Congo as the others.
But the Chipolopolos did that in magnificent style by stunning the Bafana Bafana to a 3-1 defeat in the final group clash courtesy a Christopher Katongo.
Though the two teams finished on eleven points each, the defending Cosafa Champions went through via head-to-head.
Zambia’s only defeat in the qualifiers was 0-1 loss at home to the 1996 Champions.

South Africa
he 2010 World Cup confirmed their place at the Ghana finals as the first of three second best placed teams. The Bafana Bafana finished on eleven points but with superior goal difference despite going down to the Chipolopolos 1-3 at home in the ultimate qualifier.
For the 1996 champions, it will be their seventh participation in the continent’s elite competition.
Carlos Alberto Parreira’s team lost once during the six-match competition, which was to eventual group winners, Zambia .

Morocco
The Atlas Lions was the first to qualify for the 26th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The one-time finished as winners of Group 12 unbeaten, with Zimbabwe and Malawi as the other teams.
The Moroccans ensured that the hopes of Zimbabwe ’s Warriors of reaching the finals to improve on their dismal performance in Egypt 2006 remained a dream.
It would the Lions’ 13th appearance of the finals.

Cameroon
The Indomitable Lions reached their fifteenth final with a hundred percent record in Group Five with a game in hand.
The four-time champions sealed their place under the technical tutelage of local trainer Nyongha who guided the team to an unbeaten run in five matches.
Equatorial Guinea who posed the only serious challenge to the Egypt 2006 quarter-finalists handed the Indomitable Lions their only defeat on the ultimate clash of the qualifying rounds with a 1-0 win but still finished on ten points, five adrift of leaders Cameroon.
Rwanda and Liberia followed in that order on six and four points respectively.

Sudan
The Desert Hawks emerged as one of the surprise candidates for the finals of the 26th edition of Africa Cup of Nations.
Sudan who last qualified for continental event in 1976 had the resurgence of Al Hilal and Al Merrikh in club football playing a major factor in reaching their seventh final.
Not many might have tipped the Desert Hawks to topple a group which had 2004 winners, Tunisia as the favourites.
Sudan beat Tunisia 3-2 to finish on 15 points, two more than the latter who grabbed one of the three second best placed teams.
Doubles over lowly-placed Seychelles and Mauritius played a pivotal role in the qualification of the continent’s biggest country.

Tunisia
The Carthage Eagles finished second in Group Four behind surprising force, Sudan .
Tunisia’s thirteenth appearance didn’t come on a silver platter in a group that had Seychelles and Mauritius as the other teams, with Sudan being the biggest force.
With four wins and a draw from six games was enough to guarantee them of a place in the final.
They had even sealed a place before the ultimate matches was cleared.
Tunisia won their only title as the hosts in 2004.

Nigeria
The Super Eagles overcame the scare of Uganda ’s Cranes for Group three’s automatic slot despite experiencing some tough times.
Five wins from six games put the two-time champions on a safe path to their fifteenth appearance of the Africa Cup of Nations.
German-born trainer Berti Vogts and his team never had things rosy despite being tipped as the forerunners after placing third in Egypt two years ago.
But it had to take some inspiring performances from captain Nwankwo Kanu, John Utaka, Obafemi Martins among others to join the elites of African football for the converted – trophy which they last won in 1994.
Uganda who finished on eleven points, four adrift of the Super Eagles missed out on the ultimate second best placed team, after being pipped by Benin by just a goal.

Ivory Coast/Cote d’Ivoire
The Elephants cemented their place at the Ghana event as Group One winners, without a loss in the qualifying rounds.
The Group was reduced to three teams following the withdrawal of Djibouti , but the 1992 Champions reigned supreme over Gabon and Madagascar .
The Didier Drogba-led side, who raked in thirteen goals without letting in none, is making their seventeenth appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations.
They lost to Egypt in the finals of the last edition on penalties.

Mali
The Eagles emerged tops in what was described as one of the toughest groups in the qualifiers. The Malians had to wrestle the group’s only slot at the backyard of their closest contenders, Togo, who they beat 2-0 in the final qualifier thanks to a goal each from Sevilla striker Frederic Kanoute and Qatar-based Mahamadou Diallo.
What a sweet revenge for the hosts of the 23rd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations who had suffered a similar fate at the hands of their hosts during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying series.
Mali finished on 12 points to reach their fifth appearance at the continent’s biggest football event, a match win at the expense of Togo who slipped to third behind Benin .

Benin
Benin’s Squirrels qualified for their second ever appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations as the third best second placed team.
The last spot was a two-horse race between the Squirrels and the Cranes of Uganda, but the former wrapped up the slot with the 2-0 victory over Sierra Leone in Freetown to finish on eleven points.
Though the Cranes also finished by a similar point haul, Benin went through with six goals against the five of their contenders.
Benin made their debut at the 2004 edition in Tunisia under the technical directorship of Ghanaian-born, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio.

[Nipponyid]

Draw has been completed, updated on first page.

[zamalkawy214]

oi guys the best country in the world is going to win in AGAIN. comon EGYPT

[Nipponyid]

Clubs want African Cup rethink

Portsmouth assistant manager Joe Jordan has backed calls for the African Cup of Nations to be staged in the summer.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ca/7140013.stm


Premier League players likely to be playing in the 2008 African Nations Cup:

ARSENAL
Kolo Toure and Emmanuel Eboue (Ivory Coast), Alexandre Song (Cameroon)

BIRMINGHAM
Richard Kingson (Ghana), Mehdi Nafti and Radhi Jaidi (Tunisia)

BLACKBURN
Aaron Mokoena (South Africa)

BOLTON
El-Hadji Diouf (Senegal), Abdoulaye Meite (Ivory Coast)

CHELSEA
John Obi Mikel (Nigeria), Didier Drogba and Saloman Kalou (Ivory Coast), Michael Essien (Ghana)

EVERTON
Joseph Yobo and Ayegbeni Yakubu (Nigeria), Steven Pienaar (South Africa)

LIVERPOOL
Nabil El-Zhar (Morocco), Muhammed Sissoko (Mali)

MIDDLESBROUGH
Mohamed Shawky and Mido (Egypt)

NEWCASTLE
Obafemi Martins (Nigeria), Geremi (Cameroon), Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye (Senegal)

PORTSMOUTH
Papa Bouba Diop (Senegal), Nwankwo Kanu and John Utaka (Nigeria), Sulley Muntari (Ghana), Lauren (Cameroon)

READING
Andre Bikey (Cameroon), Emerse Fae (Ivory Coast), Ibrahima Sonko (Senegal)

SUNDERLAND
Dickson Etuhu (Nigeria)

TOTTENHAM
Hossam Ghaly (Egypt)???, Didier Zokora (Ivory Coast)

WEST HAM UNITED
John Pantsil (Ghana), Henri Camara (Senegal)

WIGAN
Salomon Olembe (Cameroon), Julius Aghahowa (Nigeria)

* Derby County, Fulham, Manchester United, Manchester City and Wigan currently have no involvement in the African Nations Cup.

[waynescales]

Nice one Sissoko is gone for a while lol. Pompey with five players. Some of Chelsea's best players also. Bit of a bad time of year alright. Something has to be done to change this alright. They say the weather is unpredictable in our Summer time but isn't the world cup 2010 going to be in the Summer

[Nipponyid]

Mali


Have called up three locally-based players in their final 23-man squad

Goalkeepers:
Soumbeyla Diakite (Stade Malien), Mahamadou Sidibe (PAS Giannina, Greece), Oumar Sissoko (Metz)

Defenders:
Adama Coulibaly (Lens), Moussa Coulibaly (Mouloudia Alger), Souleymane Diamoutene (Lecce), Cedric Kante (Nice), Boubacar Sidiki Kone (Maghreb Fes), Amadou Sidibe (Djoliba), Adama Tamboura (Helsingborg), Sammy Traore (AJ Auxerre)

Midfielders:
Souleymane Dembele (Djoliba), Drissa Diakite (Nice), Mahamadou Diarra (Real Madrid), Seydou Keita (Sevilla), Djibril Sidibe (Chateauroux), Momo Sissoko (Liverpool), Bassala Toure (Levadiakos, Greece)

Forwards:
Mamadou Diallo (Qatar SC), Mahamadou Dissa (Roeselare, Belgium), Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla), Mamady Sidibe (Stoke City), Dramane Traore (Lokomotiv Moscow).

Guinea name squad for African Nations Cup finals


Guinea reached the quarter-finals of the last Nations Cup tournament in Egypt two years ago.

Squad:
Goalkeepers:
Kemoko Camara (unattached), Naby Diarso (Satellite FC), Naby Yattara (RACS Couillet, Belgium)

Defenders:
Dianbobo Balde (Celtic), Habib Jean Balde (Reims), Alseny Camara (Rodez), Ibrahima Camara (Le Mans), Kevin Constant (Toulouse), Mohamed Alimou Diallo (Sivasspor), Daouda Jabi (Trabzonspor), Oumar Kalabane (Manisaspor), Kamil Zayatte (Young Boys Berne)

Midfielders:
Mohamed Cisse (Bursaspor), Pascal Feindouno (St Etienne), Samuel Johnson (Ismaili), Mohamed Sacko (Etoile Sahel), Naby Soumah (CS Sfaxien), Kanfory Sylla (Sivasspor)

Strikers:
Ismael Bangoura (Dynamo Kiev), Karamoko Cisse (Verona), Victor Correa (Cherbourg), Fode Mansare (Toulouse), Souleymane Youla (Lille).

[Nipponyid]

Ghanaian Announce African Cup Squad


Goalkeepers:
Richard Kingson (Birmingham City, England), Sammy Adjei (Ashdod, Israel), Fatau Dauda (Ashantigold, Ghana)

Defenders:
John Paintsil (West Ham, England), Dan Opare (Ashantigold, Ghana), Nana Kwasi Asare (FC Mechelon, Belgium), John Mensah (Rennes, France), Alhassan Illiasu (FC Saturn, Russia), Francis Dickoh (FC Utretcht, Holland) Hans Adu Sarpei (Bayer Leverkusen, Germany), Harrison Afful (Asante Kotoko, Ghana)

Midfielders:
Anthony Annan (I.K. Start, Norway), Eric Addo (PSV Eindhoven, Holland), Michael Essien (Chelsea, England), Bernard Kumodzi (Panionios FC, Greece), Laryea Kingston (Hearts, Scotland), Haminu Draman (Locomotiv Moscow, Russia), Moussa Narry (Etoile du Sahel, Tunisia), Stephen Appiah (Fenerbahce, Turkey), Sulley Muntari (Portsmouth, England), Andre Ayew (Olympique Marseille, France), Ahmed Barruso (AS Roma, Italy)

Strikers:
Matthew Amoah (NAC Breda, Holland), Asamoah Gyan (Udinese, Italy), Baffuor Gyan (FC Saturn, Russia), Junior Agogo (Nottingham Forest, England), Quincy Owusu-Abeyie (Celta Vigo, Spain), Kwadwo Asamoah (Liberty Professionals, Ghana).

Cameroon Coach Otto Pfister Announces Squad


Goalkeepers:
Hamidou Souleymanou (Denizlispor, Turkey), Carlos Idriss Kameni (Espanol, Spain), Pierre Ebede Owona (Metz, France), Janvier Mbarga (Canon Yaounde)

Defenders:
Rigobert Song (Galatasaray, Turkey), Eric Matoukou (Racing Genk, Belgium), Andre Bikey (Reading, England), Gilles Augustin Binya (Benfica, Portugal), Timothee Atouba (Hamburg, Germany), Alexis Enam Mendomo (Club Africain, Tunisia), Benoit Angbwa (Saturn Moscow, Russia), Bill Tchato (Qatar Sport Club, Qatar)

Midfielders:
Geremi Njitap (Newcastle United, England), Alexandre Song (Arsenal, England), Achille Emana (Toulouse, France), Jean Joel Epalle (VfL Bochum, Germany), Landry Nguemo (AS Nancy, France), Stephan Mbia (Rennes, France), Jean Makoun (Lille, France,) Alain Junior Olle Olle (Club National, Uruguay), Modeste Mbami (Olympique Marseille, France), Alain Nkong (Atlante, Mexico), Paul Essola, (Arsenal Kyiv, Ukraine)

Strikers: Samuel Eto'o Fils (Barcelona, Spain), Bertin Tomou (Excelsior Mouscron, Belgium), Mohamadou Idrissou (MSV Duisburg, Germany), Joseph Desire Job (Nice, France), Christian Bekamenga (Persib Bandung, Indonesia).

[Nipponyid]

Morocco name final squad for Ghana 2008


Morocco coach Henri Michel has named his final 23-man squad

Goalkeepers:
Khalid Fouhami (Raja), Abdelilah Bagui (MAS), Nadir Lamyaghri (Wydad)

Defenders:
Michael Bassir (Nancy, France), Abdessamad Chahiri (El Jadida), Abdeslem Ouaddou (Valenciennes, France), Amin el Erbate (Dafra, UAE), Jamal Alioui (Sion, Switzerland), Talal El Karkouri (Al Qatari, Qatar), Badr El Kadouri (Dynamo Kiev, Ukraine), Hicham Mahdoufi (Metallist, Ukraine)

Midfielder:
Youssef Safri (Southampton, England), Houcine Kharja (Piacenza, Italy), Abdelkrim Kissi (Enosis Paralimini, Cyprus), Abderrahmane Kabous (CSKA Sofia, Bulgaria)

Forwards:
Youssef Hadji (Nancy, France), Youssef Moukhtari (MSV Duisburg, Germany), Hicham Aboucherouane (Esperance, Tunisia), Marouane Chamakh (Bordeaux, France), Soufiane Alloudi (El Ain, UAE), Tarik Sektioui (FC Porto, Portugal), Bouchaib El Moubarki (Grenoble, France), Moncef Zerka (Nancy, France)

Sudan names provisional 29-man squad for ACN


Goalkeepers
Bahaeddine Mohammed Abdalla (Merrikh), Akram al-Hadi Salim (Merrikh), Moez Mahjoub (Hilal)

Defenders
Abdallah Jibril (Hilal), Richard Justin (Hilal), Jimmy Natali (Hilal), Anas Tahar (Hilal Port Sudan), Ahmed Pacha (Merrikh), Balla Jaber (Hay al-Arab Port Sudan), Mohammed Ali Safari (Merrikh), Amir Damir (Meerikh), Adel Bokhari (Mourada)

Midfielders
Anas Taher (Hilal Port Sudan), Moujahed Ahmed Mohammed (Meerikh), Alaeddine Babkir (Merrikh), Badreddine Kalak (Merrikh), Haitham Mustafa (Hilal/capt), Alaeddine Youssef (Hilal), Omar Bakhit (Hilal), Hammouda Bechir (Hilal), Moussa Zouma (Hilal), Saif Missaoui (Hilal)

Forwards
Modathar Karika (Hilal), Haitham Tambal (Merrikh), Tahar Hammad (Kassala), Abdel Hamid Saoudi (Merrikh), Adel Bokhari (Kassala), Khaled Juliet (Merrikh), Mohanned Taher (Hilal).