Sports

Nigeria, Togo battle for star striker, Gift Orban

Published

7 months ago

October 10, 2023

Nigeria and its west African neighbour, Togo are poised for a battle to get star striker, Gift Orban to either play for the Super Eagles or The Sparrowhawks.

The tug of war for the KAA Gent of Belgium hitman was ignited after the Togo Football Federation took steps to halt Orban’s involvement with the Nigerian national team following his earlier call-up to be part of the set-up for the final AFCON 2023 match against Sao Tome and Principe.

The call-up of Orban, who had a sensational season with Genk with his free scoring streak, led the Togolese federation to write the Nigerian federation against further invitation of Orban as he is Togolese, despite his father being a Nigerian.

The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) allegedly received the correspondence from the Togolese FA asserting that Orban is, in fact, of Togolese nationality and, therefore, eligible to represent Togo in international competitions.

The NFF, according to sources, has also tried to play down the conflict and avoid potential faceoff with FIFA regulations by not inviting Orban for upcoming friendly matches with Saudi Arabia and Zimbabwe until the imbroglio is sorted out.

Orban himself is said to be keen to play for the star-studded Super Eagles alongside star players like Victor Osimhen, Victor Boniface, Alex Iwobi, Wildred Ndidi, Kelechi Iheanacho, amongst others.

The forward has publicly acknowledged his father’s roots in Benue State, while his mother hails from Togo, making him eligible to play for any of Nigeria or Togo.

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

4 hours ago

April 27, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Two of Africa’s club giants, Egypt’s Al Ahly and Esperance of Tunisia, will do battle next month over two legs for the right to be crowned champions of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League.

Title-holders Al Ahly and their long-standing rivals Esperance both booked their places in the final with dramatic semi-final victories over DR Congo”s TP Mazembe and Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa respectively on Friday night.

While Al Ahly, winners of five of the last seven editions of the continent’s top draw tournament, with a record 11 in total, overcame TP Mazembe with a 3-0 aggregate victory in the semi-final second leg after a goalless first leg last Saturday, Esperance surprised Sundowns with a 1-0 victory in Pretoria to wrap up a 2-0 aggregate win.

The two-legged final will mark the third encounter between Ahly and Esperance in the Champions League final, with the Egyptians winning in 2012 and the Tunisians triumphing in 2018.

In 2023, the two clubs clashed in the semi-finals with Ahly emerging victorious home and away, securing a 4-0 aggregate triumph.

Esperance who are aiming for a fifth Champions League title, will host the first leg in Rades on May 18, with the return fixture scheduled in Cairo seven days later.

Sports

Former Zambian captain Rainford Kalaba discharged from hospital after near-fatal accident

Published

1 day ago

April 26, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Former Zambian national team captain, Rainford Kalaba, has been discharged from hospital weeks after he was involved in a near-fatal accident where he sustained serious injuries.

The accident which involved a head-on collision between a Mercedes-Benz car in which Kalaba was in, and a truck, had initially sparked fears for his life and has since been in the Intensive Care Unit of the Zambian University Teaching Hospital (UTH).

The good news on the footballer’s progress was released by the UTH Public Relations Officer, Nzeba Chanda, who informed that the Chipolopolo legend has been discharged after showing positive signs of recovery.

“Mr. Rainford Kalaba has been discharged from the UTH-Adult where he was admitted after being involved in a road traffic accident two weeks ago,” Chanda said, adding that Kalaba will continue his recovery at his family home.

According to local media reports, the 37-year-old was a passenger in a Mercedes Benz when it collided with an oncoming truck in the south-eastern Zambian town of Kafue a week and five days ago.

In his active playing days, Kalaba spent the majority of his club career at TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo, winning the CAF Champions League with the club in 2015 and the CAF Confederation Cup in 2016.

He also had a spell with clubsides in Portugal including FC Braga, and was a major part of the Zambian squad that won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 under Frenchman, Herve Renard.