SPORT - The African Mirror

Oct

20

2023

Hamas-Israel conflict: Algeria offers to host Palestine’s football matches – the bigger history

FOOTBALL

PALESTINE was about to embark on its 2026 men’s Fifa World Cup qualifying campaign when the latest round of Hamas-Israeli conflict broke out, making Palestine’s national football stadium in the Israeli-occupied West Bank potentially unsafe for matches. As a result, the Asian Football Confederation asked the football-loving nation to stage its home matches in a neutral venue. Algeria in North Africa offered to host Palestine’s games and cover its players’ costs. Mahfoud Amara is a specialist in the intersection of sport and politics with a particular research focus on football in the Arab world. We asked him three questions. MAHFOUD…

Oct

20

2023

By The African Mirror

Bullet point previews of Premier League matches

FOOTBALL

MATCH-BY-MATCH facts and statistics ahead of the next round of Premier League fixtures from October 21-23 (all times GMT): Saturday, October 21 Liverpool v Everton (1130) * Everton has beaten Liverpool only once in the last 28 Merseyside derbies in all competitions. * Liverpool are unbeaten in 18 of their last 19 league games. * Liverpool's Mohamed Salah has six goals and four assists in 10 appearances in all competitions this season. Nottingham Forest v Luton Town (1400) * Forest have not beaten Luton in their last four matches, which were played in the second-tier Championship (D2 L2). * Luton…

Oct

20

2023

By HATEM MAHER

Liverpool’s Salah calls for end to ‘massacres’ in Gaza

FOOTBALL

LIVERPOOL forward Mohamed Salah called for an end to what he described as "massacres" in Gaza, saying humanitarian aid must immediately be allowed into the besieged Palestinian enclave. Salah released a video message on his social media accounts, making his first comments on the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict after coming in for some fierce criticism in his native Egypt for staying silent on the issue for over a week. The Gaza health ministry said at least 3,478 Palestinians have been killed and 12,065 injured in Israeli air strikes on Gaza since October 7, the day Palestinian militant group Hamas stormed into…

Oct

19

2023

By The African Mirror

Algerian Atal suspended by Nice for Israel-Hamas conflict post

FOOTBALL

ALGERIA international Youcef Atal was suspended by Nice for a social media post about the Israel-Hamas conflict, the Ligue 1 club said. Defender Atal, who has been at Nice since 2018, has since deleted the post. He had been on international duty with Algeria and was summoned to speak with the club as soon as he returned. Hamas fighters killed 1,300 Israelis on October 7 in the deadliest Palestinian militant attack in Israel's history, while Israel responded with intensive air strikes that have killed more than 2,800 Palestinians. "OGC Nice understands that the player acknowledged his mistake by quickly removing the…

Oct

19

2023

By CHRISTIAN RADNEDGE

Back your women’s teams properly, FIFA women’s officer tells FAs

FOOTBALL

NATIONAL football associations need to properly support their women's teams so they can perform at their best, FIFA chief women's football officer Sarai Bareman said. A number of teams who featured at the Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand were in dispute with their associations, casting a pall over the buildup to the tournament. England put aside a dispute over bonuses to reach the final, while Canada and Nigeria have long been locked in disputes with their respective federations. Jamaica even had to crowdfund for preparation expenses before they travelled to the tournament. Winners Spain had long been…

Oct

18

2023

By The African Mirror

Gueye’s return for Senegal cheers Everton ahead of Liverpool derby

FOOTBALL

EVERTON could get a boost with the return of Idrissa Gueye for Saturday's Merseyside derby against Liverpool at Anfield in the Premier League after he played for Senegal on Monday. The midfielder was named in the team to face Bournemouth on October 7 but did not play in the 3-0 win due to a heel injury. However, the 34-year-old came on in the 78th minute during Senegal's 1-0 win over Cameroon in a friendly. The Toffees are a lowly 16th in the standings on seven points after eight games while Liverpool is fourth with 17, three points shy of leaders…

Oct

17

2023

By The African Mirror

Kenyan marathon runner Ekiru receives 10-year doping ban

ATHLETICS

KENYAN marathon runner Titus Ekiru has been banned for 10 years, by the Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), for both doping and tampering in a case that involved collusion with a high-ranking doctor in a Kenyan hospital. One of his positive tests, for triamcinolone acetonide, came at the Milan Marathon in May 2021, which he won in a time of two hours, two minutes and 57 seconds, which would currently rank him the seventh-fastest all-time marathon athlete. The ban comes after an investigation found the 31-year-old obstructed the AIU's probe into two adverse analytical findings (AAFs) by using false information and…

Oct

17

2023

By ALAN BALDWIN

FIA ‘revisiting’ Hamilton track-crossing incident in Qatar

MOTORSPORT

FORMULA One's governing body is reviewing Lewis Hamilton's punishment for crossing a live track without permission at last weekend's Qatar Grand Prix amid concern the penalty was not tough enough. The seven-times world champion collided with Mercedes teammate George Russell at the first corner at Lusail, abandoning his car in the gravel and crossing the track to return to the pit lane. The Briton was given a reprimand and fined 50,000 euros ($52,545), with 25,000 suspended for the rest of the season on condition he did not do it again. The governing body said on Sunday it was 'revisiting' the…

Oct

15

2023

By The African Mirror

Holders Senegal draw Cameroon in Africa Cup of Nations group

FOOTBALL

AFRICAN champions Senegal have been drawn with Cameroon at next year's Africa Cup of Nations finals while record winners Egypt will have old foe Ghana in their group at the tournament to be hosted in the Ivory Coast. The host nation was grouped together with Nigeria while World Cup semi-finalists Morocco look to have a comfortable path to the knockout stages. Senegal will play in Group C with Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia, who were surprise quarter-finalists when they made their Cup of Nations debut at the last edition. Senegal, ironically, plays against Cameroon in the French city of Lens on…

Oct

15

2023

By The African Mirror

Morocco hires Vilda as new women’s team coach

FOOTBALL

WOMEN'S World Cup winner and former Spain coach Jorge Vilda was appointed as the new manager of the Morocco women's team, succeeding Frenchman Reynald Pedros. Vilda, who won the Women's World Cup with Spain in August, was sacked 10 days after FIFA suspended former Spanish FA (RFEF) president Luis Rubiales for giving a non-consensual kiss to striker Jenni Hermoso during the medal ceremony in Sydney. The 42-year-old coach, who considered his dismissal "unfair", was widely criticised for repeatedly applauding Rubiales during an emergency RFEF assembly in which the latter railed against "false feminism" and vowed not to resign. Vilda is…