ome protesters at the ‘Save Ghana Football’ demonstrations have called on football authorities to vacate their positions if they can’t fix the Black Stars.
The Black Stars exiting at the group stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is the third time in consecutive major tournaments that the team has failed to progress from the first round.
The Kurt Okraku-led Ghana Football Association is searching for a fifth Black Stars coach since coming into office five years ago.
The demonstration is currently ongoing after it started at the Obra Spot at the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra.
The protesters will pass through Asylum Down, the Greater Accra Regional Hospital and present a petition at Ghana Football Association headquarters.
They will then proceed to do same at the Parliament of Ghana before ending the protest at the Independence square.
A protesters called “The leaders, they should fix the team for us. If they can’t improve the situation of the Black Stars, all of them should vacate their positions”.
sante Kotoko were eliminated from this season’s MTN FA Cup after losing 2-0 against Karela United in the Round 16 of the local competition.
The match took place on Monday, February 12, at the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium, between both Ghana Premier League sides saw the Porcupine Warriors succumb to defeat.
Solomon Aboagye scored barely two minutes after the return from recess to break the deadlock for Karela.
Despite Asante Kotoko’s efforts to create scoring opportunities after conceding, they could not square the score.
In the 65th minute, Giyas doubled the lead for Karela United with a spectacular shot, clinching a 2-0 victory.
The win sees Karela advance to the quarterfinal with Kotoko sent packing.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has announced that government will construct one hundred new artificial pitches across the country, before the end of the year.
Akufo-Addo disclosed this during the official commissioning of the newly constructed Borteyman Sports Complex.
”Our government has show its commitment to sports development by investing significantly in the area of infrastructure. When came into office, there were only three astro-turfs or artificial pitches in the country.”
”We have constructed over 150 artificial pitches to change the status quo. I am happy to announce that this will not be the end. We will construct 100 more of such pitches to enhance the existing infrastructure” President Akufo-Addo said.
President Akufo-Addo also charged the Sports Ministry to ensure Ghana raises the bar as far as hosting the continent’s biggest multi-sports event is concerned.
”I admonish the Sports Minister and the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the LOC to go all out and organize the best African Games in history” he said.
Fans dance in the street as they celebrate the Elephants’ third Afcon win
Thousands of football fans wearing orange and white have flooded the streets of Abidjan to see the Ivory Coast team parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they won on Sunday.
The hosts defeated Nigeria 2-1 to win Afcon for a third time, prompting huge celebrations across the country.
Cecilia, who was born in Ivory Coast but now lives in the US, told the BBC she had travelled home for the final.
“That’s the best decision of my life,” she said.
A football fan awaits the arrival of the national team in Abidjan
Ivory Coast were unlikely winners. They lost two group games and fired their manager mid-tournament. Emerse Fae, a youth-team manager, took over for his first job leading a senior team.
Four games later, he was lifting a trophy.
Juliette Youan told the BBC: “Emerse Fae is a hero of Ivory Coast.”
“We are so proud to celebrate our hero. Vive Emerse! Emerse is the best coach,” she added.
Ms Youan and her friends made special T-shirts to commemorate Fae for leading the country to victory.
Footballs fans made T-shirts to celebrate coach Emerse Fae
The parade began at Hôtel Palmier and the crowd built slowly from around midday, becoming more boisterous as the parade’s scheduled start time approached.
As numbers grew, so did the noise, with horns blaring and chants breaking out, accompanied by dancing.
At around 15:00 GMT, the first players suddenly appeared on the flatbed truck that would take them on their journey through Abidjan to the over 30,0000 capacity Félix Houphouët Boigny stadium for a trophy presentation.
The banners on the truck announced the Elephants as “Champions of Africa 2023” and featured three stars, a nod to the fact that the team has now won this competition on three occasions.
Their underdog story resonated throughout the streets as people danced, rejoicing in their amazing comeback.
“It’s amazing. The first part of the tournament was very difficult but afterwards the players played very well and today we are very happy. Today we have to do some parties, it’s obligatory,” said Kwaku, another fan at the parade.
Ivory Coast players celebrating their victory
Looking relaxed in short-sleeved training tops, sunglasses, baseball caps and with gold medals around their necks, the players smiled out at the adoring crowds, leaning against the barrier, taking selfies and waving the Ivorian flag.
At one point, captain Serge Aurier even helped lift a young fan onto the truck for a photo before handing him back to his waiting father.
Ivory Coast won Afcon for a third time
Ivory Coast’s tale of triumph was made even better as the goal that clinched the trophy for the team was scored by Sébastien Haller, who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer a few months ago.
“We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn’t an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what’s happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good,” said Haller.
“We are very, very proud of our three stars on our jersey. We [the Ivorian people] have passed through many, many things, and today we are happy, we get together,” one fan told the BBC.
Given the reaction, it is clear members of this victorious squad will be viewed as national heroes for years to come.
Fans around the world are already dubbing Ivory Coast’s win one of the greatest turnaround in football tournament history.
Burkina Faso are looking for a new coach after choosing not to renew the contract of coach Hubert Velud following their last-16 exit at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.
The Stallions were beaten 2-1 by Mali in a tense knockout tie on 30 January, days after finishing second in Group D behind Angola but ahead of 2019 champions Algeria.
Runners-up in 2013, the Burkinabe – who have never lifted the Nations Cup trophy – had reached the semi-finals in 2017 and at the 2021 edition of the tournament two years ago.
In a statement, the country’s football federation (FBF) said its executive committee “noted that results fell short of the expectations of the Burkinabe people” and reassured fans of its “desire to continue to ensure that the national flag is raised at the highest level in future events”.
“To do this, it is undeniable that the management [of the Stallions], observed during this Nations Cup is out of phase with the ambitions of the executive committee,,” the FBF statement added.
At this year’s Nations Cup in Ivory Coast, Frenchman Velud – who signed a two-year contract in April 2022 – finally took charge of a game after qualifying with a third different country for the tournament.
He was unable to lead Togo in 2010 after the team withdrew on the eve of the finals following the gun attack by separatists in the Angolan enclave of Cabinda, during which he was shot in the arm and his assistant, Amalete Abalo, and the team’s media officer, Stanislas Ocloo, lost their lives.
The 64-year-old then helped Sudan reach the 2021 Nations Cup, which was delayed a year because of the coronavirus pandemic, only to be sacked weeks before the finals in Cameroon following a bad performance in the Arab Cup.
The FBF said it is already planning for both the 2025 Nations Cup and 2026 World Cup, with the latter’s next qualifiers taking place in June.
The West Africans have four points after their first two World Cup qualifiers, and are two points behind Group A leaders Egypt.
Velud is the eighth coach to have left his position since the beginning of this year’s Nations Cup, which climaxes on Sunday when hosts Ivory Coast meet Nigeria in the final.
He joins Jean-Louis Gasset (Ivory Coast), Chris Hughton (Ghana), Djamel Belmadi (Algeria), Jalel Kadri (Tunisia), Tom Saintfiet (Gambia), Rui Vitoria (Egypt) and Baciro Cande (Guinea-Bissau) as having departed their roles.
The only goal of a cagey contest in Abidjan came in the 65th minute when Haller’s volley bounced down into the ground and up over Leopards goalkeeper Lionel Mpasi.
The Borussia Dortmund striker should have opened the scoring just before the break with an unmarked header, while he also missed a chance to double the lead when sending a lob narrowly wide.
DR Congo did not look like getting a late equaliser, although Meschack Elia sent a volley wide of the left-hand upright and Simon Banza then fired well over in injury time.
Ivory Coast had sacked Jean-Louis Gasset as boss before scraping through the group stage, and had needed late goals against both Senegal and Mali to progress to the last four.
But interim boss Emerse Fae now has a chance to guide the Elephants to a third continental title, adding to triumphs in 1992 and 2015, when they face three-time winners Nigeria in Abidjan on Sunday (20:00 GMT).
The match was the first time the tournament hosts had returned to the Alassane Ouattara Stadium since suffering a chastening 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea which had left the West Africans on the brink of exiting the finals after just three games.
Fae made four changes to the side which grabbed a 90th-minute equaliser and a 122nd-minute winner against Mali, with captain Serge Aurier, centre-back Odilon Kossounou and forward Christian Kouame all suspended.
Meanwhile, the DR Congo squad staged a protest during the anthems with players and coach Sebastien Desabre covering their mouths and pointing to the side of their heads to call for peace in the eastern part of the country.
The Leopards threatened from first-half corners, with Haller forced into a diving header to clear one at the near post before Elephants keeper Yahia Fofana flapped at the next delivery.
Cedric Bakambu headed in the loose ball and wheeled away in celebration but referee Ibrahim Mutaz had already blown his whistle, ruling that Elia had kicked the ball out of Fofana’s hands.
Meanwhile the delivery of Ivorian right-back Wilfried Singo was causing problems at the other end, with Simon Adingra planting a header wide of goal before Haller missed a glorious chance five minutes before half-time when he mis-timed his effort wide from eight yards out.
There was still time before the break for Elephants midfielder Franck Kessie to strike the left-hand post with a fierce strike.
Haller strike puts hosts through
hree minutes after the restart, Theo Bongonda almost put DR Congo ahead but the half-time substitute could only fire into the side-netting after bursting into the area and thrillingly wriggling past two defenders.
Mpasi parried away another powerful shot from Kessi but the Leopards stopper was unfortunate with what proved to be the winner.
Haller dropped back to meet Max-Alain Gradel’s cross from the right with a first-time volley from about 13 yards out, and the bounce of the ball caught out Mpasi as it dipped just under his crossbar.
Sending a flicked header from a corner over the bar, the involved Haller was then narrowly off target with his lobbed attempt from outside the box after a poor defensive header gifted him the chance to wrap up the tie.
Two-time champions themselves, but not since 1974, DR Congo had drawn their first four games at the finals but could not find a way back into the match after coming from behind to beat Guinea in the quarter-finals.
Ivory Coast become the first hosts to reach an Afcon final since Egypt in 2006 – with the Pharaohs also the most recent side to lift the trophy on home soil that year.
After a tournament of underdog success and surprise results, Ivory Coast fans can now look forward to a heavyweight clash with Nigeria following a path through the finals which has already involved several dramatic twists and turns.
It could also cap a remarkable journey for Fae, the 40-year-old former Nantes, Reading and Nice midfielder, who could win Africa’s most prestigious trophy in just his fourth game in charge of his country.
The game in Bouake finished 1-1 following a remarkable end to normal time which involved the referee going to his video monitor to disallow a Victor Osimhen strike which would have put Nigeria 2-0 up – and instead awarding a penalty to South Africa.
Teboho Mokoena converted from the spot in the 90th minute to send the game into a goalless period of extra time where Bafana Bafana defender Grant Kekana was sent off late on.
But Mokoena was one of two South African players to see their spot-kicks saved by goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali as the Super Eagles triumphed to reach Sunday’s final, where they will play Ivory Coast after the hosts beat DR Congo.
William Troost-Ekong had opened the scoring for the West Africans with a penalty midway through the second half, and will now be looking to captain Nigeria to their fourth continental title – and a first since 2013.
Super Eagles overcome South Africa again
Nigeria went into the game with a perfect Nations Cup record against South Africa, having beaten Bafana Bafana in all three of their previous meetings in the competition including a semi-final meeting in 2000 in Lagos.
But despite being urged on by the cacophonous horn section carried by the supporters in green and white, Jose Peseiro’s side failed to live up their billing as favourites in a ponderous first half which South Africa largely bossed.
Forward Percy Tau had their best chance, scuffing his shot straight at Nwabali when unmarked inside the penalty area.
Nigeria’s lack of potency was reflected in the statistics, with African Footballer of the Year Osimhen only managing nine touches in the half, including a header which went wide just before the break.
But things then livened up notably as Nigeria came out with greater intent in the second half.
Osimhen put one of several presentable headed opportunities over the bar before Frank Onyeka blazed wastefully wide.
The Super Eagles finally broke the deadlock in the 67th minute when Osimhen’s driving run was abruptly ended inside the penalty area by a poor challenge from defender Mothobi Mvala.
And the former Watford defender sent his effort down the middle and under the legs of Ronwen Williams, the shootout hero for South Africa in the quarter-final win over Cape Verde, as the goalkeeper dived to his left.
After Evidence Makgopa had fizzed a skimming effort just wide for South Africa, Ademola Lookman should have won it for Nigeria but hesitated when trying to round Williams, allowing the keeper to dive at his feet and gather the ball.
Late VAR drama denies Osimhen
With just five minutes of normal time remaining, Osimhen thought he had clinched victory, turning home Bright Osayi-Samuel’s low cross following a swift counter-attack and sprinting towards the Nigeria fans for a celebration that was short-lived.
South Africa’s players were already protesting before referee Amin Omar was advised to go to the monitor by the video assistant referee, with the Egyptian quickly ruling out Osimhen’s strike and, in yet another late twist at this remarkable tournament, pointing to the spot at the other end for an earlier foul on Tau by Alhassan Yusuf.
Mokoena kept his calm to convert the penalty and deny Nigeria five consecutive clean sheets – and South Africa should have won it in the six minutes of added time when Khuliso Mudau only succeeded in blazing over after Nwabali parried Mokoena’s free-kick into his path.
Williams saved efforts from Lookman and Osimhen early in extra time but the best opening came when Terem Moffi latched on to a through ball and ran powerfully towards the South Africa goal.
But Kekana stopped the substitute’s run with a trip and, following a VAR review, was shown a straight red card and Nigeria were awarded a free-kick just outside the area.
Iheanacho drew a save from Williams from the set piece but decided the shootout after Nwabali had saved from Mokoena and Makgopa, with the Bafana Bafana captain unable to repeat his heroics from the last eight.
Ivory Coast kept their Nations Cup hopes alive with a last-minute equaliser against Mali in the quarter-finals, a match the tournament hosts won deep in extra time
After drama aplenty in the quarter-finals of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, including a 122nd-minute winner and a goalkeeper saving four penalties in a shoot-out, Wednesday’s semi-finals in Ivory Coast have much to live up to.
Three-time champions Nigeria face a South Africa side aiming to win their second title – but a first away from home following their 1996 triumph in Johannesburg – in the first last-four tie (17:00 GMT).
Hosts Ivory Coast have never won the title on home soil – triumphing in Senegal in 1992 and Equatorial Guinea in 2015 – but must overcome unbeaten DR Congo (20:00 GMT) if they are to reach Sunday’s final in Abidjan.
“It’s been a top-level Nations Cup – now let’s hope the semi-finals and final finish it off in style,” Tom Saintfiet, who led The Gambia in the group stage, told BBC Sport Africa.
Both semi-final ties will be broadcast live in the UK, with the first game on BBC Two and the second on BBC Three, while the BBC World Service will provide radio commentary in Africa.
Elephants keen to march on
Ivory Coast have certainly been on a rollercoaster since kicking off the tournament.
After the deep lows of the group stage, when the Elephants squeezed into the knockout rounds as a best third-placed side, can the hosts maintain the extraordinary highs of their knock-out matches since?
According to midfielder Franck Kessie “a ghost cannot be afraid”, and the near-dead Ivorians have shown unbelievable spirit when scoring late equalisers against Senegal and Mali in the last 16 and quarter-finals respectively.
All three Ivorian goals in the knock-outs have come from substitutes.
“We won’t be this lucky all the time, but it’s important to know that those on the bench can also contribute,” said interim coach Emerse Fae, ahead of the Elephants’ return to the Alassane Ouattara Stadium for the first time since their 4-0 mauling by Equatorial Guinea in their final group game.
“During the last games, the motivation from the fans has helped – we hope they will stay with us.”
Fae will be without suspended pair Odilon Kossounou and Oumar Diakite, who were both sent off against Mali – the former after a torrid defensive display, the latter for taking off his shirt following his dramatic 122nd-minute winner.
Brentford forward Yoane Wissa help DR Congo come from behind and beat Guinea 3-1 in the quarter-finals
As two-time champions DR Congo contest their second Nations Cup semi-final this century and a first since losing to the Ivorians in 2015, the Leopards plan to wear black armbands for those recently affected by conflict in the nation.
On the pitch, a clear issue is the concession of penalties in both knockout games so far, against Egypt and Guinea, but the Central Africans can point to their own dead-ball prowess after a hat-trick of set-piece goals against Guinea – netting from a corner, penalty and free-kick.
“Our first victory came at the right time because we’re gaining momentum,” said coach Sebastien Desabre, who has moulded this latest generation of Congolese into a compact unit.
“We may have only won once but remember we have not lost yet.”
Brentford forward Yoane Wissa is the leading scorer for the Leopards in Ivory Coast with two goals, while former Newcastle United defender Chancel Mbemba and ex-West Ham left-back Arthur Masuaku have also found the back of the net.
Can Super Eagles keep soaring?
Ademola Lookman, with three goals and one assist, has been a key man alongside Moses Simon, who created the Atalanta forward’s winner against Angola
Nigeria face South Africa in Bouake in a repeat of the 2000 Nations Cup semi-final, with the Super Eagles beating Bafana Bafana as the countries met for the first time at the tournament.
The West Africans have the upper hand in meetings at Afcon, winning all three encounters – with the most recent of those a quarter-final tie in 2019.
Playing in a record-extending 15th Afcon semi-final, Nigeria have impressed both in attack and in defence, where they have won their past four games without conceding a goal – their best run at a Nations Cup.
With Frank Onyeka winning over his critics to provide a solid platform in central midfield, the likes of Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon have been liberated – with the latter creating the only goal of the quarter-final against Angola for the former, who has scored half of Nigeria’s six goals.
“We’ve got a lot of faith in our defensive structure and in the final third we’re frightening,” defender Semi Ajayi told BBC Sport Africa.
Coach Jose Peseiro has repeatedly said a clean sheet will guarantee a win for his side given their prowess up front, where reigning African Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen has impressed with his non-stop running and pressing despite only scoring once.
Former Nigeria international Sunday Oliseh has praised Osimhen’s ‘leadership and hunger’,, external with the latter a key word for a team that – unlike previous Super Eagles sides – looks fully focused.
Will Broos mastermind upset for Bafana Bafana?
While many expected Nigeria to go far, few thought the same about South Africa who have benefitted from the guile of Hugo Broos, who led Cameroon to their unexpected 2017 triumph.
The oldest coach at the tournament, the 71-year-old has relied on the core of South African club Mamelodi Sundowns to take Bafana Bafana into the last four for the first time in 24 years.
Eight players from the Pretoria-based club that won last year’s inaugural African Football League, while also reaching the African Champions League semi-finals, started their quarter-final against Cape Verde.
Ronwen Williams’ penalty heroics against Cape Verde came after he had made a superb save during second-half added time of normal time
“He has taken Sundowns players because he understands those players have experience against different opponents from across the continent – and he realised the synergy and teamwork are important,” former South Africa captain Aaron Mokoena told the BBC.
Broos said their performance against Cape Verde was their worst at the finals so far and, although Bafana Bafana have also achieved four straight clean sheets, he was indebted to captain Ronwen Williams for a crucial last save before keeping out four penalties in the shootout.
In midfield Teboho Mokoena, another Sundowns man, has provided dynamism while Nigeria will need to be wary of experienced forward Themba Zwane who scored twice in the group-stage win against Namibia.
With Broos having fielded an unchanged since the second game, a major concern will be fatigue, with former South Africa midfielder Dean Furman pointing out the “heavy legs” against Cape Verde on Saturday.
The hosts played the majority of the game at a numerical disadvantage after Odilon Kossounou’s dismissal for two first-half fouls on Lassine Sinayoko and they fell behind to Nene Dorgeles’ classy curler.
But the Elephants equalised right on 90 minutes through Simon Adingra’s opportunistic finish – and won it with virtually the last kick of extra time when Diakite diverted home Seko Fofana’s shot.
Diakite left the field with mixed emotions, however, as a second yellow card received for removing his shirt in celebration means he will be banned for Wednesday’s semi-final against DR Congo (20:00 GMT).
The final whistle yielded unsavoury scenes as several Mali players surrounded referee Mohamed Adel, remonstrating with the official, and Hamari Traore was shown a red card for taking his protests too far.
t was difficult to see what the Eagles were complaining about, as there appeared little wrong with the goal that sparked wild scenes of celebration at the orange-bathed Stade de la Paix.
A free-kick broke to Fofana on the edge of the area and, as his shot flew through a crowded goalmouth, Diakite, with his back to goal, instinctively stuck out a foot to flick the ball past Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra.
The quick thinking by the forward for French club Reims keeps the hosts’ hopes of a third Afcon title alive after a barely-believable route through the competition that has seen them on the brink of elimination on several occasions.
Elephants find yet another escape route
Having come through the group stage by the skin of their teeth despite two defeats – and sacked manager Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament in the process – the knockout stages have been just as hair-raising for the hosts.
Under interim boss Emerse Fae, they came from behind, with another late goal, to force extra time and penalties to beat defending champions Senegal in the last 16.
But even that drama was completely eclipsed by Saturday’s events in Bouake.
Fortune had again appeared to be on their side when Kossounou blocked Sikou Niakate’s shot with an outstretched hand in the box but escaped punishment because the Mali man was offside in the build-up.
It took several minutes to clear up the confusion but when play restarted, Kossounou allowed Sinayoko to get the wrong side of him and bundled him over – only for Yahia Fofana to brilliantly save Adama Noss Traore’s spot-kick.
The hosts’ luck seemed to have finally run out when centre-back Kossounou, booked for the penalty incident, received a second yellow card for tripping the same player just before half-time.
However, they defended diligently, restricting Mali to efforts from distance, one of which paid off with just under 20 minutes to go as Dorgeles cut in from the left to find the top corner.
Unbowed, the Elephants responded admirably, Diakite and Wilfried Singo both going close with headers before a Fofana shot ricocheted perfectly for Brighton forward Adingra to stab Ivory Coast level from eight yards.
They continued to fashion the better chances in extra time, with Sebastien Haller heading against the bar before, with time almost up and another shootout looming, Diakite dramatically settled matters.
However, they must do without him against DR Congo in the last four – as well as Serge Aurier and Christian Kouame, who each collected a booking for the second successive game to trigger a one-match ban.
Mali’s jinx against neighbours goes on
Mali will almost certainly have to answer to the African footballing authorities after the disgraceful post-match scenes with the referee but they only have themselves to blame for their exit.
They never really threatened to capitalise on their numerical advantage and sat back nervously even after Dorgeles gave them the lead.
From then on, they only created one real opening of note when the dangerous Dorgeles’ extra-time ball across the box was almost turned into his own net by Nottingham Forest defender Willy Boly.
The Eagles will, of course, look back on the early penalty miss by Hull winger Traore, although it was an excellent save from Fofana, plunging quickly low and at full-strength to his left to keep the ball out.
Mali, who had topped their group unbeaten, had never before lost an Afcon quarter-final, winning all five times they had reached that stage, but were left to reflect on yet another defeat by their West African neighbours.
They have now lost 13 of the past 19 meetings between the countries, including a last-16 Afcon defeat in 2019, and this result, and the manner of it, will be a bitter pill to swallow for Eric Chelle’s side.
AFCON hosts Ivory Coast pull off another stunning comeback
Hosts Ivory Coast kept up their incredible escape act at the Africa Cup of Nations as they came from behind to beat Mali 2-1 in Saturday’s quarter-final, scoring a last-gasp goal in extra time to book a semi-final with the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Oumar Diakite got a touch to Seko Fofana’s strike to win the game for the Ivorians, who played with 10 men for most of the match after Odilon Kossounou was sent off shortly before halftime.
Mali had taken a 71st-minute lead through Nene Dorgeles but the home team, roared on by the crowd at the Stade de la Paix, fought back and equalised through Simon Adingra in the 90th minute to force extra time.
Diakite then scored the winner before being sent off for a second booking by taking his shirt off in celebration. Mali’s Hamari Traore was also shown a red card at the final whistle.
The Ivorians had limped into the knockout stage as one of the four best third placed finishers, despite a 4-0 loss to tiny Equatorial Guinea, but then resurrected their hopes by edging holders Senegal on post-match penalties in the last 16.
