SPORT - The African Mirror

Jan

08

2021

Percy Tau recalled by Brighton & Albion

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO SOUTH Africa’s top strike Percy Tau has returned to one of the best leagues in the world, the British Premier League and is set to feature for Brighton Hove & Albion in Britain's Premier League. Tau has been on loan in Belgium for two and-a-half years since being acquired in 2018. The 26 year-old began his international club career in Belgium’s second division, before being sent to UEFA Champions League in Club Brugge for a loan spell. Tau netted four goals, and tallied 8 assists, in a league title winning season in 2019/20. Tau then joined RSC Anderlecht,…

Jan

03

2021

By The African Mirror

The impact of Brexit on British Premier League

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO FOR talented African football players, the English Premier League is viewed as one of the elite football leagues in the globe, an aspiration that has now been marred by various barriers. The political decision by the British government to leave the European Union (EU) has created an atmosphere of uncertainty for non-UK players on a journey to the highest-level of football. The call to push into Brexit unknown has plunged players and football clubs into uncertainty, amid already strict regulations that foreigners face after receiving a callup from Premier league teams. Prior to Brexit, eligibility was subject to…

Jan

13

2021

By The African Mirror

F1 team principal sacked ahead of 2021 season

SPORT

BOITUMELO RANTAO FORMULA One team Alpine Racing, formerly known as Renault F1 Racing, has ended their tenure with team boss Cyril Abitebou. The French-owned team made the announcement on Monday. “I would like to thank the Groupe Renault for having trusted me for many years, particularly with the relaunch and reconstruction of the team since 2016,” Cyril Abiteboul said in a statement. Speaking on his departure, Abiteboul said that he felt that he was leaving behind a concrete base for the French manufacturer to grow. “The solid foundations of the racing team and the entities in France and England built…

Jul

23

2022

By The African Mirror

Mane named African Footballer of Year again

SPORT

SADIO Mane was named African Footballer of Year after a season in which he kicked the winning penalty for Senegal as they claimed their first Africa Cup of Nations title and repeated the feat when they secured World Cup qualification. Mane finished ahead of Egyptian forward Mohamed Salah, his former Liverpool teammate, and fellow Senegalese Edouard Mendy in the voting. It was the second time the 30-year-old Mane, who last month joined German champions Bayern Munich, has won the award. He was the last winner of the award in 2019. The Confederation of African Football did not hold it over…

Jul

23

2022

By The African Mirror

Olympic champion Korir leads trio of Kenyans into 800m final

SPORT

AMY TENNERY KENYA'S Olympic champion Emmanuel Korir produced his best performance of the season to win his 800 metres semi-final, while Algerian Slimane Moula came from behind to win his race in the fastest time of the day. Korir, one of three Kenyans to advance to Saturday's final in Eugene, Oregon, took it easy to move through his opening heat but took a more aggressive approach in the semi-final. Nearly half a second behind the leader with 100m left, he sprinted ahead of compatriot Wyclife Kisasy and Australian Peter Bol down the final straight, sneaking across the finish line in…

Jul

23

2022

By The African Mirror

Lyles retains 200m crown as US sweep podium, Jackson wins women’s title

ATHLETICS

NOAH Lyles retained his 200 metres title as U.S. sprinters secured their second podium sweep while Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce made it a 1-2 finish for Jamaica in the women's event at the World Championships on Thursday. Lyles, bronze medallist at the Tokyo Games, scorched to victory in 19.31 seconds to become the third-fastest athlete of all time over the distance and break four-time Olympic champion Michael Johnson's national record. Five days after Fred Kerley led a U.S. 1-2-3 in the 100m, Lyles produced another dominant performance to clinch gold ahead of Tokyo runner-up Kenny Bednarek in 19.77 while…

Jul

21

2022

By The African Mirror

Morocco vs South Africa as women’s football enters a new era

SPORT

THIS weekend’s Women’s African Football Championship (Wafcon) final between Morocco and South Africa in Morocco marks a new era. With it, women’s football in Africa has reached a second phase of its development. If the first phase was about the rise of a few superpowers, led by Nigeria, then the new phase is about a spread of teams rising to the top as development of the game takes hold on the continent. Author CHUKA ONWUMECHILI, Professor of Communications, Howard University Wafcon is the women’s Afcon, the biggest national tournament on the continent, held every two years. The championship final is…

Jul

21

2022

By The African Mirror

Superstars Sadio Mané and Mo Salah eclipse African football at home

SPORT

SENEGAL’S Sadio Mané and Egypt’s Mo Salah are among 10 players nominated for the African Footballer of the Year prize at this year’s Caf Awards held by the Confederation of African Football in Rabat, Morocco. Both players rose to global prominence playing for Liverpool in the English Premier League, propelling the club to three champions league finals and winning a title. Both have won Caf player of the year before, Salah twice in 2017 and 2018, and Mané once in 2019. Now Mané is poised to even the score at 2-2. Star forwards, their pursuits on the field are the…

Jan

11

2021

By The African Mirror

The inside story of Wilfred Ndidi’s rise

SPORT

OLUWASHINA OKELEJI LEICESTER City manager Brendan Rodgers’ announcement in September that midfielder Wilfred Ndidi would miss about 12 weeks of football action because of a groin injury was received with a collective gasp in the East Midlands. Since joining the Foxes in 2017, Ndidi has been highly influential, both in terms of involvement and impact. So important is his function within the side that when he was forced to miss five Premier League matches in January, the club’s title bid was derailed. He was duly rushed back ahead of his scheduled recuperation, with Rodgers at the time describing him as…

Jul

20

2022

By The African Mirror

Milan police justify Bakayoko search as being necessary in critical situation

SPORT

MILAN police justified searching AC Milan midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko at gunpoint, saying it was necessary given the seriousness of a dangerous situation taking place at the time. The incident involving Bakayoko, who is on loan from Premier League side Chelsea, took place two weeks ago according to local media, but a video of the event went viral on Monday after being posted on Twitter. His Serie A club said that the search occurred due to a shooting in the nearby area. In a statement released to Reuters, police said: "It should be noted that the search occurred in an operational…