CAF WCQ: Football fan stab to death over controversial penalty decision

According to reports, a young man in his late thirties has allegedly met his untimely death following an argument on the Black Stars victory over Bafana Bafana which saw the latter missing the opportunity to play at the 2022 Fifa World Cup

A Ghanaian known as Yaw Owusu has allegedly been killed in South Africa following Ghana’s 1-0 victory over South Africa in the 2022 Fifa World Cup qualifiers at the Cape Coast Sports Stadium.

The 39-year-old, who was a barber in Durban, was reported to have had an argument with one of the locals ahead of Ghana’s last World Cup qualifying game against South Africa.

The Black Stars needed a win to top Group G while South Africa were only hoping to pick a point in the game to finish above their hosts.

However, after Senegalese referee Ndiaye awarded Ghana a penalty which was utilized by Andre Ayew, the Black Stars sealed qualification.

Owusu returned to work on Monday and had another argument with the accused who is on the run over the legitimacy of the penalty.

The argument became a very heated one and he was stabbed in the process in a small town called Mzuluku.

Former King Faisal rep on radio Obeng Boadu popularly known as Owuraku, who currently works in South Africa, gave an account of the incident in an interview with Rockson Adjei Yeboah in an interview on Kumasi-based Fox FM on Tuesday.

“Yaw Owusu, a 39-year-old man who works at a saloon had a few argument with his apprentice before the game on Sunday, the argument resurfaced on Monday morning after the controversies on the penalty and he stabbed him to death,” he said as quoted by AshesGyamera.com

We are now trying to find his family members in Ghana. The tension on Ghanaians here are very high.The South Africans have threatened to deal with Ghanaians here after their petition to FIFA.

“We are pleading with authorities to come to our aid here since things may be scarier soon. I don’t think Ghanaians are too safe as I speak to you,” he added.

Meanwhile, South Africa Football Association has lodged a complaint at Fifa Fifa and Caf, insisting that the referee was manipulated therefore the game should be replayed on a neutral ground.

Asaba to host 2021/22 NWFL Premiership opening game

The official opening game of the 2021/2022 Nigeria Women Football League Premiership season has been scheduled to hold at the Stephen Keshi Stadium, Asaba, Delta State between home team Delta Queens FC and Rivers Angels FC of Port Harcourt on December 8, 2021.

Kick off has been fixed for 4pm,which will be the same in other designated venues across the country.

Rivers Angels of Port Harcourt were champions of the 2020/2021 season where they were the season’s best at the NWFL Super Six played at the Dipo Dina International Stadium, Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. They emerged the country’s representative to the inuagural CAF African Women’s Champions League.

This year’s NWFL Premiership season will be followed by yet another Super Six after this was agreed unanimously by the NWFL Congress held in Lagos.

In Group A, Week 1 Fixtures would see:


Confluence Queens of Lokoja take on newly promoted Pelican Stars of Calabar at the Confluence stadium, Lokoja, while Naija Ratels of Abuja will play their first NWFL Premiership game at home in Abuja, against the coach White Ogbonda- tutored Osun Babes of Osogbo, and in Yola, Adamawa Queens will host the Betsy Obaseki Girls, Edo Queens.

In Group B Week 1 Fixtures;

The 2020/2021 season third place team, FC Robo of Lagos will play host to Abia Angels of Umuahia at the Legacy Pitch of the National Stadium, Lagos, and Sunshine Queens of Akure will host the Moses Aduku-led Bayelsa Queens at the Akure Township stadium.

Jordan accuses Iranian female footballer of being a man, demands ‘gender verification check’

Jordan has called on the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) to launch an investigation to determine the sex of the heroic goalkeeper on the Iranian women’s football team, identified as Zohreh Koudaei

The Jordan women’s team have requested a ‘gender verification check’ against an Iranian goalkeeper who played against them.

On 25 September, Iran qualified for the 2022 Women’s Asian Cup for the first time in its history, following a 4-2 win on penalties after a goalless draw against Jordan.

Zohreh Koudaei was the hero for Iran, saving two penalties, but is now facing calls to confirm her gender at the request of Jordan’s Football Association.

Koudaei has been forced to defend herself after accusations about her gender previously in Iranian newspapers.

Prince Ali bin al-Hussein, who was previously vice president of FIFA has posted a letter which has been sent to the Asian Football Federation, in which a ‘gender verification check’ has been requested.

He also followed up the claim with a tweet that he sent to the Asian Football Confederation, calling the situation “very serious if true,” whilst demanding the association to “wake up.”

The letter states that although it is not mandatory for participating players to go under such checks, the guidelines laid down by the AFC do reserve the right to “investigate and take appropriate measures if there is doubt on the eligibility of a participating player.

It alleged the Iranian women’s team ‘has a history with gender and doping issues’ and called for ‘due process’ to be followed.

In 2015, the Iranian team was accused of acting unethically after eight members of the team were alleged to be men.

In 2014, the country introduced random gender checks on its players after four men were found to be playing on the women’s team who had reportedly not completed sex change operations.

Despite Iran’s sharia-based laws, sex change operations are reportedly legal and common.

According to a report by the Times of Israel, Iran team’s selector, Maryam Irandoost, dismissed the allegation.

“The medical staff have carefully examined each player on the national team in terms of hormones to avoid any problems in this regard, and so I tell all fans not to worry,” Irandoost told sports news site Varzesh3 on Sunday.

“We will provide any documentation that the Asian Confederation of Football wishes without wasting time.

“The Jordanian team considered themselves the big favourite to qualify… and when they lost… it was natural to seek relief under false pretences and to escape responsibility for this failure.”

WCQ: Super Eagles through to playoffs round after draw with Cape Verde

The Super Eagles of Nigeria have qualified for the final round of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after a 1-1 draw with the Blue Sharks of Cape Verde at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Tuesday.

Coach Gernot made a change to the Nigerian side that defeated Liberia 0-2 in Tangier replacing Kelechi Iheanacho with Jude Odion Ighalo.

The Eagles fly as early as first minute when Moses Simon’s cross was erroneously headed in the path of Victor Osimhen who made no mistake with his strike to give Nigeria the lead.

Cape Verde who needed a win to qualify, replied with a seven minutes stunner as Stopira got away from William Troost Ekong then stabs in from Rocha Santos’ corner-kick to balanced the game.

The Blue Sharks’ coach in the second half piled up pressure on the Super Eagles defence with five attacking substitutions as Willy Semedo, Nuno Borges, Gilson Tavares, Nenass, and Vagner replaced Jeffry Fortes, Jamiro Gregory Monteiro, Patrick Andrade, Rocha Santos, and Moreira Fernandez respectively.

The Nigerians qualified for the final round (playoffs) of the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers after finishing top of the group with 13 points ahead of Cape Verde’s 11 points.

QUALIFIED for the play-offs:

Seeded:

1⃣ 🇸🇳 Senegal
2⃣ 🇲🇦 Morocco
3⃣ 🇩🇿 Algeria
4⃣ 🇹🇳 Tunisia
5⃣ 🇳🇬 Nigeria

Unseeded:

6⃣ 🇪🇬 Egypt
7⃣ 🇨🇲 Cameroon
8⃣ 🇲🇱 Mali
9⃣ 🇬🇭 Ghana
🔟 🇨🇩 DR Congo

The draws will take place on 18 December 2021 and matches will kick off in March 2022.

Manchester City player Benjamin Mendy charged with two additional rape counts

Manchester City defender, Benjamin Mendy has been charged with another two counts of rape, the Crown Prosecution Service declared

Benjamin Mendy now faces six counts of rape and one of sexual assault which relate to four complainants over the age of 16, and will now appear at Stockport Magistrates’ Court on November 17.

The 27-year-old former Marseille and Monaco defender had previously been charged with four counts of rape and one sexual assault and has been kept in HMP Altcourse since his first appearance in court in August, after a number of bail applications were made but refused by judges.

He was also charged with raping a woman in August this year. The alleged attacks are said to have happened at his home address on Withinlee Road in Prestbury, Cheshire.

All the alleged offences relate to four women over the age of 16 and are alleged to have taken place between October 2020 and August 2021.

A co-accused, Louis Saha Matturie, 40, who is also in custody has also been charged with two additional counts of rape and one of sexual assault and now faces six rape charges in all relating to four complainants said to have taken place between March 2021 and August 2021.

The statement from police added: “Cheshire Constabulary and the Crown Prosecution Service would like to remind everyone that criminal proceedings against Matturie and Mendy are live and that they have a right to a fair trial.”

Both men are scheduled to go on trial on January 24, 2022.

Sam Kerr is set to become one of the highest-paid female footballers in the world after signing contract extension with Chelsea

Chelsea goal poacher, Samantha Kerr has signed a two-year deal extension with Barclays FA Women’s Super League (WSL) Champions which will see her remain at the London side till 2024, in a deal that is reportedly set to make her one of the world’s highest-paid female footballers, according to BBC sports.

The Australian forward joined the Blues on a two-and-a-half-year deal in November 2019 and has already won back-to-back FAWSL titles and Continental Cup wins and last season also came out top in the Community Shield, as well as reaching the final of the Women’s Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.

“I feel comfortable being here. I think the club gives me every opportunity to succeed as a player,” said Kerr.

“I can’t see myself going anywhere else in the world or leaving Europe, having what I have at Chelsea.”

The 28-year-old is no stranger to winning awards, having scooped the Golden Boot for the Barclays Women’s Super League 2020/21 season with 21 goals in 22 matches. It is an accolade she received two previous times as top scorer in the US and Australia, making her the first player to ever win it across three different leagues, in three different continents. She has scored 39 goals in 47 appearances for Chelsea.

She continued: “I don’t go out there to win golden boots, I just go out there to give everything I can to the team and help the team to succeed and win trophies.

“I’m not going to lie, it’s nice when I do win them but that’s not my main goal at the start of the year. It’s a nice reward, but if I won golden boot after golden boot and no trophies, it wouldn’t be that rewarding to me.

“So that’s why last season winning the golden boot and winning the league was really rewarding because finally it meant something.”

The forward is also on the shortlist for the Ballon d’Or for the third time in her career and most recently, was nominated for BBC’s Footballer of the Year for the fourth time.

CAFWCL: Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies joins Hasaacas Ladies for final on penalties shootout

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC of South Africa defeated Malabo Kings of Equatorial Guinea on panalties shootouts in the second semifinal of the maiden TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League on Monday.

The COSAFA champions were unbeaten and the only club that did not conceded a goal in the group stage, winning two of their three games with just two goal scored in all games

With nothing to separate both sides after 90 minutes and additional 30 minutes of extra time which made the game the first match in the history of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League to go into penalties shootouts, and also became the second game without a goal after Mamelodi Sundowns’ last group game against ASFAR FC of Morocco.

Chantelle Esau missed her penalty kick for Mamelodi Sundowns while the duo of Salome Nke and Fanta Florence missed their spot-kicks for Malabo Kings while Zanele Nhlapho, Bambanani Nolufefe Mbane, Nonhlanhla Mthandi, Lerato Kgasago, and Bongiwe Precious Thusi scored their spot kicks for Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC and Bella Rose, Eugenia Bokoka Mosua, Muriellynda Mendoua Abossolo, and Grâce Balongo Mfwamba converted Malabo Kings’ penalty kicks as the South African side recorded a 5-4 win on penalties to book a final date with Hasaacas Ladies FC of Ghana.

https://molatsportgist.sport.blog/2021/11/15/cafwcl-hasaacas-ladies-beat-asfar-to-final-spot/

The shootouts:

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies ; Z. Nhlapho 🟢 B. Mbane 🟢 L. Kgasago 🟢 N. Mthandi 🟢 C. Esau 🔴 B. Thusi 🟢

Malabo Kings; 🟢 R. Bella 🟢 Anaís 🔴 Salomé Nke 🟢 Muriellynda 🟢 Nuria Masa 🔴 F. Florence

‘So like that, you sleep with married men?’ – Hamraoui’s attackers; Abidal and Wife set to be questioned by French police

According to Le Monde, Former Barcelona director of football Eric Abidal, is set to be questioned by the Versailles Juducial Police, in connection to the attack on Paris Saint Germain and French midfielder Kheira Hamraoui on the 4th of November 2021.

The Police have established that the phone sim card on Hamraoui’s phone had been registered under Abidal’s name, which appears to confirm that the two had a close relationship. The Versailles public prosecutor has confirmed that the former full-back will be questioned “soon”, while the possibility of his wife Hayet Abidal being also questioned is “not to be excluded”.

https://molatsportgist.sport.blog/2021/11/13/eric-abidal-the-new-suspect-in-kheira-hamraouis-attack/

Hamraoui, 31, returned to PSG this summer from FC Barcelona. She is rumoured to be in a complicated relationship with the former Barcelona director, Eric Abidal, and has been receiving some weird calls lately before the incident.

According to RMC Sport, the attackers of Kheira Hamraoui during the attack said; “So like that, you sleep with married men?”

CAFWCL: Hasaacas Ladies beat ASFAR to final spot

The unbeaten Hasaacas Ladies of Ghana have qualified for the final of the maiden TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League after beating ASFAR of Morocco 2-1 in first semifinal on Monday at the El-Salam Stadium in Cairo.

ASFAR looked more threatening on the attack but too wasteful to utilized any of their scoring chances.

Sanaa Mssoudy came closed to opening the scoring in the 27th minute but choose the harder option to shoot while her teammate waited in position to tap-in easily.

It was Hasaacas who had the first dance as Doris Boaduwaa headed home from a well taken Perpetual Agyekum’s corner kick in the 36th minute.

Fatima Tagnaout with her impressive run, touches and vision sited an unmarked Najat Badri at the goal mouth who tapped home Tagnaout’s perfect cross to level matters right ahead of the break.

The Ghanaians could’ve taken the lead in the 52nd minute but Veronica Appiah missed the seater as the shoot wide in front of the goal mouth.

Eight minutes later, a dramatic event in the ASFAR box saw VAR called for penalty. Perpetual Agyekum stepped forward to take but hits the upright bar and was still in awe when the rebounds came to her which gave room for the alerted ASFAR defender to clear off her box.

With Hasaacas the better side in the second half, the pressure becomes too unbearable for ASFAR whose defense was caught unguarded in the 78th as Boaduwaa’s brilliant cross reach unmarked Evelyn Badu who calmly headed home the winning goal and her fifth of the tournament.

Hasaacas Ladies FC will face the winner of the second semifinal match between Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC of South Africa and Malabo Kings of Equatorial Guinea in the final game.

CAFWCL: CAF reveals Group stage best XI of the TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) on Sunday revealed the best XI for the group stage matches of the maiden TotalEnergies CAF Women’s Champions League, after 12 games which produced 31 goals.

The team comprises three players each from Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC of South Africa, Hasaacas Ladies FC of Ghana, and ASFAR FC of Morocco and a player each from Malabo Kings of Equatorial Guinea and host, Wadi Degla FC of Egypt completed the list.

Photo credit: CAF online media

Mamelodi Sundowns Ladies FC goalkeeper, Rabalao in goal behind the defensive four of Mbane (Sundowns), Egyir (Hasaacas Ladies), Zanele Nhlapho (Sundowns Ladies), and Pepertual Agyekum (Hasaacas Ladies).

The midfield three is made up of Grace Mfwamba (Malabo Kings), Evelyn Badu (Hasaacas Ladies FC), and Chebbak Ghizlane (ASFAR FC).

Fatima Tagnaout (ASFAR FC), Sanaa Mssoudy (ASFAR FC), and Zachwieja (Wadi Degla FC) complete the front three.