Sports
TOGO DISBANDS SOCCER TEAM
Togo has sacked the Executive Committee of its soccer federation and disbanded the national squad following its poor performance in the African Nations Cup in Ivory Coast.Their West German coach Gottlieb Goeller has also been sacked.
A government statement said the team had "badly let down their homeland....through lack of fighting spirit."
Togo, billed as a possible outsider in the cup following a home victory over Ghana, shortly before the competition, lost all its matches, scoring one goal and conceding seven in three games.
Nigeria's defeat was predicted
A bitter and angry Abdou Saleh Al Wahsh, the Egyptian team manager, blamed Gambian referee Doudou Njiaye for his team's defeat by Nigeria in the semi-final of the African Nations Soccer Cup.He told newsmen that Njiaye's 43rd minute penalty decision that hauled a Nigerian team 2-0 down and looking well beaten back into the match was outrageous.
We were convinced at the time, like everybody else in the stadium, that it was never a penalty," he said. "We watched a slow motion replay on video and we know we were absolutely right."
After that, my players were convinced that the referee was on the Nigerian side and they were scared to press anything because whenever they did a free-kick went to the Nigerians," he said.
"That decision changed the whole nature of the match. It gave every advantage to the Nigerians. It is a pity we can do nothing about it." he said. Al-Wahsh said that what hurt most was losing to an inferior team. "The Nigerians are not a bad side but on the level of skill I put them in the same category as Togo and Malawi", the teams that finished bottom of the four team first round groups, he said. He predicted, "The Camerounians are a very good side and I expect them to beat the Nigerians by three or four goals in the final," he added. Egypt beat Cameroun 1-0 in their opening first round match, but Cameroun eventually won the cup beating Nigeria 3-1 in the finals.
The only exception is that Kotoko will have to shift grounds from the Kumasi Sports Stadium when they play host only in the second leg final match.
Cameroun celebrate victory
Monday March 19th was declared a work-free day in Cameroun to allow their citizens to celebrate the victory of the national team, "Indomitable lions". The team was welcomed by President Paul Biya to Yaounde on that day.Trophy for Egypt
Egypt, who were beaten 3-1 to the fourth place by Algeria, were awarded the fair-play trophy by the African Football Confederation for their discipline. Egyptian skipper Mahmoud Elkhatib who received the trophy also presented the Ivorian President, Houphouet-Boigny, a portrait of the postponed. latter, to thank him for the brilliant success of "Cote-D'Ivoire 84".Kotoko can play at Kumasi
Despite the ban on the Kumasi stadium, champion club, Asante Kotoko can play virtually all their African clubs cup matches at their home ground.The only exception is that Kotoko will have to shift grounds from the Kumasi Sports Stadium when they play host only in the second leg final match.
Ghanaian boxers in Korea
Three Ghanian professional boxers, bantamweight Kid Sumaila, featherweight Baba Sumaila are in the Republic of Korea to engage in three fights in Seoul and other Korean cities between April 1 and 8.They are accompanied by their promoter Kwame Opong Frempong and trainer C. K. Allotey. Kid Sumaila is expected to meet Lee Sung-Hun, ranked by the WBC while Musah will take on another WBC seventh ranked super featherweight Lee-Il-Bok.
Baba's opponent is Lin Hong Kyu, the oriental and Pacific Federation junior lightweight.
League starts in Nigeria
New Nigerian Bank Football club of Benin beat Raccah Rovers of Kano 1-0 to usher in the national league.In another national league Division two curtain raiser Debutank NNPC of Warri lost 0-1 to the Standard Footbal Club of Jos. Defending League champions IICC Shooting Stars of Ibadan had their match
Doubts over forces team
Grave doubts have arisen about Nigeria's chances at the 36th Annual World Military Boxing Champioships following the massacre of the armed forces select side by the National Olympic Reserves.The armed forces who are preparing for the championships scheduled for Uganda next month were beaten 7-3.
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