Sports

Death toll in Guinea stadium clash rises above 60

Published

2 days ago

December 2, 2024

The death toll in clashes that occurred during a football match in Guinea on Sunday has risen above 60, authorities in the West African nation said on Monday.

The incident which led to a stampede at the Stade du 3 Avril in Nzérékoré, the country’s second largest city, also left hundreds of people, including women and children injured.

According to local media, the crowd crush happened during the final of a football tournament in honour of the leader of the country’s junta, Mamady Doumbouya, with thousands of spectators present at the stadium.

Witnesses said a disputed red card was awarded by the referee to the home team of Nzérékoré in the 82nd minute of the match, leading to a penalty but fans of the visiting Labé team invaded the pitch and threw stones, while security personnel reportedly responded by releasing teargas that enveloped the crowd, with many people running over each other in an attempt to escape.

Some reports indicate that events unravelled following a decision by the referee, who sent off two players from the visiting team, Labé, and awarded a controversial penalty kick.

“It all started with a contested decision by the referee. Then fans invaded the pitch,” one witness was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, a panel of inquiry has been set up to find those responsible as Prime Minister Oury Bah called the incident “tragic” and offered his condolences to the bereaved.

One doctor, who did not want to be named, told journalists there were “bodies lined up as far as the eye can see in the hospital”.

“Others are lying on the floor in the hallways. The morgue is full,” the doctor added.

A local journalist in Nzérékoré, Paul Sakouvogi, told the BBC that internet access in the region had been restricted, and that police were guarding the entrance to the hospital where the injured were being treated.

“I observed six police pick-ups positioned in front of the three entrances to the hospital. They allowed only the medical staff to access the hospital, while the others were told to go back the way they came,” he explained.

Click to comment

Sports

Inter Miami to battle Barca, PSG, Juve, others for Mo Salah

Published

1 day ago

December 3, 2024

Isaac Dachen

MLS giants, Inter Miami, are set to battle the likes of Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Inter Milan, Saudi Pro League side, Al Hilal, as well as Turkish club, Galatasaray, for the signature of Egyptian captain, Mohamed Salah, as he enters his final season at Liverpool.

According to media reports in England, Salah has reportedly attracted interest from the clubs which are all monitoring the player should he become a free agent as he has not yet signed a contract extension with the Reds.

Mohamed Salah’s future has been looking shaky lately and with his contract at Anfield set to expire in the summer, he has been the subject of countless transfer rumors.

Salah also fueled speculations on Sunday after Liverpool defeated Manchester City in a Premier League match where he was quoted as saying:

“Honestly, it’s in my head. Until now, this is the last City game I will play for Liverpool, so I was just going to enjoy it.”

Salah has not backed down from fueling speculations around his future whenever the chance presented itself but nevertheless, the forward says he remains focused on the field and has not let his contract situation affect his performances

Sources close to the situation have revealed that Inter Miami have shown strongest interest in signing Salah, joining an impressive list of clubs keeping an eye on the forward.

Another Saudi Pro League side, Al Ittihad, had previously made a big move to sign the Egyptian but failed to secure the deal.

Elsewhere in Europe, Barcelona are reportedly keeping tabs on Mo, along with Turkish giants Galatasaray who were rumored earlier to have an offer on the table ready for the player while PSG, Juventus, and Inter Milan have also shown interest in the African star.

Sports

FIFA Ranking: Morocco remains Africa’s best as Nigeria suffers big drop

Published

5 days ago

November 29, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Morocco has retained its leadership position as the top-ranked African nation in the latest FIFA rankings released on Thursday, November 28.

On the other hand, Nigeria’s Super Eagles suffered her biggest drop in recent years, plummeting eight places from 36th to 44th position, following a spate of uninspiring results in both the World Cup and AFCON qualifying matches.

The drop also means that the Super Eagles fell from 4th to 5th place in Africa.

The Atlas Lions, however, slipped one spot in the global rankings, moving from 13th to 14th due to Uruguay’s surge after their impressive performances.

Morocco’s displayed remarkable form during the November international break in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, securing emphatic wins over Gabon (5-1) and Lesotho (7-0).

These victories added 6.61 points to their tally, yet it wasn’t enough to maintain their position on the global stage.

Algeria also rose to 4th place in Africa, overtaking Nigeria, which endured a dismal international break with a 1-1 draw against Benin and a 2-1 home defeat against Rwanda, resulting in a significant loss of 21.06 points.

Meanwhile, Algeria avoided a similar fate by securing a 5-1 win against Liberia and a goalless draw with Equatorial Guinea, maintaining their 36th spot globally despite a slight points reduction.

Niger Republic emerged as the standout performer in this month’s rankings following their impressive wins against Sudan (4-0) and Ghana (2-1) in the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, the Mena gained 31.23 points and climbed nine places to 122nd globally and 34th in Africa, marking the highest progression in both points and rankings among African nations.

Senegal moved up three places to 17th in the world, consolidating its position as the second-best team in Africa with key victories over Burkina Faso (1-0) and Burundi (2-0), spearheaded by emerging talent Habib Diarra, contributed to this rise while
Comoros also continued its remarkable rise, moving up five places to 103rd globally and 23rd in Africa, which saw the tiny nation qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, underscoring their growing stature on the international stage.

African top 20 FIFA rankings for November:

1- Morocco (14th)
2- Senegal (17th)
3- Egypt (33rd)
4- Algeria (37th)
5- Nigeria (44th)
6- Ivory Coast (46th)
7- Cameroon (49th)
9- Mali (51st)
10- Tunisia (52nd)
11- South Africa (57th)
12- DR Congo (61st)
13- Burkina Faso (66th)
14- Cape Verde (72nd)
15- Ghana (77th)
16- Gabon (84th)
17- Angola (85th)
18- Zambia (87th)
19- Uganda (88th)
20- Equatorial Guinea (93rd)