We, members of the Executive Committee of the African Football Confederation and African members of the FIFA Executive Committee, meeting at the headquarters of the African Union in Addis Ababa.

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24 September 2014 – The South African Women’s National team, Sasol Banyana Banyana beat Cote dI’voire 2–1 in an international friendly match played at Moruleng Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, 24 September 2014.

A first half goal by Crocius striker in the Gauteng Sasol League, Portia Modise and an early goal in the second half by Mamelodi Sundowns player Sanah Mollo gave Sasol Banyana Banyana victory over a physical Cote dI’voire.

OCSC Awarded Priority, Choose First Pick in 2014 MLS Expansion Draft to be Held December 10 

NEW YORK (Wednesday, September 24, 2014) – Today, two of Major League Soccer’s newest teams, Orlando City SC and New York City FC, took part in the MLS Expansion Priority Draft to determine priority order for the eight mechanisms available to acquire players, including the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft, Allocation Ranking, and 2015 MLS SuperDraft presented by Adidas, among others,

Orlando City SC, represented by head coach Adrian Heath, were awarded priority and chose to take the first pick in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft, which will take place on December 10. New York City FC head coach Jason Kreis followed up by taking the first pick in the Allocation Ranking.

NEW YORK (September 23, 2014) – The MLS Disciplinary Committee has fined Toronto FC midfielder Michael Bradley an undisclosed amount for public criticism of match officials following his team’s 1-1 draw with the Chicago Fire on September 13.

23 September 2014 - South Africa’s U17 National Team captain Nelson Maluleke has promised soccer fans that Amajimbos will return from Egypt with a win.

Molefi Ntseki’s team take on the Junior Pharaohs  at the Contractors Stadium on Saturday night hoping to wrap up another major qualification by a South African national team to a major tournament following into the footsteps of U20s and Banyana Banyana.

Maluleke, the attacking midfielder who plays his club soccer for Supersport United, said the boys were fired up and the spirit in the camp was sky high.

24 September 2014 – Amajimbos leave for Egypt this evening, Wednesday 24 September 2014 sounding very bullish about their prospects of qualifying for the CAF African Youth championships scheduled for Niger next year.

The U17 squad and technical team were addressed by SAFA President, Dr Danny Jordaan at the team hotel on Tuesday evening who reminded them that they stand on the threshold of ‘something historic and great.’

 Secretary General of the Fédération Camerounaise de Football (FECAFOOT), Tombi Roko Sidik has said they have decided to host Sierra Leone’s national team in Yaoundé for the two leg 2015 African Cup of Nations qualifiers out of solidarity.  

Sierra Leone was expected to host the Lions of Cameroon in Freetown but the African football governing body CAF which had announced a ban on matches in the country maintained it recently because of the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus.

NEW YORK, NY (September 23, 2014) – – Major League Soccer has announced the dates for the 2014 MLS Cup Playoffs presented by AT&T. The MLS Cup final will take place on Sunday, December 7, while playoffs begin on October 29-30 with the first Conference Knockout round.

Following the second leg of the Conference Semifinals, teams will break for FIFA international match competition on Nov. 14 and 18, returning for Leg 1 of the Conference Championships on Nov. 22-23. This will signal the first time MLS playoff games will be held the weekend after Thanksgiving (Nov. 29-30) which allows for more weekend games than in the past and a better overall rhythm for postseason play.

The issue of concussion in football has been broadly discussed following recent high profile cases at the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil™, particularly the incident which involved the German player Christoph Kramer during the final match. FIFA has been active in this field for many years, carrying out a number of scientific studies and hosting several conferences with international sports federations which led to clear recommendations on the subject. However, the incidents at the World Cup have shown that the role of team doctors needs to be reinforced in order to ensure the correct management of potential cases of concussion in the heat of the competition.

Following recent discussion with team doctors and Confederations, the FIFA Medical Committee agreed at a meeting held yesterday in Zurich to submit a proposal to the FIFA Executive Committee in order to improve the protocol. Under the proposal, whenever a suspected incident of concussion occurs, the referee will have the ability to stop the game for three minutes, allowing the relevant team doctor to complete an on-pitch assessment and decide if the player has suspected concussion. The referee will only allow the injured party to continue playing with the authorisation of the team doctor, who will have the final decision.

The setting-up of two new development programmes to promote participation in the FIFA U-17 World Cup qualifiers and to develop domestic youth competitions respectively, and the approval of the first-ever Goal projects for the USA, Italy and Sweden were among the main outcomes of the FIFA Development Committee meeting held today, 23 September 2014, under the chairmanship of Issa Hayatou at the Home of FIFA.

The new initiative aimed at U-17 male and female teams will enable member associations that fulfil specific criteria to receive FIFA’s financial support for the organisational expenses of home matches as well as for the travel costs of away games in order to increase participation in FIFA youth competitions.

The launch of Grassroots football has been a priority of the Federation of Uganda Football Associations (FUFA), and the dream became a reality last week when FUFA, the Ministry of Local Government and the Ministry of Education and Sports signed an agreement for the next five years to sustain and develop grassroots programmes throughout all the regions of Uganda.

FIFA Technical Development Officer Govinden Thondoo witnessed a ceremony in Kampala that was attended by FUFA leadership, including President Eng Moses Magogo, Vice President Darius Mugoye, Chief Executive Officer Edgar Watson and Technical Director Asuman Lubowa. The government was represented by Mr. Moses Byanguye (Local government) and Sammy Odong (Assistant Commissioner-Sports-Ministry of Education and Sports).

Thondoo used the platform to praise Uganda upon this momentous opportunity.

“It is vital to create partnerships with institutions that have control over kids who are the main target. I therefore congratulate you on behalf of the FIFA President who has put a lot of emphasis in this project to take off in Uganda” he said.

23 September 2014 – The South African women’s national football team, Sasol Banyana Banyana received a warm welcome from Kgosi Nyalala Pilane of the Bakgatla ba Kgafela in Moruleng on Monday afternoon, 22 September 2014.

As per tradition, Sasol Banyana Banyana visited the Royal council where they were officially welcomed to Moruleng Village in North West. The Chief wished Banyana Banyana well in their upcoming friendly international against Cote d I’voire as well as in the African Women’s Championships (AWC).

Banyana Banyana thereafter visited Ofentse Primary school which is situated close to Moruleng stadium.

Two Sierra Leonean strikers; Alhassan Crespo Kamara and Albert Kargbo were both on target for their Swedish clubs in the Allsvenskan league (top flight league) and the Division III (Central Norrlan) respectively.

Crespo Kamara continued his impressive form on Saturday scoring his eight goal of the season to help his club Orebro walk away with a 3-1 away win over Falkenbergs.

Kamara’s 18th minute strike gave Orebro the lead before teammates Patrick Haginge and Daniel Nordmark scored the other two goals in the second half as they moved up to six positions on the league table.

With the MLS playoffs inching closer, the race for the final spot in both conferences is rounding the final curves. The Philadelphia Union will look to get back to their winning ways when they take on Eastern Conference leaders D.C. United on Saturday at 3:00 p.m. ET (NBCSN). A win could see the Union jump to fifth place as they sit two points off of the fourth-place Columbus Crew (40 points). Looking to maintain their playoff hopes, Gregg Berhalter’s men will host the Montreal Impact who will miss out on the playoffs despite a 2-0 win over the weekend.

Further up the table in the East, it will be a clash of the titans as the New England Revolution travel to Kansas City with hopes of taking all three points and second place from the reigning MLS Cup holders, SKC. This Friday night game will be broadcast nationally on NBCSN at 8:00 p.m. ET.

NEW YORK (Monday, September 22, 2014) – New York Red Bulls forward Bradley Wright-Phillips was voted Major League Soccer Player of the Week by the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) for Week 28 of the 2014 MLS regular season. It is the player’s second honor of the season.

Wright-Phillips notched a hat-trick in the Red Bulls’ 4-1 home win against the Seattle Sounders FC. Wright-Phillips’ three goals brings his count to 24, just three shy of the MLS single season record.

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“I’d seen him two or three times when he was at Arsenal, but it’s only when you’re playing alongside him that you realise what an absolute monster he is. If he was more clinical, Gervinho would be at Cristiano Ronaldo’s level.”

These were the words of Francesco Totti, and the subject of his praise in the Gazzetta dello Sport in January was none other than Gervinho. At the time, although the Ivoirian's influence on Roma’s game was undeniable, his total number of goals could be counted on just one hand.

Four of the five MLS teams in CONCACAF Champions League are in action this week with Sporting Kansas City and Portland playing on Tuesday night. SKC are coming off a win in their last game and will look to solidify the top spot when they host Real Esteli at 8:00 p.m. ET (Fox Sports 1). With a game in hand on the other teams in their group, the Portland Timbers will welcome Alpha United to Providence Park at 10:00 p.m. (Fox Sports 1) looking to separate themselves from the rest of their group with a win.

On Wednesday, D.C. United will take on Panamanian side, Tauro F.C. (8:00 p.m. ET, Fox Sports 2). Last week, Ben Olsen’s team scored an important road win over Waterhouse. The Red Bulls will be in action on Wednesday in a massive game for their chances of winning their group. Coming off a loss against the group leading Montreal Impact, the Red Bulls need three points at CD FAS (10:00 p.m. ET, Fox Soccer Plus) to keep pace with their MLS counterpa

Coach Johnny McKinstry has reacted with disappointment over his dismal as head coach of the Sierra Leone national team, Leone Stars by both the Sierra Leone Sports Ministry and the Sierra Leone Football Association (SLFA).

The 29-year-old who was appointed in April 2013 said on his officially website that the news about his sacking was disappointing and frustrating especially when logistic and preparations were not in his control.

The African football governing body, CAF has insisted that both Sierra Leone and Guinea’s next month’s 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier must be played in a neutral venue.

The regional body ruled on Saturday to maintain the ban on both Sierra Leone and Guinea including Liberia who are currently not part of the 2015 qualifiers because of Ebola fears.
CAF’s decision means Sierra Leone’s home clash with Cameroun and Guinea’s with the Black Stars of Ghana will be played at a neutral venue robbing both Nations from home support for their games.
Sierra Leone however is in a dilemma because after playing their last match in Democratic Republic of Congo, (DR Congo) as their home turf, the Sierra Leone Sports Ministry and the Football Association are planning not to play any of their future home matches in DR Congo after the Sports Minister, Mr. Paul Kamara filed a complaint against the Congolese Football Association for fraud.

A contender for best goal of the 2014 CAF Champions League earned Algerians Entente Setif a 2-1 semi-final, first-leg win over Congo DR side TP Mazembe this weekend. It came from Abdelmalik Ziaya on 89 minutes at an empty Stade 8 Mai 1945 and gave the home club victory seemingly destined to end in a draw.

Receiving the ball on the edge of the penalty area with his back to goal, Ziaya turned substitute Mazembe defender Chongo Kabaso in a flash. And another defender, Salif Coulibaly, reacted too slowly as the Algerian unleashed a thunderbolt that flew past veteran goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba into the net.

The first CAF goal this season for Ziaya earned Setif a first win over Mazembe in five Champions League and second-tier Confederation Cup matches in five years. However, four-time African champions Mazembe host the return match in the Congo DR mining city of Lubumbashi next Sunday and remain favourites to reach the final.

When the 2014 CAF Champions League began, 58 clubs embarked on a journey they hoped would take them all the way to the final. Seven-and-a-half months later, just four teams remain, with TP Mazembe and compatriots Vita Club creating history by giving Congo DR two semi-finalists for the first time ever.

Their opponents in this weekend's first leg semi-final matches, Algeria's ES Setif and CS Sfaxien of Tunisia respectively, have managed to continue North Africa's excellent run in the competition. In all but two of the last nine years, clubs from the region have won the Champions League, and those came in 2009 and 2010 when Mazembe claimed their third and fourth continental titles. The winner of late October's two-legged final will represent the continent in December's FIFA Club World Cup in Morocco.

21 September 2014 – Amajimbos coach Molefi Ntseki is confident his U17 side will come away from Egypt with a win as his squad aims to become the third straight South African side to qualify for a major continental tournament.

The U17 take on their Egyptian counterparts in a second leg of the CAF African Youth qualifier, carrying a 2-1 lead from the first leg which was played at Royal Bafokeng Stadium last week.

“We are not going there to defend the 2-1 advantage. That would be precarious. We are going to take the fight to the Egyptians and look for an outright victory and join Banyana Banyana and Amajita in qualifying for the African championships.

“If that happens, we will have completed a good period for South African football. We want to maintain the momentum of all teams qualifying for major tournaments as part of fulfilling the 2022 Vision and I believe we have what it takes,” said Ntseki.

NEW YORK (September 19, 2014) – The MLS Disciplinary Committee has suspended Colorado Rapids midfielder Nick LaBrocca one game and fined him an undisclosed amount for serious foul play that endangered the safety of an opponent in the 91st minute of the game against the Portland Timbers on September 13 (VIDEO).

Top car manufacturer, Hyundai has teamed up with Soweto based Absa Premiership club Moroka Swallows as its new headline sponsor. The sponsorship deal was concluded earlier in September by Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

Popularly known as the Dube Birds, Swallows have played their first professional Absa Premiership match in their new shirts with the Hyundai logo against Chippa United at Dobsonville Stadium, the team’s home ground in Soweto.

“We were as proud as the team when they appeared in front of their home crowd with their new sponsors logo on their shirts. The deal to sponsor one of the three major Soweto soccer clubs and one of the top PSL teams was concluded last week after a lot of work was done to make this partnership possible,” said Albrecht Grundel, Operations Director of Hyundai Automotive South Africa.

Cameroon (2019), Côte d'Ivoire (2021) and Guinea (2021) were chosen on Saturday in Addis Ababa to host the next CAF Africa Cup of Nations football tournaments. The decisions were announced by Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Issa Hayatou at the African Union (AU) headquarters in the Ethiopian capital.

Algeria and Zambia were the other contenders to stage the biennial showcase of African football. Cameroon (1972) and Côte d'Ivoire (1984) previously hosted the Cup of Nations when it was an eight-nation tournament. Guinea, who seemed the outsiders among the five candidates, will be staging the 16-team, three-week championship for the first time.