Sports

Togo loses star striker, Gift Orban to Nigeria following CAF decision

Published

6 months ago

November 9, 2023

Nigeria has finally triumphed over Togo in the acquisition of Gent of Belgium striker, Gift Orban following a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) that he can now play for the Super Eagles.

The international future of free-scoring Orban was settled on Wednesday by CAF after efforts by Togo to deny him the chance of turning out for his father’s land failed.

Orban, whose father is from Benue State in Nigeria and who has a Togolese mother, became a subject of tussle between the two West African countries after a Sterling season in the Belgian league where he chalked up 20 goals in 22 games, including the fastest hat trick in a European competition.

He was handed a first call-up by Nigeria for the Eagles last AFCON qualifiers game against Sao Tome and Principe, but did not make the match day squad for the game with head coach Jose Peseiro explaining that he picked up a knock in training.

But insiders said he was dropped because Togo had filed a petition to CAF claiming Orban was their citizen with no connection to Nigeria.

Togo had also claim that the 21-year-old forward had played for their “B” team with a different name and identity three years ago and even presented documents to back their claims which were forwarded to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

While the confusion over his nationality continued to rage, the player himself came out to clear the air and emphatically insisted that he was truly a Nigerian and only moved to Togo because of his mother.

With the coast now clear for Orban to don the Super Eagles shirt, it is now left to be seen how Peseiro will utilize him due to the array of strikers at his disposal.

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Sports

Al Ahly, Esperance to clash in CAF Champions League final

Published

23 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

2 days 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.