2013 Africa Cup of Nations Tournament Draw Held

Group A
“All the draws were tough and I think this is a fairly good draw for us.” – South Africa Coach Gordon Igesund

“Cape Verde has a huge immigrant base in Portugal and Holland and most of their players play in big clubs in these countries. I played with a lot of great players from there while I was in Portugal and I can attest that they are very good …” – South Africa’s Benni McCarthy

By the way, Portugal National Team player Nani was born in Cape Verde. Sweden National Team player Henrik Larsson’s father is Cape Verdean, and former France captain Patrick Vieira’s mother is Cape Verdean.

“It’s a good group. It’s hard, since South Africa is the host country and has home support.” – Morocco Coach Rachid Taoussi

“We are very happy and honoured to open with the host, Bafana Bafana, and we will do our level best to have a good start in the tournament. If we start well, who knows where it can lead us.” – Cape Verde coach Lucia Untenes

Group B
”It is not an easy draw because any team that has gotten to this stage cannot be underrated at all…We met Mali in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea and we all saw their performance…The teams are all strong contenders…The fact that Niger have qualified means they are a strong side and such countries can always upset the big teams..We just have to remain focused and fight for the nation” – Ghana Captain Asamoah Gyan

“Ghana is the tough team really and in Niger and DR Congo, they have got good coaches so these four teams can go on to the quarter finals.” – Mali Coach Patrice Carteron

“It is a very interesting draw for us, tactically, technically and psychologically…It will be a difficult, difficult first game. We are not favourites in this group, we know we are ranked behind Ghana and Mali – both were 2012 semi-finalists…But it’s a good position for us, I like this kind of position.” – DR Congo Coach Claude LeRoy

“I was with Leroy when he was coach of Ghana (2006-2008), and he knows us very, very well. “I think it is going to be an interesting game. We will have to prepare for him. It will be nice to meet him again and to play against your former coach. We need to work very very hard, because he knows our team and the quality we have and he will prepare well – we have to do the same to beat him.” – Ghana Assistant Coach Maxwell Konadu

“In our group we have three of the best teams in Africa. We would like to make a surprise, but we know it’s very very difficult. We don’t have superstars, but we think we can handle it.” – Niger Coach Gernot Rohr

Group C
“We are happy to compete in the final of the 2013 Africa Cup. I know it will be a big success. We don’t just need to be confident; we have to do in 2013 what we did in 2012…Our target from the group is to finish top and achieve the most important thing which is to reach the quarter final. After that, we can manage to go very far; as far as we can go…We are always coming to South Africa for preparations for the qualifiers of the Africa Cup and the World Cup. We are almost at home here, so we have to be confident…We are here and will be coming here to make history” – Zambia Coach Herve Renard

“It’s a fair draw! Zambia, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia? Well that’s not bad. But am not saying it’s going to be easy because football in Africa has vastly improved. No team is a minnow anymore, but looking at the group on paper, I want to say it’s a fair one.” – Nigeria Captain Joseph Yobo

“The draw favours us even though I am not saying we will just run over the other teams, but looking at the opposition, it is a group we should have upper hand” Nigeria Player Mikel Obi

“It is a very good first round group for us. I am sure no team there can stop us and so we will make it out of this group.” – Nigeria Player Ahmed Musa

“It’s a good draw. But I will not say it would be an easy walk for the Eagles. When something looks very easy on the surface, it may not be the same in the inside. So, we must prepare very well because there are no longer small teams in Africa.” – Nigeria Player Efe Ambrose

“They (Burkina Faso) are a very good team. There is quality in every side that qualified so our task is to go home and strategise… Of course, defending champions Zambia are very good and so are our other opponents, Ethiopia.” – Nigeria Coach Stephen Keshi

“All groups are difficult in as far as it is a competition that brings together the 16 best teams on the continent. We already know Zambia and Nigeria. My concern remains the great unknown, Ethiopia. We will conduct research and prepare the team properly to achieve our goal in this competition, which is to go as far as possible, or at least to progress to the second round.” – Burkina Faso Coach Paul Put

“It’s not by chance that we are at the Africa Cup, it’s by qualification…We will meet any challenge and our aim is to go as far to the final and win. We will fight…We are not at all scared of Zambia because we have seen them play…Yes they are defending champions and we respect that but we are not scared of them, we will play eleven against eleven.” – Ethiopia Coach Sewnet Bishaw

Group D
“It is unquestionably the most difficult group. Everybody feared landing in our group. In the end, we got three fearsome opponents…Ivory Coast is the favourite. We were favourites before the draw, and still are after it. We will have to prove it on the field…Of course it will be special, but I would have preferred to meet them (Tunisia) as late as possible in the competition” – Tunisian-born Ivory Coast Coach Sabri Lamouchi

“It will not be revenge for me against Côte d’Ivoire who will probably be first in this group. This team will be more motivated than in Angola when there were beaten against Algeria. It is unique for me, and it will be difficult.” – Algeria Coach Vahid Halilhodzic (Former Ivory Coast Coach 2008-2010)

“We are not complaining and all we have to do is work hard to be ready in January. Tunisia have a clear programme. Our group is coherent and respectable. We can go far in the upcoming AFCON” – Tunisia Coach Sami Trabelsi.

“We are not afraid of those big teams. On the contrary all these teams are rather afraid to play against us. I am not worried with these teams. None of them at all. Do you think that after the Ivorian match that I watched we cannot beat them? We will. There is no problem.” – Togo Coach Didier Six

Have YOUR say.

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Group D is group of death.

Nigeria will top group C. Zambia and Burkina Faso will be equal on points but Zambia will go through on goal difference.

I enjoyed watching the last edition although Senegal didn’t do well. This time Am picking Ivory Coast. I will be very happy for Drogba if he retires from international football after winning a cup.

Zambia will top the group no doubt. The Nigerians need to ask Ghana about Zambia.

Zambians will forever be in our shadows. Ghana has won Cup of Nations several times Zambia only once. Ghana has been to the world cup several times Zambia never. So I don’t know why Zambians keep on degrading us.

Zambia CAN 2012 champions. Enuff said.

VIVA Angola

CECAFA Senior Challenge Uganda 2012 (24 Nov – 8 Dec)

The Draw will be held on 8 November 2012 and it seems there will be no guest teams this time because all the 12 member states (Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Zanzibar, Djibouti, Somalia and South Sudan) have confirmed their participation. Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Cote d’ Ivoire, Cameroon and Congo DR had expressed interest to participate as guests.

Zambia, Nigeria and Burkina Faso be afraid, be very afraid. Ethiopia will be quite ready for AFCON 2013.

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Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure are the only African players named on FIFA’s 23-man Ballon d’Or shortlist for 2012’s best player.

23 man shortlist: Sergio Aguero (Manchester City/Argentina), Xabi Alonso (Real Madrid/Spain), Mario Balotelli (Manchester City/Italy), Karim Benzema (Real Madrid/France), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus/Italy), Sergio Busquets (Barcelona/Spain), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid/Spain), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Portugal), Didier Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua/Ivory Coast), Radamel Falcao (Atletico Madrid/Colombia), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Paris St Germain/Sweden), Andres Iniesta (Barcelona/Spain), Lionel Messi (Barcelona/Argentina), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich/Germany), Neymar (Santos/Brazil), Mesut Ozil (Real Madrid/Germany), Gerard Pique (Barcelona/Spain), Andrea Pirlo (Juventus/Italy), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid/Spain), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United/England), Yaya Toure (Manchester City/Ivory Coast), Robin van Persie (Manchester United/Netherlands), Xavi (Barcelona/Spain)

The 23 man shortlist was drawn up by football experts from the FIFA Football Committee and by a group of experts from France Football. The final decisions will be made by the captains and head coaches of the national teams as well as by international media representatives selected by France Football (Sports Writers Association of Malawi President Peter Kanjere will be one of the voters).

The shortlist will be narrowed down to 3 names on 29 November

I think it will be these three:

1. Lionel Messi
2. Cristiano Ronaldo
3. Robin Van Persie

Lionel Messi won the FIFA Ballon d’Or prize for the best player of 2011. He beat Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Barcelona team-mate Xavi to the prize. And this one will be his again?

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@Scouser, I hope your info is not from the Malawi FA. Malawi and Zimbabwe (cleaned up of course) will be welcome to CECAFA any time. CECAFA built the legendary Zambian team that died in the W. Africa.

In fact, Uganda is building a team that would bounce back from such a catastrophe.

The Ugandan…, is it not true that all 12 CECAFA members have confirmed participation? Malawi and Zimbabwe welcome? Uganda can’t host a competition with more than 12 teams. By the way, are people in Uganda looking forward to this competition? When Uganda hosted AFCON Defending Champions a few weeks ago the Stadium had thousands of empty seats. I wonder how many people would show up for a midweek match between Eritrea and Djibouti.

Uganda – 1973, 1976, 1977, 1989, 1990, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2011 CECAFA Senior Challenge Champions. However, the last time they made it to the AFCON Tournament was over 2 decades ago. Why do they do well only in CECAFA?

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By the way, on 20 October, CAF released the decisions and fines for clubs and countries after the Confederation’s Disciplinary Board met and deliberated on the various matters on the 16th of October in Cairo.

Some of the decisions and fines:

- Ethiopia fined $5,000: 4 cautions during the away match against Sudan
- Libya fined $5,000: 4 cautions during the home match against Algeria
- Senegal fined $5,000: 4 cautions during the home match against Ivory Coast
- Libya fined $10,000: Libya Players attacked photographers after the final whistle (Libya vs Algeria)

Malawi, Uganda, Botswana, … not on the list. Congratulations for winning the Fair Play Trophy

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November 14 (FIFA Fixed Day for International Friendlies):

Ghana vs Cape Verde (Will be played on 13 November in Portugal)
South Africa vs. Zambia (Mandela Cup)
Albania vs. Cameroon
Algeria vs. Bosnia-Herzogovina
Angola vs. Congo
Gabon vs. Portugal
Tunisia vs. Switzerland
Venezuela vs. Nigeria
Rwanda vs. Namibia
Albania vs. Cameroon
Georgia vs. Egypt
Morocco vs. Togo
Lesotho vs. Mozambique
Niger vs. Senegal
Congo DR vs. Burkina Faso
Indonesia vs. Sudan (on 17 November Sudan will play against Malaysia in Malaysia)
Angola vs. Congo
Malawi vs. ????????

On 8 January Norway will play against South Africa in South Africa before playing Zambia in Zambia on 14 January.

By the way, Zambia (local players + only 4 Foreign based players) will hold a two week (19-30 November) training camp in India. The 4 Foreign based players are goalkeeper Luciano Sandro Pasquini (Perugia, Italy), defenders Chintu Kampamba (Unattached -Ex-Bidvest Wits palyer)and Aaron Katebe (Hwange FC, Zimbabwe), midfielder Chisamba Lungu (FC Ural, Russia).

Zambia Captain Chris Katongo and team-mate Isaac Chansa play for Chinese club Henan Jianyes while another Zambia National Team Player James Chamanga plays for Chinese Club Dalian Shide. The Chinese league will wrap up this weekend. Henan Jianyes will be relegated (even if they win this weekend). Zambia striker Emmanuel Mayuka plays for Southampton (UK). Speaking of Southampton -got knocked out of League Cup a.k.a. Capital One Cup (formely Carling Cup) yesterday by Leeds. Leeds won 3-0. El Hadji Diouf (yes he is still around) scored a goal.

Reading 5:7 Arsenal

37 minutes into the game, “underdogs” Reading were up 4:0

Reading: Roberts 12′ Koscielny 18′ (og) Leigertwood 20′ Hunt 37′ Pogrebnyak 116′
Arsenal: Walcott 45′, Giroud 64′, Koscielny 89′, Walcott 90′ + 6, Chamakh 103′, Walcot 120′, Chamakh 120′

Incredible comeback or epic choke?

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@Asami, Ghana has not been to the World Cup several times. They’ve only been there 2 times.

@Sscouser, Cameroon will be at CECAFA. You cannot judge Ugandan fans based on 1 game. Simply Google Zambia Uganda ticket prices.

The ticket prices were more expensive (in some sections x2) than 2013 Afcon.

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@ ugandan

We have been to the world cup several times. If you also follow our U-17 and U-20 you will see that we have been to the world cup several times.

The Ugandan…, Cameroon will be at CECAFA? It seems YOU want Cameroon to be at CECAFA. The tournament’s organizing committee hasn’t made a decision yet. This question of mine hasn’t been answered: Is it not true that all 12 CECAFA members have confirmed participation? Anyway, if the organizing committee will choose only one guest team then I agree with you that the guest team will be Cameroon. Malawi and Zimbabwe will just have to look forward to the 2013 COSAFA Senior Challenge to be hosted by Zambia in May (The 2013 COSAFA Senior Challenge was supposed to be hosted by Malawi but now COSAFA has granted Zambia the right to host it because of the closure of the one and only Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre. The tournament is supposed to be held in two major cities. The two major cities in Malawi are Blantyre and Lilongwe). ***Next month Zambia will host the COSAFA/Zone VI Games U-17 Championship. 11 COSAFA countries (including Malawi) will take part*** VIVA COSAFA!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, why has the draw date for the 2012 CECAFA Senior Challenge been changed again? The draw was supposed to take place sometime last month and then later November 8th was set as the draw date. Now it has been changed again. The draw will take place on 12 November 2012. Why has the draw date been changed again? No surprise here. This disorder happens every year.

“You cannot judge Ugandan fans based on 1 game. Simply Google Zambia Uganda ticket prices. The ticket prices were more expensive (in some sections x2) than 2013 Afcon.” – The Ugandan…

“The prices are fair if you are to go by what we have been charging in the past” – Rogers Byamukama (FUFA Head of Marketing and Sponsorship)

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Nelspruit confident of big crowds for Africa Cup of Nations
28 October 2012

Roelf Kotze, the stadium manager of the Mbombela stadium in Nelspruit, is confident of attracting big crowds for its Africa Cup of Nations games.

The stadium is due to host a total of eight matches including a quarter-final and a semi-final.

“The average attendance for soccer matches here is about 16 or 17,000 people, which is more than you get in Gauteng (the province where Johannesburg and Pretoria are situated).

“Since the (2010) World Cup we’ve had about 45 matches at the stadium and they were all well attended.”

He admitted that some more work still needs to be done in order to ensure fans attend the matches.

“Obviously it’s up to the city now to build a bit of energy and vibe around it and it helps that we know the teams now,” he added.

As well as Nigeria and Zambia the city will host Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Togo and Tunisia.

Kotze hopes to attract people from outside the Nelspruit too.

“This is close to Mozambique and Swaziland from where people tend to travel,” he pointed out.

“Within a radius of 100 kilometres there are a million people.”

The 40,0000-seat Mbombela was built for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa but only hosted four group games during the tournament, none of which were sold out.

“I think many people were asleep and didn’t realise it was going to be such a great event – so hopefully people will buy their tickets early,” Kotze explained.

Meanwhile on Friday the South African Cabinet approved the funding for the Nations Cup, allocating around US$52 million to the Local Organising Committee (LOC).

Of that total US$9.5 million will be used by the LOC for its operating costs, the remainder is for the running the entire tournament at the 5 host cities.

The highlight of the opening round is the Group C encounter between reigning champions Zambia and Nigeria on 25 January.

“We’re quite confident that we’ll pull good crowds,” Kotze told BBC Sport.

Will pull good crowds even if the matches will be beamed live on TV in Nelspruit?

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Cape Verde will make it to the quarter finals. Go Tubarões Azuis

Am happy zambia will host cosafa. We will show CAF that we are ready to host CAN.

Hamile, YES YOU CAN

Moses, Zambia and Malawi will need to co-host AFCON.

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The Confederation of African Football (CAF ) 2012 African Player of the year list of 10 Nominees:

1. Alexander Song (Arsenal Barcelona-Spain/Cameroon)
2. Andre Ayew (Marseille-France/Ghana)
3. Christopher Katongo (Henan Construction-China/Zambia)
4. Demba Ba (Newcastle-England/Senegal)
5. Didier Drogba (Shanghai Shenhua-China/Cote d’Ivoire)
6. Gervais Lombe Yao Kouassi (Arsenal-England/Cote d’Ivoire)
7. John Obi Mikel (Chelsea-England/Nigeria)
8. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Saint Etienne-France/Gabon)
9. Gnégnéri Yaya Touré (Manchester City-England/Cote d’Ivoire)
10. Younes Belhanda (Montpellier-France/Morocco)

CAF 2012 African Player of the Year (Based in Africa) list of 5 Nominees:

1. Mohamed Aboutreika (Al-Ahly – Egypt/Egypt)
2. Rainford Kalaba (TP Mazembe-DR Congo/Zambia)
3. Stoppila Sunzu (TP Mazembe-DR Congo/Zambia)
4. Yannick N’Djeng (Esperance Sportive de Tunis-Tunisia/Tunisia)
5. Yousse Msakni (Esperance Sportive de Tunis-Tunisia/Tunisia)

CAF’s Technical, Football and Media committees decided on the current shortlists. Head coaches and Technical Directors from CAF member associations will decide the eventual winners. CAF will announce the top three in the last week of November. The winners will be unveiled on 20 December at the GLO-CAF awards ceremony in Ghana.

Yaya Toure was voted 2011 African Player of the Year while Tunisian Oussam Darragi was was voted 2011 African Player of the Year- Based in Africa.

Yaya Toure again or Drogba?

Yaya Toure
- His combo of speed, passing ability, and physical power helped Man $ity win the EPL title
- Scored a number of key goals for the Citizens, most notably in the 2011 FA Cup semi-final and Final.
- Helped Cote d’ Ivoire reach the 2012 AFCON Finals
…

Didier Drogba
- Scored the equalizer and winning penalty to give Chelsea the Champions League title
- Scored the winning goal for Chelsea in the FA Cup Final
- Helped Cote d’Ivoire to reach the 2012 AFCON Finals
- Missed a penalty (minute 75’) during the 2012 AFCON Final against Zambia
…

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A bout a week ago it was reported that 12 members of CECAFA had confirmed participation in the CECAFA Senior Challenge Uganda 2012. Now it is being reported that only 11 (Kenya, Sudan, Ethiopia, Uganda, Tanzania, Eritrea, Rwanda, Burundi, Zanzibar, Djibouti, Somalia and South Sudan) confirmed participation. Djibouti didn’t confirm participation. “CECAFA is considering replacing Djibouti with one of the three other countries (Malawi, Zimbabwe, Cameroon) that have expressed interest in playing” – Roger Mulindwa (CECAFA Media Officer/FUFA Publicist)

Reported about a month ago:

Cecafa Secretary General Nicholas Musonye has said West African giants Cameroon are likely to be invited for the 2012 Senior Challenge Cup to take place in Kampala November 24 to December 8.

Musonye says the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon have not had chance to take part in this event, and since they have written to Cecafa, they stand a chance this time. Other teams that have written are Zimbabwe and Malawi who took part last year.

Musonye, who will fly to Kampala on Wednesday to make arrangements for the event, told Uganda Radio Network that the decision on which guest side will be invited will be made before the end of the month, although he added that Cameroon is his target. He noted that inviting Cameroon has bigger financial implications on the sponsors East African Breweries Limited (EABL) in-terms of transport, but their availability also spices the event.

FAM (Football Association of Malawi) just announced today that the Flames (Malawi National Team) have been invited to take part.

The draw will take place on 12 November 2012

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Argentina climb third, Italy and Russia rise
(FIFA.com) Wednesday 7 November 2012

There has been plenty of movement in the latest edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, with 77 qualifiers for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil™ ensuring a number of changes compared to last month.

In the top 20, leaders Spain and second-placed Germany remain unchallenged at the top, with Argentina’s move into third place following wins over Uruguay (11th, down 4) and Chile (21st, down 4) edging Portugal down to fourth. Also benefiting from two victories are Italy (5th, up 3) and Russia (9th, up 3), the latter moving into the top ten for the first time since October 2010.

Brazil, who are hosting the 2014 world finals and thus have no potential points-earning qualifiers, managed to stay 13th thanks to two runaway wins in friendlies against Iraq (97th, down 17) and Japan (24th, down 1).

Six teams have reached their highest-ever position since the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking was launched in 1993: Algeria (19th, up 5), Haiti (57th, up 3), Dominican Republic (92nd, up 10), St Kitts and Nevis (106th, up 16), Philippines (143rd, up 4) and Timor-Leste (187th, up 19).

The results of 146 ‘A’ internationals have been taken into account on the current edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking, of which more than half (77) were qualifiers for the next FIFA World Cup. 25 were CONCACAF/AFC continental qualifiers and 44 were friendlies.

The 16 Teams that will be at AFCON 2013 Tournament:

1. Cote d’ Ivoire (CAF = 1; World = 15)
2. Algeria (CAF = 2; World = 19)
3. Mali (CAF = 3; World = 28)
4. Ghana (CAF = 4; World = 29)
5. Zambia (CAF = 5; World = 39)
6. Tunisia (CAF = 7; World = 46)
7. Nigeria (CAF = 10; World = 57)
8. Cape Verde Islands (CAF = 14; World = 63)
9. Morocco (CAF = 16; World = 72)
10. Togo (CAF = 17; World = 73)
11. Angola (CAF = 20; World = 79)
12. South Africa (CAF = 21; World = 84)
13. Burkina Faso (CAF = 23; World = 89)
14. Congo DR (CAF = 26; World = 99)
15. Ethiopia (CAF = 28; World = 102)
16. Niger (CAF = 30; World = 107)

CAF Top 16 Teams that will not be at AFCON 2013 Tournament:

Egypt (CAF = 6; World = 40)
C.A.R (CAF = 8; World = 52)
Gabon (CAF = 9; World = 52)
Sierra Leone (CAF = 12; World = 61)
Cameroon (CAF = 13; World = 62)
Guinea (CAF = 15; World = 71)

Just by the way:

Uganda (CAF = 22; World = 86)
Malawi (CAF = 27; World = 101)
Botswana (CAF = 34; World = 117)

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