News - AFRICAN SPORTS MONTHLY

Wasteful Medeama held at home in CAF Cup

6/30/2016

Woeful finishing cost Medeama of Ghana maximum points as they were held 0-0 at home by Mouloudia Bejaia of Algeria Wednesday in matchday 2 of the CAF Confederation Cup.

Some of the misses in Sekondi had to be seen to be believed with the home team failing to convert several scoring opportunities from just a few yards in front of an unguarded goal.

Tired SA Olympic team beaten by Japan in Kirin Challenge Cup

6/30/2016

Japan u23.................. 4 (Nakajima 36’ 45’, Yajima 44’, Asano 47’)

South Africa u23........ 1 (Motupa pen 29’)

29 June 2016 – A tired-looking South African Olympic team were beaten 4-1 by the pace of their Japanese counterpart in the annual Kirin Challenge Cup in Matsumoto, Japan on Wednesday evening.

Senegal finalise roster for Manila OQT

6/30/2016

Senegal (SEN) - Croatia v Senegal, 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup, Seville (Spain), Day 3, Group phase

VALLADOLID (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Senegal on Tuesday finalised the 12-player roster for next week's FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Manila.

With Youssou Ndoye and Moussa Camara both cut, the pair of Thierno Ibrahima Niang and Louis Adams - the only two home-based players - have joined a line-up that includes Senegalese players coming from as far and wide as Poland and Israel.

OSN brings all the live action of the Hero Caribbean Premier League from June 29

6/30/2016

OSN, the leading pay-TV network in the Middle East and North Africa, will bring all the action from the Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) to its subscribers this summer, further underlining it as the ultimate destination for cricket.

OSN subscribers can watch every match live on OSN Sports Cricket HD, starting on June 29 through to the final on August 7. The matches will be played across six venues in the Caribbean and for the first time, six fixtures will be played in Lauderhill, Florida, USA.

Tokyo Sexwale to visit Israel and Palestine

6/30/2016

© Getty Images

The chairman of the FIFA Monitoring Committee Israel-Palestine, Tokyo Sexwale, will be heading a FIFA delegation on a two-day visit to Israel and Palestine on 30 June and 1 July. The delegation will hold meetings with the Israeli political authorities, including Israeli Minister of Culture and Sport Miri Regev, and representatives from the Israel and Palestinian Football Associations. The delegation will visit Tel Aviv, Ramallah and Gaza. Mr Sexwale has already had discussions with the President of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas.

Sundowns make winning start for second time

6/30/2016

South African club Mamelodi Sundowns made a winning start for the second time in the CAF Champions League group stage by edging Nigerian visitors Enyimba 2-1 in Pretoria Wednesday.

Sundowns beat Entente Setif in Algeria 11 days ago, but the result was declared "null and void" when the hosts were disqualified after their supporters hurled missiles and invaded the pitch, forcing play to be abandoned.

We will be tested, but that is what we want ahead of Rio – Da Gama

6/28/2016

28 June 2016 – The South African u23 National Team has completed preparations for their international friendly match against Japan which will take place on Wednesday, 28 June 2016 at the General Sports Stadim in Matsumoro.

Kickoff is at 12h30 South African time.

U17 Women's Classification 9-16: Tuesday 28 June

6/28/2016

14 Safiatou Mariko (MLI) - Italy v Mali, FIBA U17 Women’s World Championship, Zaragoza - C.D.M. Siglo XXI (Spain), Round of 16, 27 June 2016

ZARAGOZA (2016 FIBA U17 Women’s World Championship) - For those teams that didn't make the cut for the Quarter-Finals in Zaragoza, it's a trip to the Classification Round and the battle for spots 9 to 16.

Watch all of the action live on FIBA's YouTube channel.

Two out of two for Mazembe

6/28/2016

TP Mazembe made it two wins out of two at the group phase after a Merveille Bope second half winner handed them the maximum points against Young Africans on Tuesday in Dar es Salaam.

Bope netted the only goal of the match on 72 minutes, making the most of a defensive blunder from a resulting Roger Assale free-kick, as Mazembe strengthened their grip on the summit of Group A with the maximum six points from two games, whilst Yanga crushed to the bottom pointless.

Cautious Yanga eyes Mazembe scalp

6/28/2016

In a sharp contrast, the city of Dar es Salaam is calm barely few hours before Tanzania champions, Young Africans ‘Yanga’ plays DR Congo giants, TP Mazembe at the 60,000 capacity National Stadium on Tuesday everning.

Yanga remain calm after a 1-0 loss to MO Bejaia in Algeria in the opening game of group A whilst Mazembe beat Ghanaian side, Medeama 3-1 in Lubumbashi to top the group.

Tunisia's team effort to cover Mejri's OQT absence

6/28/2016

Tunisia (TUN) - AfroBasket 2015, Radès (Tunisia), Final, 30 August 2015

DALLAS (2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments) - Tunisia have warned they will not back down from anyone at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT) in Turin, despite being without Salah Mejri.

Mejri, who is coming off his rookie season in the NBA with the Dallas Mavericks, will undergo a knee surgery on Thursday in Dallas, but he doesn’t rule out a return to the national team.

SA Olympic team arrives in Japan in buoyant mood

6/28/2016

28 June 2016 – The South African u23 national team arrived in the Japanese city of Matsumoro in Nagano on Monday and were greeted by searing temperatures hovering over 36 degree Celsius.

But despite the punishing travel schedule and high temperatures, the squad remained in high spirits and ready for the Japanese challenge.

Light rains are expected for most of the week and this should come as a relief for the visitors as temperatures are likely to drop.

Basketball legend Summitt dies at 64

6/28/2016

Pat Summitt (USA) - Photo courtesy of www.ncaa.com

KNOXVILLE (FIBA) - The basketball world is in mourning following the death of legendary women's coach Pat Summitt. The long-time University of Tennessee Volunteers and former USA Olympic coach has died at the age of 64.

Summitt, inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2000 and in 2013 the FIBA Hall of Fame, had been suffering from the early onset of dementia since 2011.

2 million viewers tune into YouTube and Facebook live streams of Group Phase

6/28/2016

5 Lukas Uleckas (LTU) - Lithuania v Spain, FIBA U17 World Championship, Zaragoza - C.D.M. Siglo XXI (Spain), Group Phase, 24 June 2016

ZARAGOZA (2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women) - The live streaming of the 2016 FIBA U17 World Championships for Men and Women has been a huge hit, with the Group Phase attracting some two million views.

As part of FIBA's commitment to livestreaming 480 games and 840 hours across its leading world and continental youth national team championships on its YouTube and Facebook platforms this year, the event in Zaragoza has attracted unprecedented numbers.

Nigeria new champions Kano Pillars qualify for FIBA Africa Champions Cup Zone 3 qualifier

6/28/2016

Kano Pillars (NGR)

LAGOS - Kano Pillars beat Nigeria Customs 71-53 over the weekend in Lagos to become the 2016 DSTV Premier League Basketball champions. In the process, Nigeria new champions secured a place in the FIBA Africa Champions Cup Zone 3 qualifier for this year’s African Champions Cup (ACC).

Having finished runners-up to local rivals Mark Mentors last season, this is Kano Pillars' fifth national title after clinching Nigeria's flagship tournament in 2009, 2010, 2013 and 2014.

Ahly cuts short domestic celebrations for ASEC clash

6/28/2016

Just 72 hours after being crowned Egypt's champions, Cairo giants Al Ahly return to the continental theatre when they entertain Ivorian side ASEC Mimosas on Tuesday in the 2016 Orange CAF Champions League, Group A Day 2 match.

Ahly sealed their 38th Egyptian Premier League title this Friday, beating Ismaily 2-1 to raise their tally to 74 points, seven more than arch rivals Zamalek with two games to spare.

Technology providers offering video replay systems meet in Zurich

6/28/2016

© FIFA.com
Technology providers interested in taking part in IFAB-sanctioned experiments with video assistant referees (VARs) have met today at the Home of FIFA in Zurich, Switzerland.

Nine companies came to find out more about the experiments, which are due to start on an “offline” basis in August after the first participants were announced earlier this month.

FIFA is supporting The IFAB with technical expertise and research around the VAR experiments.

IAAF World U20 Coaches Conference to be held in Bydgoszcz

6/28/2016

© Getty Images
The 2nd IAAF World U20 Coaches Conference will be held in Bydgoszcz on 25 July, following the conclusion of the IAAF World U20 Championships Bydgoszcz 2016 (19-24 July).

The build-up phase in athletics is crucial in every athlete’s development. The main objective of this conference is to keep coaches informed, bringing consistency and competence to the coaches who play an essential part in athletes’ careers.

Philadelphia Union midfielder Roland Alberg voted MLS Player of the Week

6/28/2016

NEW YORK (Tuesday, June 28, 2016) – Philadelphia Union midfielder Roland Alberg was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for the 16th week of the 2016 MLS season.

After opening his MLS goal campaign the week before, Alberg continued his scoring streak in Week 16, notching four goals in Philadelphia’s two games. Alberg now has five goals in MLS play this season all coming in the previous three matches, a count that rises to seven goals in the last four matches when including U.S. Open Cup play. The former Dutch Eredivisie player has the highest goals per 90 minutes mark in the league among players with five goals or more, and has helped Philadelphia stay atop the Eastern Conference standings (26 points, 7-5-5 record).

Trinbago Knight Riders & St. Lucia Zouks set for CPL opener

6/28/2016

Photo Credit: CPL/Sportsfile
Trinbago Knight Riders and St. Lucia Zouks coaches Simon Helmot and Stuart Williams, respectively, were joined by captains Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy on Tuesday for a joint media conference in Port of Spain, Trinidad on the eve of the Hero Caribbean Premier League opener between the two sides at Queen’s Park Oval on Wednesday night (9pm).

In addition, there are exclusive interviews with TKR Chief Mentor Jacques Kallis and the Zouks’ South African international David Miller as they look ahead to their side’s chances on Wednesday night and for the CPL campaign ahead.

Neymar Jr hosts the Football World Finals in his hometurf

6/28/2016

Neymar Jr´s Five - Football World Finals - Brazil - 9th July 2016

Brazil and Barcelona great Neymar Jr is giving thousands of young football players the chance to step up their game by staging a unique knockout tournament. The world final will be held on the 9th of July at the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr in Bahia Grande (SP), Brazil.

CPL confirms Warner Park in St. Kitts & Nevis as 2016 Finals venue

6/28/2016

CEO Damien O’Donohoe says CPL Finals will be held in a “fitting arena”

The Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) are delighted to announce that the staging of this year’s finals have been awarded to Warner Park in St. Kitts & Nevis.

All four games of the knock-out stages of the biggest party in sport will be played at Warner Park, starting on Wednesday, 3 August and culminating in the 34th and final game on Sunday, 7 August. There will be a reserve day on Monday, 8 August.

Sierra Leone’s performance at the 20th Edition of the African Athletics Championships

6/27/2016

A day after the African Athletics Championships came to a close in the South African City of Durban athletes representing various African nations boarded their respective flights to head back to their base of training or home for many.

Sierra Leone’s all female team which participated in the championship put up a decent performance given the troubles they faced in acquiring funding for their participation in the championships. The shortfall in funding was so severe that one of the standout athletes in Maggie Barrie of Ohio State University was not able to join the team for the trip to Durban.

Nigeria take away valuable lessons from WOQT

6/27/2016

Belarus v Nigeria, 2016 FIBA Women 's Olympic Qualifying Tournament, Nantes - La Trocardière (France), Group Phase, 13 June 2016

SHEFFIELD (Julio Chitunda's African Message) - Nigeria may have fallen short of reaching the Rio Olympics, but the Western Africans have taken valuable lessons from the 2016 FIBA Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament (WOQT) last week in Nantes, France.

In a matter of three days, their hopes of reaching the Olympics were turned upside down as never seen before in the history of the tournament.

Tunisia's Kaabi shines in win over Venezuela

6/27/2016

Tunisia's Hichem Kaabi leads team over Venezuela

Tunis, Tunisia, 26 June 2016 - Hichem Kaabi scored 25 points to lead Tunisia to a 3-1 (28-26, 25-27, 25-23, 25-18) win over Venezuela in front of a delighted home crowd in Pool E, Group 3 of the World League.

Whilst Kaabi was in fine form for the hosts, there were also excellent contributions from Ismail Moalla (14 points) and Mohamed Ali Othmen (11 Points), whilst Edson Gonzalez, Kervin Pineura and Jonathan Quijada all scored 11 points for the South Americans.