Archived News - 15th Apr 2007

African Cup of Nations News

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Archived News

Oak Fend of Lions To Grab Ghanaian Premiership

Accra’s Hearts of Oak's secured the Ghanaian Premiership with a 2-1 victory over Heart of Lions on Saturday. The Phobians scored once in each half to stretch their lead on the league summit to seven and beyond the reach of closest rivals, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, with their being just two match days remaining.

Hearts of Oak are now on 55 points, while Kotoko remain on 48 after losing 1-2 to Hasaacas at Sunyani.

Hearts, who have limped over the finishing line with some tired displays recently, went ahead in the tenth minutes from the penalty spot, courtesy of a Stanley Afedzie strike after Ekow Ghansah was upended in the visitors' penalty box.

Ghansah went on to score himself in the second half before Lions got a consolation that was the least their dominance had deserved in an impressive showing.

Squatters Told To Make Way for 2010 World Cup

Tens of thousands of South Africa's poorest people face eviction from inner-city suburbs across the country ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

The country's Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA) recently allowed Johannesburg City, which has two world-cup stadiums, to evict 300 squatters from inner-city buildings classified as unsafe by the Johannesburg municipality.

Johannesburg has evicted thousands of the country's poorest people from 125 buildings since the 2001 launch of its urban renewal plan for 235 buildings on its list of 'bad buildings', mainly hotel and apartment block construction and refurbishment.

The eviction process was forced to cease after a High Court decision in favour of the squatters in March 2006, when their legal team successfully argued that eviction would make their clients homeless because there was no clear strategy to provide them with adequate alternate accommodation. However, the city council appealed the High Court decision.

Last month, Appeals Judge Louis Harms ruled that the city's notice for the squatters to vacate the derelict apartment block and residential buildings in the inner-city suburb of Berea, on the grounds of fire and health hazards, to be neither unconstitutional nor otherwise unlawful.

"Moreover, the obligation of the occupiers to comply with that order is not dependent upon their being provided with alternative accommodation, even if the effect of complying with the order will be that they are left without access to adequate housing," the judgment read. The SCA also ordered the city to offer those evicted relocation to a temporary settlement area.

Kenya Push Fifa’s Patience To The Limit

Despite being welcomed back into the international football fold just last month, the Kenya Football Federation are facing another threat of suspension from Fifa as a result of renewed allegations of political interference in the game.

The Kenyan government is said to be planning a “caretaker committee” to run the federation on a temporary basis until the next annual general meeting is held.

Fifa have acted on this latest development by writing to the Confederation of African Football (Caf) warning that the East African country could again face suspension.

"This is unbelievable," Fifa's presidential delegate for special affairs, Jerome Champagne said in the letter.

"I discussed this issue this morning again with the Fifa president Sepp Blatter and he is furious.

"Once again, a governmental structure (the sports commissioner and the registrar's office) intervened in spite of all statements [promising to allow independence].

"Mr Blatter even mentioned a new suspension to be brought to the Fifa congress."

Kenya was banned from international competitions last October after the Federation failed to honour signed agreements ANF infighting over two relegated Kenyan Premier League clubs and their refusal to accept demotion.

"All this confusion is just created for the sake of trying to save two clubs and to damage every effort to rebuild," said Champagne.

"I really wonder whether (they) will ever learn anything."

DR Congo To Play CAN Qualifier This Month

DR Congo will play their 2008 African Nations Cup qualifier against Ethiopia later this month- after the tie was postponed from its original Fifa approved date for international friendlies in March. The Group Ten clash will now take place on April 29 in Kinshasa.

The match was postponed in March as a result of insecurity in the DR Congo capital after differences emerged between the army and members of the military guard.

DR Congo are unlikely to secure the release of their European based players as the majority will be engaged with club commitments at the business end of the season.

"We should be realistic by lining up home-based players who are available," coach Henri Depireux said.

DR Congo share four points each with Libya at the top of the group though the Simbas have an inferior goal difference.

Namibia and Ethiopia share three points each at the bottom of the group.

Please forward all press releases and feature ideas to Barney Cullum on barney@newafricansoccer.co.uk