Archived News - 12th Dec 2006
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Zambia crowned Cecafa champions
Southern Africans Zambia have- confusingly- been crowned Central African Champions after defeating Sudan 11-10 on penalties at the weekend. Sudan were allowed to take home the trophy, however, as their conquerors withdrew their permanent membership of the Council of East and Central African Football Associations some time ago, in order to represent the Confederation of Southern African Football Associations instead.
Zambia, along with Malawi, were invited back to the annual event to add competitiveness to the regional competition in Addis Ababa- and the Chipolopolo succeeded in doing just that.
The game ended 0-0 after 120 minutes but Zambia could have won the game in regulation time with a bit more luck in front of goal. Mark Sinyankwe nearly put Zambia in the lead in the 8th minute but his free kick struck the crossbar. Given Sinkuluma's strike after 65 minutes was expertly saved by Sudan keeper Elmoiz Mahgoub.
Goalkeeper George Kolala emerged the hero for the Chipolopolo, however, saving the penalty kicks from Haytham Kamal and Mohamed Omar in the shoot-out, before Noel Mwandila scored the winning penalty for the southern Africans.
The Cesafa tournament, Africa's oldest tournament, has been renamed the Al Amoudi Senior Challenge Cup in honour of its sponspor Hussein Al Amoudi.
The wealthy Ethopian is providing $1.5m over two years to stage the showpiece.
Zambia, with a $30,000 first prize, and Sudan, who earned $10,000,were rewarded handsomely in their march to the final.
Congo gears up for African Under-20 Cup
The final stages of preparation for the second most prestigious international competition on the African continent are under way in Congo as the bulging West African nation gets ready to host the African Under-20 Cup.
The pan-African tournament, which will also determine the qualifiers for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Canada next summer, kicks off on January 20th and runs for two weeks.
Eight teams have been divided into two groups of four. Group A consists of the Congolese hosts, debutants The Gambia, Cote d'Ivoire and Burkina Faso, while Group B features defending champions Nigeria alongside Egypt, Cameroon and Zambia.
At the conclusion of the matches of both groups, the first and second of each group qualify for the Fifa Under-20 World Cup. Semi-Finals and a Final will take place in the capital Brazzaville to determine the African Championships, and with it the continental bragging rights.
Carthage Eagles Stand To Get Wings Clipped by Fifa
Tunisia face exclusion from all Fifa competition within three weeks unless they hastily arrange for legislation to be rushed thought the country’s football federation. That is the grim scenario facing Roger Lemerre’s Carthage Eagles due to the TFF’s barely plausible reticence to arrange elections for a new president, after football’s world governing body gave the national FA a December 31st deadline back in August.
Fifa annulled the powers of the FTF’s government-appointed president Ali Labiedh in the summer and gave vice-president Kamal Ben Amor (who IS an eleceted official) six months to arrange for an election to swear in a new leader and 15 new board members.
With the deadline fast approaching, no FTF meeting has been scheduled and fears are growing that the Fifa may be forced to take drastic action against the Germany 2006 finalists.
Under current Tunisian statutes, the majority of the body's Board are elected by professional clubs while a third are directly appointed by the Sports Minister.
Aware that this procedure contravenes Fifa statutes, the government of the north African country has amended some articles of the existing legislation governing all sports federations in the country.
Last week, Parliament ratified the new laws which while preserving the principle of 'appointing a part of a federation's board', give the Sports Minister 'the prerogative to decide exceptions whenever he sees it needed'.
The new rules mean that the FTF president should now be elected by the 15-member Board and not the professional clubs, as has been the case thus far.
The clock is ticking for the FTF to vote on a new president however, with barely a fortnight to go before the deadline passes.
Please forward all press releases and feature ideas to Barney Cullum on barney@newafricansoccer.co.uk