SPORT - The African Mirror

Oct

27

2023

Injury doubts haunt Barcelona ahead of Saturday’s Clasico against Real Madrid

FOOTBALL

BARCELONA manager Xavi Hernandez is facing serious injury concerns as his team prepares to host rivals Real Madrid in the LaLiga 'El Clasico' on Saturday. Xavi had to call up eight academy players for their Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday, as the Catalonian side grappled with injuries to eight key players, including Polish striker Robert Lewandowski. Barca secured a hard-fought 2-1 win against Shakhtar thanks to a brilliant display by 20-year-old Fermin Lopez, who is becoming a regular in the first team. Despite earlier reports suggesting that last year's LaLiga top scorer Lewandowski and midfielder Frenkie De…

Oct

27

2023

By The African Mirror

Swiss prosecutors end proceedings against FIFA boss Infantino

FOOTBALL

CRIMINAL proceedings against FIFA President Gianni Infantino over his dealings with former Swiss attorney general Michael Lauber have been closed, Swiss prosecutors said, a decision Infantino hailed as a vindication of "the new FIFA". Infantino was elected in 2016 to clean up the world soccer body FIFA after it became embroiled in corruption scandals. However, Swiss authorities launched proceedings against Infantino himself in 2020 on suspicions of secrecy violations, abuse of office and aiding and abetting related to meetings he held with Lauber. In ending the proceedings, prosecutors said their investigations had "invalidated" such suspicions. Swiss-Italian Infantino, who had repeatedly…

Oct

24

2023

By SILALEI SHANI, BIRD STORY AGENCY

The World of African Basketball

BASKETBALL

FORMER Kenya women's basketball team captain and international commentator Silalei Shani provides all the latest moves and grooves in this week's The World of African Basketball. After applying for American citizenship in a move that saddened many Cameroonians, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid has come in for criticism again with the announcement that he would be playing for the United States at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Embiid, who holds three passports, made his decision for family reasons and to follow his dream of winning an Olympic medal. “It was difficult. Obviously, I like all three options. I love my country…But…

Oct

24

2023

By SIHLE MACKENZIE-GCILITSHANA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Black women in rugby are tackling gender equality in sport one try at a time

SPORT, MULTIMEDIA

IN April 2023, an all-Black women’s rugby team, led by Head Coach Bongi Nhleko from the University of Johannesburg (UJ), progressed to the first-ever First National Bank (FNB) Varsity Women’s Rugby Finals. It was a seminal moment for Black women's rugby in South Africa. "We were really honoured to be part of the first-ever Varsity Cup's Fifteens and we were grateful for it. It gave us exposure because going through to the finals we knew there was going to be pressure and we were looking to perform… It was a great experience… It wasn't the result we were looking for…

Oct

24

2023

By The African Mirror

Saudi Arabia launches Esports World Cup

SPORT, E-SPORTS

SAUDI Arabia said that it was launching an annual Esports World Cup, which will include the most popular games in the world and have the largest prize pool in esports history. The competition will be held annually in Riyadh starting summer of 2024, a statement from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said. Clubs will compete across games from various genres to become the ultimate Esports World Cup champion, the statement said. Sports, esports and gaming have been part of the crown prince's transformation plan, known as Vision 2030, in which the government is pouring hundreds of billions of dollars…

Oct

22

2023

By The African Mirror

Late Adebayo goal secures Luton 2-2 draw at Forest

FOOTBALL

LUTON Town's Elijah Adebayo scored in stoppage time to complete a late comeback and earn his side a 2-2 draw at Nottingham Forest in the Premier League. Forest, now without a win in five games, dropped to 15th in the table on 10 points while Luton remained in 17th place after picking up their fifth point of the season. After a scoreless first half, Chris Wood scored twice to give Forest a 2-0 lead. The opening goal came in the 48th minute after a counter-attack. Anthony Elanga played the final pass to Wood, whose first touch took him past Luton…

Oct

22

2023

By The African Mirror

Reaction to death of England and Man Utd great Bobby Charlton

FOOTBALL

ENGLAND and Manchester United soccer great Bobby Charlton died aged 86. Following are reactions to his death from around the world: ENGLAND 1966 WORLD CUP WINNER GEOFF HURST "Very sad news today. One of the true greats Sir Bobby Charlton has passed away. We will never forget him & nor will all of football. "A great colleague & friend, he will be sorely missed by all of the country beyond sport alone. Condolences to his family & friends from Geoff and Judith." FORMER UNITED AND ENGLAND MIDFIELDER DAVID BECKHAM "It all began with Sir Bobby. Sir Bobby was the reason I had the opportunity…

Oct

21

2023

By AVIT NDAYIZIGA, BIRD STORY AGENCY

Meet Coach Belyse, her country’s first-ever woman coach of a top-flight men’s team

FOOTBALL

“A pregnancy did not prevent me from playing football, I continued playing until I was five months pregnant, but a red card paved my way to a coaching career,” said Belyse Ininahazwe, the first female tactician of a male soccer team in Burundi. Ininahazwe is a 35-year-old mother of one, and the first female head coach of the Association Sportif Inter Star (AS Inter Star), a male football club from Bujumbura, Burundi, founded in 1977. Inter Star is a well-known male soccer team that plays in the Burundi Ligue A, currently known as the Primus Ligue. The league was established…

Oct

20

2023

By The African Mirror

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…