Sports

14, January 2025

Football: Rigobert Song meets President Faustin Archange Touadéra ⁰

Cameroon’s legendary footballer Rigobert Song has held talks at the Palais de la Renaissance in Bangui on Monday 13 January with Central African Republic President Faustin Archange Touadéra.

Cameroon Concord News gathered that discussions between the two men focused on the role of sport in youth development in CAR.

The visit is part of a CAR project aimed at strengthening relations with Cameroon.

Rigobert Song shared his expertise and experiences, emphasizing the transformative potential of sport in African societies.

CAR’s Minister Héritier Doneng who is in charge of youth and sport accompanied Song and presented the Central African government’s initiatives to promote sporting disciplines and mobilise young people around constructive projects.

By Rita Akana

14, January 2025

Rigobert Song appointed as new Central African Republic manager ⁰

The former coach of the Indomitable Lions has been offered a job in the Central African Republic.

Rumours had been circulating on social media ever since Rigobert Song travelled to Bangui, the capital of Central African Republic on Monday.

Cameroon Concord News can now report that the news is official.

Rigobert Song has been appointed coach and manager of the Fauves of the Central African Republic.

The decree appointing Rigobert Song was signed by the Minister for the Promotion of Youth, Sport and Physical Education.

The details of the contract including the duration and salary to be paid to the legendary Cameroonian footballer have not been revealed.

Rigobert Song reportedly met with President Faustin Archange Touadera before the appointment was made official.

By Rita Akana

9, January 2025

Football: Eto’o in Cairo ⁰

Samuel Eto’o, the four-time African Player of the Year, this week visited Cairo where he met Egypt’s Sports Minister Ashraf Sobhi and congratulated the new board of the Egyptian Football Association (EFA).

Eto’o, currently the president of the Cameroonian Football Association, congratulated the new board members, headed by FIFA and CAF executive board member Hani Abu Rida, after they won elections last month by acclamation. They will lead the EFA for the next four years.

“Thank you for coming to congratulate Abu Rida, the ‘godfather of Egyptian football’. Glad to meet you again in Egypt,” Sobhi told Eto’o, who had made a surprise visit to the EFA headquarters.

Eto’o was also in Egypt to support Cameroon’s Under-18 women’s football team who are to meet their Egyptian counterparts in the African qualifications for the FIFA U-18 world Cup. The home game is to take place on Sunday 12 January at the 30 June Stadium. The return game is scheduled for 18 January in Cameroon.

Eto’o, 43, joined Barcelona in 2004 where he scored 130 goals in five seasons, winning La Liga three times and the UEFA Champions League once.

As a member of the Cameroon national team, he was part of the squad that won the gold medal at the 2000 Olympics. He also won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2000 and 2002. He is the all-time leading scorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations with 18 goals.

Eto’o also participated in four World Cups.

He announced his retirement from international football in August 2014.

Source: ahramonline

9, January 2025

Football: Manchester United eye move for Cameroonian star Bryan Mbeumo ⁰

Premier League giants Manchester United are in the market for another forward as they lose hope of keeping Marcus Rashford, pushing them to consider a move for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo.

The Cameroonian attacker has been impressive for Brentofrd and could be set for a move to Old Trafford to join international teammate Andre Onana.

According to reports from England, the Red Devils are reportedly heavily invested in a potential deal for Mbeumo, especially considering the Cameroonian’s current form with Brentford.

In 20 matches with Brentford this season, Mbeumo has already scored 13 goals, providing three assists in the process, and is one of the most in-form players in the Premier League at the moment.

Given Mbeumo’s impressive performances this season, including four-goal contributions in his last two games, Manchester United are reportedly willing to pay as much as £43 million for the Cameroon international.

The Red Devils’ pursuit of Mbeumo could be linked to the possible departure of Rashford, who seems ever closer to the Old Trafford exit door.

After being left out of the matchday squad to face Manchester City by Ruben Amorim, Rashford starred in a tell-all documentary, where he confirmed that he was in search of a new challenge, possibly outside Manchester United.

The England international is reportedly now deemed transferrable by Manchester United, amidst interest from AC Milan, Juventus, Napoli, and Borussia Dortmund for a possible January switch.

Should they lose Rashford in January, Manchester United will likely step up efforts to persuade Brentford to part ways with Mbeumo.

Source: Pulsesports

8, January 2025

Football: Didier Deschamps to step down as France coach after 2026 World Cup ⁰

Didier Deschamps, France’s longest serving national team coach, will not seek to renew his contract which expires in 2026, the French Football Federation told Reuters on Tuesday.

Deschamps’ deal runs until after the next World Cup, for which Les Bleus have yet to qualify.

The 56-year-old took over from fellow 1998 World Cup winner Laurent Blanc in 2012 and led Les Bleus to the World Cup title in 2018, two years after reaching the European Championship final on home soil.

The former France captain, one of only three to win football’s most prestigious prize as a player and a coach, guided the national team to the World Cup final again in 2022, losing to Argentina on penalties after one of the best matches in the tournament’s history.

Earlier on Tuesday, French sports daily L’Équipe reported that Deschamps would make his announcement on Wednesday.

Source: Reuters

2, January 2025

Football: The 36 Anglophones in the history of the Indomitable Lions ⁰

What gives them joy in Yaoundé is not only the slaughtering of innocent English speaking Cameroonians by the Francophone dominated military but also the important role played by Anglophones in the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.

Renowned academic Dr Claude Kana has sounded a note of caution to the regime in Yaoundé and he recently reminded Yaoundé of the contributions made by Southern Cameroonians to the success of the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon from 1964-2020. He was helped in his effort by veteran sports journalist DJOMO Kevin.

Indeed, since the early days of the reunification of the two Cameroons, Southern Cameroonians have played an important part in the history of the Indomitable Lions. EBAÏ Fidelis was the first to be selected in 1964 and today a total of 36 have worn the green, red, yellow outfit and two of have been captains: TATAW ETA Stephen and EYONG ENOW Tarkang.

This is the list compiled by Dr Claude Kana

EBAÏ Fidelis, NDIEFFI Steven 404, MAKOLE Sher, NANGOH David, KULU Emmanuel, KANG Wilson, MUKUBE Vincent, EWUNKEM Joseph, NGOH Franklin, EPIE NZAMS Charly, DOCTOR EKWE Fabian, BEN BOLA Forshu, NDIP AKEM Victor, NLEND ANJUMA Simon, NTAMARK Charly, AGBO Hans, TATAW ETA Stephen, EKEME NDIBA Samy, BEKIMA ASHU Charles, ASHU NTONG, OBONAYA Edwin, SHI FRU Celestine, ESSA Pius, NJUME NTOKO Roland, NJANG Sunday, ETCHI OBEN Ernest, SIMO Augustine, NDIEFFI Pius, DJAMA MBAH Robert, WAMFOR Justice, EYONG ENOW Tarkang, ANDONGCHO Mbuta, FAÏ Collins Ngoran, NJIÉ Clinton, NDIP TAMBE Robert, BOKWE Georges.

By Chi Prudence Asong

23, December 2024

Tiger Woods’ son Charlie, 15, hits first hole-in-one ⁰

Tiger Woods’ teenage son Charlie hit his first hole-in-one during the final round of the PNC Championship – but they were beaten to the title in a play-off by Bernhard and Jason Langer.

Charlie Woods, 15, holed out at the par-three fourth to send the father-son team into the lead at the tournament, which features 20 major champions playing with a member of their family.

But it was Team Langer who celebrated a second consecutive trophy – and fourth overall – in Orlando, Florida when German Bernhard made eagle on the first play-off hole to seal the win.

“It was awesome,” Charlie said. “No one made a mistake today, so that was some of the most fun I’ve ever had.”

He added: “On top of that, I made an ace. I don’t think I can top that.”

Tiger Woods was playing in his first competitive event since the Open in July.

The 15-time major winner had back surgery for the second time in 18 months in September and conceded he was “nowhere near competitive shape” at the PGA-backed exhibition tournament.

However, he did think he and son Charlie “made a great team this week”.

“And that’s the whole joy of it, is to be out here with family and bonding and just the enjoyment of each other’s company,” the 48-year-old added.

The younger Woods was not the only player to make a first career hole-in-one on Sunday.

Some 30 minutes after Charlie holed out, Paddy Harrington – the 21-year-old whose father Padraig is a three-time major winner – aced the eighth hole.

“I’ve never hit a shot and been that excited before,” Padraig Harrington said.

Source: BBC

18, December 2024

Dr Motsepe confers CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award to Biya and El-Sisi of Egypt ⁰

The President of the Confédération Africaine de Football (“CAF”), Dr Patrice Motsepe, on Monday, 16 December 2024 conferred the CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award 2024 on Cameroon Head of State, President Paul Biya and Egypt Head of State President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi.

The CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award is in recognition and appreciation of the support and partnerships that exist in many African countries between the Head of State, the National Government and the Football Leadership in each of the 54 nations that are Members Associations of CAF.

*Mr. Philippe Mbarga Mboa, Representative of President Paul Biya*

*Dr. Ashraf Sobhy , Representative of President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi*

Previous Winners

2022: The CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award 2022 was conferred on President Paul Kagame of Rwanda and King Mohammed VI of Morocco in recognition of their track record and extensive and far-reaching contributions to football in their countries, and to making African football globally competitive and self-sustaining.

Source: CAF

12, December 2024

Swedish prosecutor closes rape inquiry against Kylian Mbappe ⁰

An investigation into alleged rape and sexual assault in Stockholm which Swedish media said targeted Real Madrid forward Kylian Mbappe has been closed due to insufficient evidence, the Swedish prosecutor said Thursday.

Mbappe, the 25-year-old Frenchman who is one of the highest-profile players in world football, visited the Swedish capital October 9-11 with a group of people after he was left out of his country’s squad for a Nations League match.

Sweden’s prosecution authority announced on October 15 that it was investigating an alleged incident that occurred at an upscale Stockholm hotel on October 10, without mentioning the suspect by name.

Several Swedish media outlets, including newspapers Aftonbladet and Expressen and public broadcaster SVT, identified Mbappe as the suspect.

“My assessment is that the evidence is not sufficient to proceed and the investigation is therefore closed,” prosecutor Marina Chirakova said in a statement that also did not mention Mbappe by name.

Chirakova said the person in question had not been interrogated and “not been notified of suspicion of a crime”.

“I have concluded, based on what has emerged in the case, that new evidence, including interrogations of the person in question, would not change the evidence situation right now,” she told AFP.

She said her team had nonetheless “conducted a large number of interviews in the investigation”.

Petra Eklund, the lawyer for the plaintiff, whose name has not been disclosed, told AFP she had “no comment” to the news that the case had been closed.

Mbappe’s lawyer said in October that he was “shocked” to see his name linked to the investigation.

Speaking for the first time about the case on Sunday, he told French television show Clique he was “not involved”.

“I haven’t received anything, no summons… I’m not involved,” he said.

According to Aftonbladet, Mbappe and his entourage dined at a restaurant one evening before going on to a nightclub.

The complaint was filed on October 12 after the alleged victim had sought medical attention, according to the newspaper.

Expressen reported that police had seized some clothing as evidence, saying it consisted of women’s underwear, a pair of black trousers and a black top. Photographs showed police officers leaving the hotel with brown bags.

Difficult season

Mbappe joined Madrid this summer after seven years at Paris Saint-Germain and has stayed clear of scandal in his private life.

The forward, who is known for carefully managing his image through a close network of family, lawyers and spokespeople, has become one of the world’s highest paid players after a stellar career that began when he was barely into his teens.

He has had a difficult season since moving to reigning European champions Real Madrid from PSG in the summer, failing to find his top form.

However the Frenchman scored in Madrid’s 3-2 win against Italian side Atalanta on Tuesday which revived Real’s flagging bid to regain their Champions League title.

Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham were all on the scoresheet in Bergamo as Madrid moved up to 20th place in the Champions League table, on nine points from six matches.

The Spanish giants would have been at risk of dropping out of the Champions League play-off places if they had lost.

Mbappe won the World Cup as a teenager in 2018 in Russia and scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final in Qatar which France lost on penalties to Lionel Messi’s Argentina.

At PSG he was part of a superstar trio with Messi and Brazilian forward Neymar, but the Qatar-owned club were unable to win the Champions League.

Source: AFP

4, December 2024

Football: Nickson Okosun joins English Championship side Watford ⁰

Watford FC confirms the signing of young Irish forward Nickson Okosun, who will initially become part of the club’s Under-21 squad from January 1, 2025.

The 18-year-old will join for an undisclosed fee from Dublin side Bohemians and has been permitted to train with the Hornets until the deal is ratified on New Year’s Day.

He has signed a contract until 2029, with the club having the option of an additional year.

Okosun can play as a striker or a winger, and came through the youth system at Bohemians.

He went on to make seven appearances for their first-team, and has also represented the Republic of Ireland at Under-16, Under-17 and Under-19 level.

In March 2023, Okosun scored the winning goal for Ireland’s Under-17s in a 3-2 win over Cyprus, which booked their place at that summer’s UEFA European Under-17 Championship in Hungary.