President Kenyatta congratulates Gor Mahia for winning title

President Kenyatta congratulates Gor Mahia for winning title

President Uhuru Kenyatta moved to congratulate celebrating Kenyan Premier League (KPL) champions Gor Mahia on one of his social media pages.

Uhuru’s post came hours after the Green Army retained the title by thumping a hapless Ushuru FC in the final round on Saturday 8 November evening.

Kshs. 4 million
Congratulations Gor Mahia on winning the Kenya Premier League, read the post.

Uhuru's message is not a surprise as he has been doing the same to other sports celebrities.
Gor too carried home a cheque of Kshs. 4 million as award for the winning team.

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Mata lifts United gloom but Van Gaal has plenty to ponder

LONDON, Nov 8 (Reuters) - Juan Mata's sweet strike earned Manchester United a 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday but manager Louis van Gaal was left with plenty to ponder after another unconvincing display.

Van Gaal's fourth Premier League win lifted his team to sixth in the table but they struggled to break down a stubborn Palace defence despite dominating possession at Old Trafford.

Injuries and suspensions forced Van Gaal to field a makeshift central defence of Paddy McNair and Daley Blind and they enjoyed a relatively quiet afternoon against a toothless Palace attack.

"It was a fantastic goal but it was important also," Van Gaal told the BBC.
"It is always difficult to attack against a defending team, who comes here to defend and not attack. You have two rows of four and we created a lot of possibilities.
"I am pleased because we have three points and there is an international break so it was important we closed with a victory."

Mata came on as a second-half substitute for Adnan Januzaj and made an immediate impact before hitting the post late in the game.

"Juan Mata has played a lot of matches," Van Gaal said.

"I have given him the chance, I give other players the chance and at the end we shall see who plays more than the other. It is always like that in football."

United were without five first-choice defenders with Chris Smalling suspended and Phil Jones, Rafael, Jonny Evans and Marcos Rojo injured.

Versatile Dutchman Blind proved a competent partner for the 19-year-old McNair and Michael Carrick started in midfield alongside Marouane Fellaini following his recovery from injury.

"McNair and Blind didn't have to defend too much because we always had the ball," Van Gaal said.

"They only had to defend the long balls but that is difficult because (Marouane) Chamakh and (Fraizer) Campbell are strong headers of the ball."

It was another subdued performance from striker Robin van Persie, captain Wayne Rooney struggled to make an impact and record signing Angel di Maria was withdrawn in favour of young forward James Wilson 20 minutes from time.

Van Gaal will hope to get some defenders back for the trip to Arsenal on Nov. 22 but, after saying it might take three years to restore United to former glories, he has plenty to think about during the two-week international break. (Reporting by Ed Osmond, editing by Mark Meadows)

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Nyamweya Should Quit After Stars Debacle

Nairobi — When the ball left the boot of Serge Gakpe in the 59th minute, the resultant goal sealed the latest mortal blow to Harambee Stars as Togo celebrated advancing to the next phase of 2013 Nations Cup qualifiers.

Once again, that familiar sinking feeling, condemnation and criticism that accompanies each failure of the national football team is upon us.

Once again, the daggers are out for the head coach's head, with 'Kimanzi out' choruses gathering momentum.

Once again, the overlords of the country's game, on this occasion, Football Kenya Federation (FKF) are sitting pretty waiting to wield the axe if need be to mask gross inefficiency.

Once again, we have been forced to go back to the proverbial drawing board eight years since Stars lifted Kenya by qualifying for the 2004 Nations Cup in Tunisia, winning their first match at the tournament when Burkina Faso were beaten 3-1.

Once again, the wags are out in force, with social network sites Facebook and Twitter producing comical gems in mockery of the side that has degenerated to a farce.

"Harambee Stars need a talk from that pastor who prayed for the couple that had kwamanad (stuck)," Rama, on Twitter handle @__RamzZy__ quaffed in reference to the Meru couple who reportedly got stuck during intercourse requiring the services of the man of God to disentangle.

Once again...... You get the point, Stars failure is a sad refrain, the dirge of a nation's pride and totem of our tattered football, pity then the players who are subjected to the torture of wearing the national jersey!

For the umpteenth time, 'sack the coach' will be the magic bullet solution for Stars by FKF mandarins with the targeted effect of whipping up optimism before the next assignment only for the side to revert to type.

Since Jacob 'Ghost' Mulee led Stars to Tunisia 2004, the following men have had the (dis) honour of occupying the poisoned chalice post.

Twahir Muhiddin (2004-05), Mohammed Kheri (2005), Bernard Lama (2006), Tom Olaba (2006), Mulee again (2007-08), Francis Kimanzi (2008-09),Antoine Hey (2009)

Muhiddin once more (2009-10), Mulee for a third time (2010), Zedekiah Otieno (2010-11) and Kimanzi (2011-) for his second stint that if you believe speculation, its about to end.

Those are 11 changes to the man at the helm in eight years; an appalling record that is best proof rapidly replacing head coaches has, is and will never be an answer for Stars.

About an hour after the match in Lome that saw Stars exit the 2013 Nations Cup courtesy of the away goals rule as they surrendered the 2-1 advantage they held from the first leg in Nairobi, an email from FKF vice-president, Sammy Sholei landed in the inbox.

"It is with so much disappointment that I'm forced to call for drastic change on the national team's technical bench," he begun in what sounded all too familiar.

However, the rest of his terse statement managed to nail the maladies affecting Stars, chief among them, lack of proper administration at FKF under Sam Nyamweya, a relic from the previous football management regime that is blamed for sending the game to the dogs at the turn of the century.

Elected as president/chairman in October last year on a reform platform, Nyamweya and his National Executive have gone on to preside over the last rites for Stars.

On top of crashing out of 2013 Afcon, hopes for 2014 World Cup hang on a threat after mustering only a single point from two qualifiers against Malawi and Namibia.

"Honesty is lacking in the federation, people operate unprofessionally, there is no respect, greed is the order of the day, politics within the federation is a culture, there are still groupings in the federation where people elected from one camp do not want to see others," Sholei, a former international continues.

According to him, NEC members hang around FKF headquarters waiting for allowances to be doled out, committees formed to run the game are non functional, corruption is rife in addition to bootlickers getting crucial roles in the set-up at the expense of professionalism.

"It is a wake up call that the chairman should wake up, let us get to work, be honest. We have done more of nothing, no youth football structures plans in place, no basic training for grassroots coaches, no long term plans and none of the committees is active due to non sponsorship even after money for the year was sent by Fifa," the vice-chairman charged.

However, that will not go far enough, it's time for Nyamweya to fire someone, himself.

Source: Capital FM

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Miami Heat Coach Erik Spoelstra is succeeding in a can’t-win job

MIAMI — The Miami Heat’s Erik Spoelstra has virtually no hope of being described as a coaching genius, at least not anytime soon. As Miami takes a 2-1 lead in the NBA Finals into Game 4 here Tuesday night, Spoelstra seems to realize there are only two possible outcomes for him: to be largely overlooked in victory or judged a failure in defeat.

Yet Spoelstra, now in his fourth season as Miami’s coach, has quietly, subtly and maybe even artfully manipulated a team that — for all the attention it has gotten for its Big Three stars — started the playoffs with gigantic holes in its lineup and a perceived late-game confidence problem. And then it lost forward Chris Bosh for nine games.

“He’s done a masterful job,” said Hall of Fame Coach Jack Ramsay, now a commentator for ESPN Radio. “This isn’t the best roster in the world. He’s made that work.”

All season, Spoelstra has tangled with the team’s personnel deficiencies at point guard and center, and a bench Ramsay described as lacking. Though the Heat might have the most talented trio in the league in LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Bosh, it would also be in the running for the weakest in those other areas.

Spoelstra has “been challenged the last two years by a lot of people, but I think he’s been awesome,” James said. “Two straight Finals appearances, and he’s put us in position to win each and every game. . . . He’s been a great coach.”

Unlike former Heat coach Pat Riley, now team president, Spoelstra has never sought to project the attitude of an all-powerful commander in chief. He freely admits he consults constantly with his one-time mentor, talking so frequently the pair resorts to conversations via text messages. 

Players say Spoelstra also seeks their input, even on the sideline in the waning seconds of games. If somebody has a gut feeling about a good call, Spoelstra is as likely to go with that as his own. 

He encourages “players to voice their opinion on certain situations, either at practice or in a game, no matter what the magnitude of the game is,” James said. “As a player you love that.”

Spoelstra, who climbed from video coordinator to assistant coach during Riley’s tenure as head coach, is no pushover, however. When he doesn’t like something, he will say so, and is generally savvy enough to back it up with visual evidence. Players say he still relies on the tool that earned him the notice and respect of Riley.

“He didn’t play in the NBA; as he puts it, he played in a beer league in Germany for a few years,” forward Shane Battier said. “[But] he comes from a background of video coordinator. It’s called the ‘truth tape’ because it doesn’t lie. He’s done a good job of using tape to teach.”

Added Battier: “It’s a fine line. We all respect him as our coach . . . [but] no team in the NBA is completely obedient. The good coaches in this league have a feel for the players. They are able to adjust and allow input without allowing the inmates to run the asylum.”

Asked about how he’s evolved as a coach, Spoelstra shrugged.

Source: washingtonpost.com

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NASCAR: Junior gives lesson in perseverance

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — OK, it’s just one win. The first in four years, no less.And as Tony Stewart pointed out, Dale Earnhardt Jr. returning to Victory Lane doesn’t exactly warrant a national holiday. 

But there is a level of importance to Earnhardt snapping his 143-race losing streak that goes beyond the immediate boost to NASCAR, which has been starving of late for any sort of scintillating story line unrelated to another Kurt Busch meltdown. 

What Earnhardt did Sunday at Michigan International Speedway was a lesson in perseverance, and a teachable moment for parents everywhere. Earnhardt proved that you can hit rock bottom and rise again. 

Some may roll their eyes at this point, perhaps even snicker at the notion that Earnhardt has ever had it very rough. He’s rich, has a secure sponsorship and rock-solid job security with Rick Hendrick, the most powerful owner in NASCAR. 

He also has a very famous last name, an enormous fan base and is the one driver who can absolutely move the needle for NASCAR. It’s a lot of pressure to carry around 11 months a year, particularly when stuck in a never-ending slump. 

It wasn’t just a slump, either. There have been stretches since 2008 where Earnhardt simply wasn’t very good. The first came in 2009, when his five top-10 finishes tied the career-low set in his 2000 rookie season. But he won two races and the All-Star event that first year, and with it came a bravado that overshadowed the on-track inconsistency. 

So 2009 was unlike any other season for NASCAR’s most popular driver, and the hole he fell into was so deep that it took him until Sunday to finally climb out. That season snowballed on him, and tension with cousin Tony Eury Jr. had reached its breaking point by Memorial Day, when Earnhardt quietly slipped in a side door for the driver meeting and stood off to the side among the fans rather than sit with his crew chief. 

Earnhardt finished 40th in the Coca-Cola 600, and Hendrick pulled the trigger a few days later with a much-needed divorce that both Earnhardt and Eury were too emotionally invested to realize themselves. 

A month later, with new crew chief Lance McGrew, he was able to see the toll it had taken.

“I can’t have another year like this. I can’t mentally. I can’t physically. I don’t want to put the people around me through this,” Earnhardt told The Associated Press in a June 2009 interview. “When we were really, really struggling, everybody in the family was upset. Crying and carrying on. All the women were crying, the men we’re cussing. I’m serious. This is our family, Eurys and Earnhardts, racing is our life and it wears on all of them. We can’t put anybody through this (stuff) again. We’ve got to get this right.” 

The relationship was made right, but the performance didn’t improve. 

Part of that was because Earnhardt’s confidence was totally shattered. While he was sputtering along, teammates Jimmie Johnson, Mark Martin and Jeff Gordon combined to win 13 times and finish 1-2-3 in the championship race. No matter how good Earnhardt may be at tuning out the critics, it couldn’t have been easy to look in the mirror when his teammates were proving there was nothing wrong with the equipment. 

And no matter how hard he tried, Earnhardt couldn’t make the relationship with McGrew take off. Earnhardt understands his crew chief is subjected to intense scrutiny from the JR Nation fan club, and he tried to deflect some of it. But as the losses mounted, the vitriol increased, and Hendrick again made a change at the end of the 2010 season. 

Next up was Steve Letarte, who had shouldered more than his share of venom as Gordon’s longtime crew chief. S 

Nobody knew if he could actually pick Earnhardt back up and coach him back to Victory Lane, but that’s the genius of Hendrick, who realized Earnhardt desperately needed someone to restore his confidence. Letarte played the cheerleader role to perfection, and although Earnhardt didn’t win last season, he improved his top-fives and top-10s, and returned to the Chase for the Sprint Cup championship for the first time since 2008. 

It set the stage for this season. Through 15 races, Earnhardt has matched his top-10s from last season, improved his top-fives (he has six after four last year) and his 218 laps led are his most since 2008. 

The turnaround is so impressive that Earnhardt — the guy who just snapped a four-year losing streak — is suddenly considered a viable championship contender. 

That’s what happens when you don’t quit, or bow to the pressure. Earnhardt could have made a pretty nice fortune running around in 15th or so for the rest of his career, collecting paychecks and trophies as the most popular driver. 

Instead, he bought into whatever Letarte sold him at the start of 2011. So what if Earnhardt never wins a Sprint Cup championship? It won’t be for lack of trying.

Source: chicagotribune.com

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Mike Tyson wants his next knockout to be on Broadway

The former boxer announced Monday that he will team with director Spike Lee to bring his one-man show, “Mike Tyson: Undisputed Truth,” to the Longacre Theatre for six nights only, July 31 to Aug. 5. 

The show, a raw confessional on the highs and lows of the life of the retired heavyweight and tabloid target, will mark both Tyson’s and Lee’s debut on Broadway. It made its debut in April for a weeklong run at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. 

 “I’m very vulnerable and I’m just telling you who I am and where I’m from and how this happened,” Tyson said at a news conference at the Longacre, wearing white pants, a white shirt and a gray jacket. 

 Tyson, like Lee a Brooklyn native, became the youngest heavyweight champion in 1986, when he won his title as a 20-year-old. His life since then has been marred by accusations of domestic violence, rape and drug use. 

 “It takes courage to get in the ring,” said Lee, who urges theatergoers to have an open mind when it comes to the work. “But it takes courage to get on the stage.” 

 Tyson, 46, said he was inspired to do a one-man show after watching Chazz Palminteri tell stories about growing up in his show “A Bronx Tale.” The boxer said: “I’m really just excited about this genre here.” 

 Tyson said that the show would be “raw” and “filthy” and that he would show his vulnerable side. It will include tales about his stormy marriage to actress Robin Givens, his time in prison, his relationship with his trainer and surrogate father, Cus D’Amato, and the time he spent in a psychiatric clinic as a result of his addiction to cocaine. One story sure to return is one in which he spotted Givens returning to her home in his car with Brad Pitt. 

 Lee is the director behind such films as “Do the Right Thing,” “Malcolm X” and “Inside Man,” and his films make bold statements about race relations in the United States. He said he saw a DVD recording of Tyson’s show in Las Vegas and immediately signed up. The pair will start work on it after the July Fourth holiday. 

 “It’s a great story and he tells it masterfully,” said Lee, who calls it a tale of redemption that only needs some tweaking from the Vegas edition. “He’s lifted himself off the canvas.” 

 Tyson began boxing in a facility for juvenile delinquents in upstate New York at the age of 12. Eight years later, he became the youngest heavyweight champion ever when he knocked out Trevor Berbick. 

 But in 1990, he was defeated by James “Buster” Douglas in one of the biggest upsets in boxing history, and soon after he was convicted of raping a beauty pageant contestant in Indianapolis. Tyson, who still denies he raped the woman, served three years in prison. 

 As his career continued, so did his bizarre behavior. He bit off a piece of Evander Holyfield’s ear during a boxing match and once threatened to eat the children of heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. 

 Over the past few years, there have been charges of cocaine possession, driving under the influence, scuffles with photographers, parts in films like “The Hangover” franchise and tragedy, including the accidental death of his 4-year-old daughter, Exodus. He said he’s been clean and happily remarried for the past few years. 

 His show follows a line of recent one-man shows to hit Broadway, including ones by William Shatner, Hugh Jackman and Kathy Griffin. They’re cheaper than a full-blown production and more flexible, both godsends to theater owners with empty venues. Tickets for Tyson’s show are priced $75 to $199, with VIP tickets going for $300.

Source: dailytribune.com

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Chaos Rock Gor Mahia vs AFC Football Match

Kenyan football once again was at the brink at Nyayo National Stadium as Gor Mahia and archrivals AFC played to a tempestuous barren draw on Sunday.

With 20 minutes to go, the match that saw both sides go at each other in the fixture variously known as 'Kenyan Derby' or 'Shemeji (In-laws) Derby' turned on its head when referee Davies Omweno sent-off Gor's Victor Ali for a dangerous two-footed lunge at Leopard's Amon Muchiri.

Some Gor supporters enraged by the decision began rioting in the stands, pelting the pitch with missiles before security forces lobbed tear gas canisters to clear them from the stadium.

Gor Mahia goalkeeper Wycliffe Kasaya and captain Moses Odhiambo averted what could have been an abandoned Kenyan Premier League derby as K’Ogalo and AFC Leopards played to a barren draw on Sunday

Elsewhere, Thika United beat Sony Sugar 1-0 in Thika while Sofapaka edged Western Stima 2-1.

The hype ahead of the Gor vs AFC game was massive, the crowd big and the excitement at its best but the game failed to live to its expectations.

Referee Davies Omweno sent off Victor Ali with 20 minutes of the game remaining and Gor fans, unamused, started hurling stones into the pitch.

Play was stopped for 15 minutes, it seemed the game won’t continue but Kasaya showed leadership advising players to collect the stones from the pitch and ask the fans to calm down. It worked.

Matchwise, there was nothing to write home about in this 71st derby as both sides played a cautious game.

Attack-oriented

There were no chances, Gor were stronger in the midfield, Leopards were more attack-oriented trying their luck from the wings.

Allan Wanga who has been on form could not go past David Owino and Musa Mohammed in defence.

It was Gor’s fourth point, after three successive defeats in the hands of Muhoroni Youth, Karuturi Sports and Tusker.

Eric Masika, a former Gor Mahia player giving his heart out at the center of the Leopards defence.

Gor coach John “Bobby” Ogolla and Leopards tactician Jan Koops were fine with the result.

“We had gone through so much problems but today the players played their hearts out. Im fine with the result. Thanks to the boys,’’ said Ogolla.

And Koops said: “It’s a derby, Gor is a big team and they gave their best. Leopards too worked their best. I’m happy.’’

In Thika, Dennis Odhiambo scored the lone goal as hosts Thika United beat Sony Sugar 1-0. Thika were arguably the better team taking advantage of a fatigued Sony.

Thika had three good attempts in the first half with their strikers Francis Kahata, Kepha Aswani and Moses Arita blasting wide.

Daily Nation

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Ghana Qualified for semis at Africa Cup of Nations Ghana 2-1 Tunisia

Ghana qualified for the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations after edging past Tunisia 2-1, following extra-time. 

Black Stars captain John Mensah put his side ahead after nine minutes, before Sabeur Khalifa equalised for Tunisia just before half-time. 

The game ended 1-1 after 90 minutes, and remained level until a Tunisia mistake gifted Ghana the winner. 

Carthage Eagles goalkeeper Aymen Mahtlouthi spilled a cross for Andre 'Dede' Ayew's to tap home.
Ghana had started brightly with Mensah marking his return from suspension and injury by heading strongly from a corner into the Tunisian net from close range.
Tunisia struggled to find their feet in the game early on, but had a penalty turned down, after the Ghana defence were caught napping. 

Youssef Msakni took a free-kick quickly from midway in the Ghana half to Khalifa, who was helped off the ball by Samuel Inkoom in the area, only for the referee to wave away Tunisian appeals.

DID YOU KNOW?

Ghana have never lost to Tunisia in a Nations Cup match 

But it served Ghana with a warning, which was quickly followed by an equaliser for Tunisia.

Zouhaier Dhaouadi chipped in a delicious cross to the back post for Khalifa, who headed in decisively past the diving Adam Kwarasey in the Ghana goal. 

The second-half was a tight affair with both sides trying to edge ahead, but unable to create enough openings.
Asamoah Gyan tried to get in on the action but struggled to get the better of Ayman Abdennour in the Tunisian defence, who marshalled the Al Ain man well all night. 

Tunisian substitute Issam Jemaa then unleashed a fierce shot, which Kwarasey palmed away at the near post.
Neither side was able to break the deadlock, as extra-time was need for the second quarter-final in a row, after Gabon and Mali's tie had also ended 1-1 earlier in the day, with penalties eventually deciding that game. 

And Tunisia had the ball in the net almost immediately in extra-time through Issam Jemaa, but he was adjudged just off-side. 

But with the game on a knife-edge, Mahtlouthi's mistake handed the lead to Ghana.
The Tunisia keeper, who had been excellent all night in goal for the Tunisians, dropped the ball horribly from a harmless cross to the far post from Emmanuel Agyemang Badu, right in front of Ayew, who tapped in gratefully. 

The Tunisians struggled to recover and could not find a reply, with the game becoming heated towards the end of extra-time, after Aymen Abdennour's elbow on Ayew earned him a red card.
The Black Stars held out to progress, as they look to end a 30-year wait for another Nations Cup triumph, and will take on Zambia in Bata in the first semi-final on Wednesday.
Mali and Ivory Coast will meet in the second semi-final in Libreville, also on Wednesday.

By Stephen Fottrell BBC Sport

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Gabon 1-1 Mali (Mali win 5-4 on penalties)

Mali edged through to the Africa Cup of Nations semi-finals after beating co-hosts Gabon 5-4 on penalties. 

The game had finished 1-1 after Mali's Tidiane Diabate cancelled out Eric Mouloungui's opener with five minutes left on the clock. 

Neither side could break the deadlock in extra-time, and Mali knocked out the co-hosts after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed his spot-kick. 

Mali will now meet Ivory Coast in the last four in Libreville on Wednesday.
Gabon, who are co-hosting the tournament with Equatorial Guinea and have never reached the semi-finals, had looked on course for their fourth successive win at the tournament when Mouloungui scored from a pull-back pass from team-mate Aubameyang. 

Earlier in the game, the Gabonese had squandered a host of chances as Aubameyang and captain Daniel Cousin both saw their shots bounce back off the post. 

Mali, whose defence looked disorganised for much of the game, created few chances but might have equalised had Modibo Maiga not scuffed his shot. 

However, the visitors snatched an equaliser when substitute Diabate struck in the 85th minute.
After extra-time passed without any goals, Seydou Keita scored the decisive kick in the shoot-out after Aubameyang had his effort saved. 

The loss silenced the Libreville crowd, who had seen their team come within just minutes of a last-four place for the first time. 

Mali and Barcelona midfielder Keita admitted his side's victory was not attractive, but that his team had done well to overcome the determined co-hosts. 

"It was not easy but we have reached the semi-finals," Keita said.
"It was not Barcelona or Brazil but we worked within our capabilities." 

Gabon coach Gernot Rohr, meanwhile, rued his team's missed opportunities, particularly Cousin and Aubameyang's efforts which hit the woodwork. 

"Had those two chances gone in, it might have been a different result," Rohr said.
"It's very disappointing to lose in this way."

By Stephen Fottrell BBC Sport

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Nations Cup Burkina Faso 1-2 Angola

After an uneventful first period, Angola took the lead when Mateus took advantage of poor defending to slam a shot in the bottom corner. 

Alain Traore then equalised with a curling free-kick from 25 yards. 

But former Manchester United striker Manucho nipped in to dispossess the Burkina Faso defence and smashed a left-footed shot in from 20 yards. 

The goal from the 28-year-old, who also had a loan spell at Hull City, puts the Palancas Negras top of Group B after Ivory Coast beat Sudan 1-0 earlier on Sunday. 

Burkina Faso only had their place in the tournament confirmed on 10 January after claims from Namibia that they fielded an ineligible player in qualifying.

Yet despite the defeat they will be content that they have at least scored, having failed to do so in four of their last five tournaments.

They will be less than pleased with the defending by Bakary Kone in the build-up to Mateus's opener when the Burkinabe defender decided to juggle the ball in his own box after a cross from the left, before losing it.

The Angolan latched onto the Lyon player's poor clearance, cut inside from the right and buried the ball in the far corner on 48 minutes.

Burkina's keeper Daouda Diakite was perhaps at fault 11 minutes later, when Auxerre forward Traore struck a superb set-piece ball into the same side of the goal where he was standing.

But that was soon forgotten when Manucho picked the pockets of an unaware Burkinabe defence to find the corner of the net from outside the box. 

The Stallions skipper Moumouni Dagano had chances to draw level late on but his best opportunity from a header was straight at the Angolan keeper.

Source: BBC

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Africa Cup of Nations - Ivory Coast 1-0 Sudan

Captain Didier Drogba powerfully headed in from Salomon Kalou's cross but it was not a convincing display from one of the pre-tournament favourites. 

Sudan will be happy with their performance as they frustrated an Ivory coast side that included an array of European-based stars. 

Ivory Coast will hope to do better in their next game against Burkina Faso.
Right from kick-off, it was obvious that Sudan had set up to disrupt the Ivorian's flow of play.
The Nile Crocodiles, 120th in Fifa's world rankings, seemed content to sit behind the ball and soak up the pressure when the Elephants came forward. 

On the few times that the Ivorians managed to get the ball into Sudan's 18-yard box, they were wasteful with their final ball, with Arsenal forward Gervinho missing a good chance early on.
It took Ivory Coast a while to get into their rhythm, and although they strung some good passes together in midfield, they were less threatening in the final third of the park. 

But just as it looked like both teams would go into the interval level, Drogba rose to meet a brilliant cross from Kalou and beat Elmuez Maghoub in the Sudanese goal for his 51st international goal. 

Sudan came out in the second half more attack minded and were almost rewarded when Eltaib Mudather's cracking shot was turned onto the crossbar by Ivory Coast goalkeeper Boubacar Barry.
Mudather, who was getting more dangerous as they game wore on, saw another shot go narrowly wide, while at the other end Gervinho and Drogba both hit shots well wide. 

The Elephants will be content to win their first Group B game but have much to improve on if they are to live up to their pre-tournament billing.

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Barcelona tops with 1-0 win during backside section Sports Gijon

Barcelona moved top rated with La Liga which has an unimpressive 1-0 succeed during backside section Sports Gijon Thursday.

A reigning Real spanish plus Euro champs would not deliver its standard make of absolutely free coursing terrorized baseball from obdurate attackers who seem to belied the form who has found these folks purchase just one single factor this coming year.

By using top rated scorer Lionel Messi well-shackled, Barca's exclusively intention came out just after 12 a matter of minutes through the deflected taken by way of Adriano they usually lagged to use in its tally.

Eric Abidal moved out of seriously injured following on from the break up to use in Barcelona's preventative failures of or Carlos Puyol and also Gerard Pique establishing.

Midfielder Cesc Fabregas is likewise sidelined for an estimated some many days by pain.

Sports forex broker Manolo Preciado includes can come pressurized owing to terrible success, nonetheless her company proved people are capable of upgrading a family table, that is certainly lead by way of Barcelona for intention variance out of Levante.

Unheralded Levante obtained prior properly secured your 4 . effective wining for a Juanlu Gomez intention gifted these folks your 1-0 conquer Serious Betis.

Publicized Betis obtained acquired its initially three activities so that you can top rated the early rankings, nonetheless ended up being going down to the secondly instantly control.

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11:29 PM | 0 comments | Read More