LUANDA: The five leading cast members at the Africa Cup of Nations suffered varying degrees of stage fright during Act I of the competition. Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Ghana and Algeria all eventually made it into the quarter-finals but each of the quintet experienced a World Cup reality check along the way. The first of …

LUANDA: Seldom does a player languishing in the backwaters of the French second division hog the international headlines but then Andre Ayew is no average player. Dede Ayew sent Ghana into the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals with his first half goal against Burkina Faso on Tuesday to do his famous father proud. Ayew senior, …

BENGUELA: Six-time champions Egypt defeated Benin 2-0 on Wednesday to extend their unbeaten run in the Africa Cup of Nations to 15 games and qualify for the last eight. The victory also meant that the Pharaohs finished top of Group C with a maximum nine points and will face the second-placed team in Group D …

MAPUTO: The head of Mozambique s national football association said coach Mart Nooij will be fired after the team failed to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals in Angola, state media said Thursday. Speaking in Lubango, after the Mambas 3-0 loss to Nigeria on Wednesday, Feizal Sidat, president of the Mozambican Football Federation, said …

LUBANGO: Russia-based Osaze Odemwingie scored just before and after half-time as Nigeria beat Mozambique 3-0 on Wednesday to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The midfielder from Lokomotiv Moscow was given time and space in the final minute of the opening half at Tundavala Stadium in this southern Angola town to rifle a low …

BENGUELA: African champions Egypt will take on their European counterparts Spain in a pre-World Cup friendly in June at a venue yet to be agreed on by the teams, officials have disclosed. Egypt Football Association (EFA) President Samir Zaher told reporters here that the Pharaohs have accepted to face Spain on June 4 at a …

CAIRO: Ahly star Mohamed Abou-Trika could make his comeback from injury by mid-February, following his long-term absence. The talismanic playmaker is currently in Germany to see a consultant about his metatarsal problem, which forced him to miss the African Cup of Nations. News from Germany is positive. Abou-Trika should begin rehab immediately, the 32-year-old’s spokesman …

LUBANGO: African superstar Samuel Eto o is banking on fighting spirit driving Cameroon into the Cup of Nations quarter-finals on Thursday. The “Indomitable Lions tackle fellow former champions Tunisia at the new 20,000-seat Tundavala Stadium in this southern Angola town and the stakes are sky high. Victory for four-time title holders Cameroon over the “Carthage …

LUANDA: Ghana defeated 10-man Burkina Faso 1-0 here on Tuesday to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The World Cup qualifiers and four-time continental champions will now face hosts Angola here at the November 11 Stadium on Sunday for a place in the semi-finals. After their opening 3-1 defeat to favorites Ivory Coast this …

CAIRO: Hull City new boy Amr Zaki is adamant that Ahmed “Mido Hossam has what it takes to be in the English Premier League once again. Mido, who is on loan at Zamalek from Middlesbrough, is hoping to make his Premier League return in January after failing to do so last summer. Mido is an …

BENGUELA: Zambia have to beat high-flying Gabon here on Thursday to reach the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. Zambia are bottom of Group D with a point from two matches, but victory at the Ombaka Stadium could well take them to their first last-eight spot since 1996. On Thursday we play against Gabon and we …

CABINDA: Mali scored twice within three minutes of the kick-off en route to an ultimately meaningless 3-1 victory over Malawi in an Africa Cup of Nations Group A match on Monday. Hosts Angola topped the mini-league after a goalless Luanda draw with Algeria, who finished level on four points with Mali but reached the quarter-finals …

LUANDA: Mali have lodged an official protest over what they describe as the complete non-match between Angola and Algeria which knocked them out of the Africa Cup of Nations. The hosts and Algeria played out a goalless draw on Monday to send both sides into the quarter-finals from Group A at the expense of Mali. …

LUANDA: Angola and Algeria became the latest teams to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals after a 0-0 draw here on Monday. The split result suited both teams perfectly, with Angola going through as Group A winners on five points and Algeria as runners-up on four points. Mali, who beat Malawi in the …

BENGUELA: The Africa Cup of Nations Group C game between Egypt and Benin here on Wednesday will match the continent s heavyweights up against the underdogs, who are fired-up to get their first-ever win in the competition. The Squirrels are third in Group C with a point from two matches, but still have a chance …

LUBANGO: Shuaibu Amodu faces the man who could succeed him as coach of Nigeria when they play Mozambique in a key Africa Cup of Nations game at Tundavala Stadium on Wednesday. Reports have linked Mart Nooij from the Netherlands with the awesome task of leading Nigeria against Argentina, Greece and South Korea at the 2010 …

BENGUELA: Champions Egypt will rest several key stars including goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary in Wednesday s final Africa Cup of Nations Group C match against Benin here. Egypt coach, Hassan Shehata, disclosed that he plans to rest some of his top stars, while giving some others a chance to stake a claim for a place in …

BENGUELA: Nigeria are set for a big pay day with each player guaranteed at least $88,500 should they win their third Africa Cup of Nations here in Angola, officials have disclosed. The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) have already announced that each player will get $30,000 if they qualify the team to the knockout stage of …

LUANDA: No calculators are needed to work out the task facing Ghana in Tuesday s final Group B game – a win and nothing else is required against Burkina Faso if the four-time champions are to make it through to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The Black Stars are sweating on the results of …

BEGUELA: Egypt will fine Borussia Dortmund striker Mohamed Zidan after he reacted angrily to being substituted during his team s 2-0 African Cup of Nations win over Mozambique. Zidan refused to shake the hand of his replacement Ahmed Eid as he left the pitch after 60 minutes of Saturday s game. He also threw his …

LUBANGO: Cameroon edged Zambia 3-2 in an Africa Cup of Nations Group D thriller at Tundavala Stadium on Sunday to revive hopes of winning the tournament for a fifth time. Substitute Mohamadou Idrissou headed the 86th-minute winner to complete a late scoring flurry in which Cameroon struck twice within five minutes to snatch the lead …

HULL: Egypt s Amr Zaki is set to return to the English Premier League in a loan spell with Hull until the end of the season, subject to receiving a work permit, the top-flight strugglers said Monday. Zaki, who scored 11 Premier League goals for Wigan during a loan spell last term, will be joining …

LUANDA: Angola’s football players may have their names on the back of the shirts worn by their fans but the real star of the side is their Portuguese coach Manuel Jose. Plucked to lead Angola from a glittering run at Egypt’s Al Ahly, where he won 19 titles in six years, Jose carries on his …

BENGUELA: Two-time defending champion Egypt advanced to the quarterfinals of the African Cup of Nations, beating Mozambique 2-0 Saturday after an own-goal from Dario Khan and a strike from substitute Mohammed Gedo. Mozambique defender Khan put Ahmed Fathi s cross into his own net in the 47th minute. Gedo struck a left-footed volley in the …

CAIRO: Hull City manager Phil Brown confirmed his interest in Zamalek striker Amr Zaki regarding a loan move in January. He is a player we are interested in. But I also spoke to another international player on Friday night, Brown said after Saturday s draw at Tottenham. Zamalek said over the weekend that they have …

BENGUELA: Yakubu Aiyegbeni revived Nigeria s hopes of reaching the African Cup of Nations quarterfinals, scoring a penalty in a 1-0 win over Benin in Group C on Saturday. Nigeria, which has qualified for the World Cup in June, secured its first victory in the continental tournament following a 3-1 loss to Egypt. Nigeria now …

CABINDA: Mali will miss midfield ace Mahamadou Diarra when they face Malawi Monday in a make-or-break Africa Cup of Nations Group A clash. The Real Madrid star was cautioned when the Eagles from west Africa drew 4-4 with Angola and lost 1-0 to Algeria in Luanda and must serve an automatic one-match suspension. Diarra, Seydou …

LUANDA: Angola go into Monday s decisive Group A game against Algeria safe in the knowledge that a draw will be enough to see them progress to the Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals. The table-topping hosts have four points and are sitting pretty as even defeat would see them go through if Mali beat Malawi …

BENGUELA: Six-time champions Egypt hope to have a foot into the next round of the Africa Cup of Nations with a win over Mozambique in a Group C fixture at the Ombaka Stadium here on Saturday. The Pharaohs got off to a winning start in Angola against Nigeria, regarded by most as their closest rivals …