FOOTBALL - The African Mirror

Apr

2023

More chaos at Egyptian champions Zamalek as club president excluded

FIVE-TIME African champions Zamalek suffered another blow in a chaotic season as a local administrative court in Egypt ordered the removal of club president Mortada Mansour, days after the team appointed Colombian coach Juan Carlos Osorio. A local administrative court in Cairo ordered on Sunday to exclude Mansour from his post, as he has just served a one-month prison sentence over a defamation case against Al-Ahly president Mahmoud El Khatib. Mansour can appeal the ruling. Mansour told his YouTube channel, which has more than half a million followers, "I will not talk about the ruling now because judgment is the title…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Tuchel’s Bayern stumble again in home draw with Hoffenheim

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BAYERN Munich conceded a 71st-minute free kick to draw 1-1 at home against Hoffenheim at the end of a turbulent week for the champions but they stayed two points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with six games remaining. It was Bayern's latest slip-up under coach Thomas Tuchel following last week's German Cup exit to Freiburg and Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League quarter-final first-leg loss at Manchester City. The league draw had only limited impact after second-placed Borussia Dortmund squandered a two-goal lead and conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in their 3-3 draw at VfB Stuttgart to remain two points behind…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Tottenham blow top-four chance in defeat by Bournemouth

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MARTYN HERMAN TOTTENHAM Hotspur blew a gilt-edged chance to rekindle their hopes of finishing in the Premier League's top four when relegation battlers Bournemouth snatched a last-gasp 3-2 away victory over them on Saturday. Substitute Dango Ouattara's superb finish in the fifth minute of stoppage time secured a vital three points for Bournemouth whose fans celebrated wildly as their side took another step towards top-flight survival. For the hosts, their chances of playing in the Champions League next season look bleak after a 10th defeat of the season. Third-placed Newcastle United's lunchtime defeat at Aston Villa had opened the door…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Lampard says Chelsea need to learn to fight, and quickly

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WILLIAM SCHOMBERG CHELSEA interim coach Frank Lampard said he has to turn around the club's slump urgently before Tuesday's visit by Real Madrid in a Champions League quarter-final second leg, following the Blues' latest limp defeat. Lampard, speaking after a 2-1 home Premier League loss to Brighton & Hove Albion, said Chelsea - the 2021 European champions who are now stuck in 11th place in the Premier League - were displaying a worrying lack of desire and competitiveness. "At the minute, we are falling short on that and we need to turn it around quickly," said the former Chelsea midfielder…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

LaLiga hails ‘passionate’ and talented young KwaZulu-Natal footballers after first LaLga Camps in the Zulu Kingdom

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LALIGA has hailed the ”hunger to learn” and passion of young footballers in KwaZulu-Natal after the completion of the first LaLiga Camps in the province at Durban’s Hoy Park. LaLiga UEFA Pro-Licenced coaches Saúl Vázquez and Javier García conducted the LaLiga Camps, which were attended by 150 promising young under-10 to under-17 KwaZulu-Natal boys and girls footballers - and 30 local coaches - in Durban this week. The LaLiga Camps, which were previously also held in Johannesburg and Cape Town, are part of LaLiga’s flagship global Grassroots programme, which has seen more than 900 young players participate in LaLiga Camps…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Bayern drop Mane from squad for Saturday game over Sane clash

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BAYERN Munich's Sadio Mane will not be part of the squad for Saturday's Bundesliga game against Hoffenheim and has been fined over a row he had with teammate Leroy Sane, the club said. Senegal international Mane clashed with Sane at the end of their 3-0 loss at Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Tuesday. "Sadio Mane will not be included in the FC Bayern squad for this Saturday's home match against 1899 Hoffenheim," the club said in a statement. "This is due to his misconduct after Bayern's Champions League match at Manchester City. Mane will also…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Bryan Habana’s MATCHKIT partners with SOSA in support of the national team

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WITH less than 3 months until the Special Olympics Summer World Games in Germany this June, Special Olympics South Africa (SOSA) today announced its official partnership with Bryan Habana’s MATCHKIT in support of the sports Launched in February 2023, the Adopt an Athlete campaign will help raise much-needed funds in support of the 2023 Special Olympics South Africa National Team. The team will represent the country at the 2023 Special Olympics World Summer Games in Berlin, Germany from 17 – 25 June 2023. Bryan Habana The games will welcome 7,000 Special Olympic athletes and Unified partners from approximately 170 countries…

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

LaLiga is coming to Sub-Saharan Africa on the mobile phone with Upstream

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LALIGA has partnered with global marketing technology company, Upstream, on LaLiga Premium, a fan-focused online portal with exclusive LaLiga content for African mobile phone users. The new partnership will allow mobile network operators to tap into the rapidly growing popularity of LaLiga across Africa by providing subscribers with access to unique and exclusive content and features. LaLiga Premium will also be available in multiple languages and part of its content is available through feature phones as well. LaLiga-Premium-Upstream-LaLiga-Joint-PR-ENG-4.4.2023Download

Apr

2023

By The African Mirror

Talking points from European soccer

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TALKING points from the weekend in European soccer leagues: DORTMUND'S BUNDESLIGA TITLE HOPES SUFFER SETBACK Borussia Dortmund was beaten 4-2 by title rivals Bayern Munich on Saturday to drop two points behind them with eight games remaining. But for Dortmund sports director Sebastian Kehl the race has not yet been decided. "It was no doubt a bitter day but we are Borussia and we will get up again," Kehl said. "This thing is not over yet and the title race has not yet been decided." Dortmund has a busy few days ahead with their German Cup quarter-final on Wednesday against…

Mar

2023

By The African Mirror

Holders Senegal through to Cup of Nations finals

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MARK GLEESON DEFENDING champions Senegal, Burkina Faso, South Africa and Tunisia added their names to the list of qualified teams for next year’s African Cup of Nations finals after away successes in Tuesday’s qualifiers. Senegal, who won the tournament in Cameroon some 14 months ago, beat Mozambique 1-0 away to keep up their 100% record and secure the top spot in Group L while a point away from Burkina Faso at Togo in a 1-1 draw was enough for them to progress from Group B. South Africa scrambled a 2-1 away win over Liberia to join Morocco, who qualified without…