Sports

25, November 2020

Diego Maradona: Argentina legend dies aged 60 ⁰

The former Argentina attacking midfielder and manager had successful surgery on a brain blood clot earlier in November.

It was then announced he was to be treated for alcohol dependency.

One of the greatest players of all time, Maradona was captain when Argentina won the 1986 World Cup, producing a series of sublime individual performances.

He played for Barcelona and Napoli during his club career, winning two Serie A titles with the Italian side.

Maradona scored 34 goals in 91 appearances for Argentina, representing them in four World Cups.

He led his country to the 1990 final in Italy, where they were beaten by West Germany, before captaining them again in the United States in 1994, but was sent home after failing a drugs test for ephedrine.

During the second half of his career, Maradona struggled with cocaine addiction and was banned for 15 months after testing positive for the drug in 1991.

He retired from professional football in 1997, on his 37th birthday, during his second stint at Argentine giants Boca Juniors.

Having briefly managed two sides in Argentina during his playing career, Maradona was appointed head coach of the national team in 2008 and left after the 2010 World Cup, where his side were beaten by Germany in the quarter-finals.

He subsequently managed teams in the United Arab Emirates and Mexico and was in charge of Gimnasia y Esgrima in Argentina’s top flight at the time of his death.

Source: BBC

24, November 2020

Dortmund’s Cameroon-born Moukoko becomes youngest ever Bundesliga player ⁰

Borussia Dortmund’s 16-year-old striker Youssoufa Moukoko became the youngest-ever player to feature in a Bundesliga game when he came on as a second-half substitute against Hertha Berlin on Saturday.

Moukoko came on in the 85th minute in the place of Erling Haaland.

Moukoko, whose sensational run through the youth teams in recent seasons has shown him to be one of the biggest talents of his generation, made his league debut a day after his 16th birthday on Friday made him eligible to play under current rules.

Former Dortmund player Nuri Sahin had held the record, having made his debut in 2006 at the age of 16 years and 11 months.

The Cameroon-born Moukoko is already a Germany youth international with the Under-20 team and regularly played above his age group throughout his youth career at Dortmund, scoring 141 goals in 81 games for the Under-17 and Under-19 teams.

In the current Under-19 season alone he has netted 10 times in three appearances.

Source: Reuters

21, November 2020

Eto’o en route to Spanish third division club Racing Murcia ⁰

Racing de Murcia president Morris Pagniello has confirmed ongoing talks to bring former Barcelona and Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto’o to the Spanish third division.

The Cameroon legend retired from football in September 2019, after spending a year at Qatar SC but he could make a surprise return to the pitch to help Antonio Pedreno’s side ahead of their Copa del Rey outing against Levante on December 16.

According to the club president, the deal is at a ’50-50’ level with support from their sponsors and a decision on the transfer would be made in the coming days.

“At this time of the morning I would say that the signing of Samuel Eto’o by our team is at 50-50,” Pagniello told Marca.

“Next week we will know if we can sign Eto’o. If not, we have a Plan B prepared.

“We have several investors in Mexico and the Emirates who can financially compensate the operation.

“If we sign him, it is the manager’s job to align him. But we are clear that the game against Levante is very important and that it is time for there to be exceptions.”

Racing de Murcia are the most successful club in the Spanish second division with eight Segunda Division titles.

Eto’o is historically the most decorated African Footballer of the Year recipient alongside Yaya Toure with four awards each.

Aside from his achievements on the international stage with Cameroon, the 39-year-old enjoyed a successful career in Europe at Barcelona and Inter Milan where he won four Champions League trophies in total, amongst other domestic honours.

Source: Sportingnews

20, November 2020

Football: Cameroonian Youssoufa Moukoko Could Make Dortmund History ⁰

Cameroonian Youssoufa Moukoko could become Bundesliga’s youngest-ever football player this weekend.

Borussia Dortmund’s wonderkid turns 16 today and is now old enough to be in the first-team set-up and could make his professional debut against Hertha Berlin.

Born in Yaounde, Cameroon, the teen has notched an eye-watering 141 goals in 88 games since his arrival in 2014.

Moukoko has been talked about as the ‘next big thing’ to emerge from Dortmund’s academy for several years now and is already an under twenty international football star.

Source: AFP

15, November 2020

Lewis Hamilton wins seventh Formula One title, equalling Schumacher’s record ⁰

Lewis Hamilton cemented his position as one of Formula One’s true greats when he equalled Michael Schumacher’s all-time record of seven world titles on Sunday, another staggering achievement for a boy who grew up in modest circumstances.

Hamilton’s victory in Istanbul — the 94th of his career — allowed him to add the 2020 title to his championships of 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2019.

The son of a black father and a white mother, whose parents separated in his youth, Hamilton, 35, grew up on a municipal housing estate. His father Anthony at one time held down three jobs to fund his son’s embryonic racing career in karting.

Hamilton’s journey was unprivileged and without luxury, but it was clear from an early age that he had an outstanding gift for speed and all the gutsy natural instincts of a born racer.

In 1995, aged 10, and wearing a jacket and shoes borrowed from his predecessor as British Formula Cadet karting champion, he went to a glittering awards ceremony in London where he met McLaren’s then-boss Ron Dennis.

Source: France 24

15, November 2020

Football: France beats Portugal, clinches Nations League finals spot ⁰

N’Golo Kante scored just his second international goal as World Cup holders France defeated European champions Portugal 1-0 in Lisbon on Saturday to secure a place in the Nations League finals.

Chelsea midfielder Kante was quickest to react to a rebound as he netted the winner on 54 minutes that clinched France top spot in Group 3 ahead of the final round of matches.

France lead Portugal by three points ahead of Tuesday’s clash with Sweden in Paris but are guaranteed first place by virtue of their superior head-to-head record.

Didier Deschamps’ side became the first team to advance to the finals, which UEFA has pencilled in for October next year. Portugal won the inaugural edition on home soil in 2019.

With victory for either country enough to win the group, Deschamps made two changes to the team that drew 0-0 with Portugal at the Stade de France last month.

Source: AFP

8, November 2020

Africa Cup qualifiers to go ahead behind closed doors ⁰

All 48 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers between November 9 and 17 will be played behind closed doors because of the coronavirus pandemic, a Confederation of African Football (CAF) statement said Friday.

While Africa has avoided a second wave of Covid-19 that much of Europe is experiencing, there have been more than 1.8 million official cases and 44,200 deaths in the continent, according to an AFP tally.

“Our goal is to ensure uniformity of safety and security operations across Africa, emphasising that matches take place in a safe and secure environment,” said CAF head of security and safety Christian Emeruwa.

“We are aware of the enormous task that lies ahead, in particular to succeed in keeping spectators and fans away from the stadiums.”

The matches will be the first in the crown jewel of African football since last November when the first two Cup of Nations matchdays were played.

Another two matchdays are scheduled during nine days from this Monday and the final two rounds will be played next March.

There are 12 groups of four teams and the winners and runners-up in all except one qualify for the 2022 tournament in Cameroon.

Five-time African champions Cameroon qualify automatically from Group F because they are the hosts, with the highest placed finishers between Cape Verde, Mozambique and Rwanda filling the other place.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon are taking part in qualifying to achieve competitive match practice rather than rely on friendly internationals.

Algeria are the holders of the Cup of Nations after defeating Senegal 1-0 in the final in Cairo last year through a goal from Baghdad Bounedjah.

The Algerians boast a perfect Group H qualifying record after two rounds having trounced Zambia 5-0 at home before winning 1-0 in Botswana.

Source: AFP

8, November 2020

Football: Alex Song completes move to Djibouti ⁰

Former FC Barcelona and Cameroon midfielder, Alex Song, has joined Djiboutian side AS Arta Solar7 in a shock move on a permanent deal.

Since making his professional debut back in 2004 with Bastia in Ligue 1, Song seemed to be on the right path to success as his performances earned him a move to then Premier League champions Arsenal at sheer age of 17.

Seven years later, Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona came calling and eventually acquired his services for a reported £15 million fee after 215 appearances with the Gunners.

However, Song struggled to break into the starting lineup ahead of Sergio Busquets, and the Catalans decided to loan him to Premier League outfit West Ham for the 2014/15 season.

Song settled quickly into the Hammers’ first team and became one of the Londoners’ top players.

In 2016, he was able to finalize a permanent move to Rubin Kazan on a free transfer coming from Barcelona but only played 23 matches in two years, before signing for Swiss side Sion.

Alex Song has now completed a shock move to Djiboutian side AS Arta Solar7 on a reported two-year deal.

Arta finished fourth on the Djibouti Premier League table last season with 24 points, four behind champions Total FC just missing out on the continental football.

Source: Kingfut.com

4, November 2020

Bundes Liga: Boateng eager to extend Bayern deal ⁰

Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng wants to start contract extension talks with the European champions his agent said on Wednesday amid uncertainty surrounding the future of fellow centre-back David Alaba.

Boateng, 32, a 2014 World Cup winner, is out of contract in June.

“We are open to contract talks and would be delighted to have them with Bayern,” Boateng’s representative Damir Smoljan told Sport1.

“Jerome feels unbelievably well here and the team is incredibly focused and professional.”

Boateng joined Bayern in 2011 and has won eight Bundesliga titles.

He was also a key member of the Bayern team which won Champions League titles in 2013 and last August.

The timing of his agent’s comments come days after Bayern revealed a stalemate with Alaba, 28, who also has only seven months left on his current deal.

Boateng also underlined his form on Tuesday with his first Champions League goal for five years before saying the Bavarian squad are all behind Alaba.

Along with fellow stars Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller, Boateng was told in March 2019 by Germany coach Joachim Loew his international career was over.

However, the trio’s current form has led to calls to reinstate them for next June’s postponed Euro 2020.

Bayern coach Hansi Flick said senior club bosses “are all glad” to see Boateng in such eye-catching form.

Flick praised Boateng’s “very good” performance in Salzburg as his goal “paved the way” to victory.

Bayern lost Thiago Alcantara to Liverpool in September and Alaba, who has reportedly demanded a huge pay rise, looks set to leave in the coming months.

The league leaders have made no secret, like all top-flight clubs in Germany, their finances have been badly affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“Players have to become more understanding. We have insane financial losses and haven’t had a spectator in the stadium for eight months,” chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told Sport Bild.

AFP

3, November 2020

Football: Diego Maradona admitted to hospital in Argentina ⁰

Former Argentina legend Diego Maradona has been hospitalized due to poor health conditions.

Maradona was reportedly taken to a clinic in La Plata to undergo tests. His hospitalization was not related to the coronavirus pandemic, as he had tested negative in recent days.

He will be held under observation for at least three days. The specific details of his ailment was not revealed.

The 1986 World Cup winner who celebrated his 60th birthday last week has suffered frequent periods in hospital over the years mainly due to drug and alcohol abuse and poor health.