Morocco, Namibia, others battle for semi-final tickets

By Daily Sports on January 27, 2018

Surprise quarterfinalists Namibia are eager to confront African Nations Championship (Chan) hosts and title favourites Morocco today in a packed Casablanca stadium.

The match at the 65 000-seat Stade Mohammed V kicks off the last-eight phase of the competition for home-based footballers with Zambia facing Sudan in Marrakech later the same day.

The home-based Super Eagles will play Angola in Tangiers and Congo Brazzaville meet Libya in Agadir tomorrow and the four winners will advance to the semifinals of the biennial tournament next week Wednesday.

Only the outcome of the clash between Morocco and Namibia appears predictable with few giving the southern African nation any chance of survival.

But Namibia coach Ricardo Mannetti, who played professional football in South Africa and was a midfielder in the national team, begs to differ.

Mannetti told AFP that all the pressure is on Morocco.

“They are the host nation. They are ranked among the top five African football nations, and are expected to win this tournament.

“We are looking forward to taking them on in front of a packed crowd that will include very few supporters of Namibia.

“My boys are tired of playing in near-empty stadiums. Very few people saw us shock Ivory Coast, Uganda and hold Zambia.

“We are desperate to show what we are capable of playing in front of a large audience. Playing in front of a small crowd is no fun.”

Mannetti, who guided Namibia to the regional COSAFA Cup title three years ago, says being dismissed as “no-hopers” before the Morocco tournament has worked to their advantage.

“I believe some Ivorians and Ugandans assumed playing Namibia meant three points. That worked in our favour. My boys vowed to show them we were no pushovers.”

The furthest Morocco, whose squad includes five-goal leading tournament scorer Ayoub el Kaabi, have gone previously is the quarterfinals, losing to Nigeria four years ago.

They hammered Mauritania 4-0 and Guinea 3-1 during the group phase in Casablanca before missing a penalty in a 0-0 draw with Sudan having rested 10 first-choices, including El Kaabi.

Zambia have Augustine Mulenga and Lazarous Kambole – two of only four players who scored more than once in the mini-leagues – while goalkeeper Akram Elhadi has starred for Sudan.

Nigeria have improved with each match, slamming three goals past Equatorial Guinea to top Group C, while Angola have managed only one in 270 minutes, and that came from a penalty.

•Photo shows Ricardo Mannetti.

Source Daily Sports

Posted January 27, 2018


 

You may also like...
Enyimba, Wydad clash in AFL q’final

Man City beat Arsenal, reach FA Cup fifth...

Volleyball Premier League To Begin On Monday —...

Tottenham Ready To Send Bale Back To Real...

Man United Reviving Interest In Inter Milan Winger...

Canelo dominates Chavez Jr. for unanimous decision victory...

 

Latest News CAF awards: Ajibade, Nnadozie, Edo Queens bag nominations Lagos SWAN, PAACC Hold SWAN Day At Golfview Hotels, Ikeja Crisis looms as Eagles’ form raises AFCON, W’Cup concerns Ex-Nigerian Super Falcons player handcuffed, children assaulted as police storm Anambra Football Academy Sports NFF, teammates console Nwabali on father’s death Abia Govt hails Nigeria Olympic Committee over staging an admin course in Umuahia Libya deliver Eagles 2025 AFCON ticket Eagles battle Cheetahs for 2025 AFCON ticket Yellow Greens gear up for T20 W’Cup qualifiers Tyson tips Fury to beat Joshua Sadiq absent as 22 Eagles train in Abidjan Eagles’ striking trio hot for Cheetahs, Amavubi clashes

 

Most Read Rangers International going, going . . . (55,164 views) Amaju Pinnick: A cat with nine lives (46,307 views) Second Term: Amaju Pinnick, Other NFF Heavyweights Home to Roost •How Pinnick Broke the Jinx (44,370 views) Missing $150,000 IAAF Grant: Solomon Dalung’s Hide and Seek game (44,015 views) Sports Development: Zenith Bank on the zenith (43,948 views) Current issues in Nigerian sports: Matters arising (43,904 views) Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje’s solid footprints, commitment to sports development in Kano State (43,742 views) NFF Presidency: Pinnick, Maigari, Ogunjobi, Okoye in Battle for Supremacy (43,311 views) Olopade, BET9A wave of revolution in NNL (42,366 views) Commonwealth Games 2018: Shame of Muhammadu Buhari, Solomon Dalung (41,054 views) Ibrahimovic’s Man U exit: Whose decision is it? And in whose interest? (39,507 views) John Mikel Obi: Segun Odegbami’s Outrageous Call! (38,931 views)

 

Phone numbers

Tel: +234(0)8066020976
+234(0)8055068145
+234(0)7013416146
+234(0)8094272884

Email addresses

info@dailysportsng.com
support@dailysportsng.com
publisher@dailysportsng.com

Office address

No 3, Adetoun Close, Off College Road, Ogba, Ikeja Lagos.
Website: www.dailysportsng.com

Social Media