Nigeria puts pre-tournament turmoil behind them to claim win
GAROUA - Nigeria put behind their tumultuous build-up to the Africa Cup of Nations by beating Egypt yesterday with a display that sent out out an early warning to their rivals in Cameroon.
Kelechi Iheanacho struck a superb first half finish for a 1-0 victory at the start of Group D action in Garoua.
Nigeria had fired coach Gernot Rohr just weeks before the tournament, scraped through the recent World Cup qualifiers in unconvincing fashion and also lost key forward Victor Osimhen to injury. The Nigeria
Football Federation also failed to send out call up letters in time for strikers Emmanuel Dennis and Odion Ighalo, whose clubs then refused to relaese them for the tournament in Cameroon. But despite all the setbacks, Nigeria gave their supporters much to enthuse over with Tuesday’s showing.
In contrast, it was a disappointing day for the north African heavyweights. Champions Algeria were held to a disappointing goalless draw in Group E by Sierra Leone, making their return to the finals for the first time since 1996. Algeria had several chances but struggled with the heat in Douala and failed to break through a resolute defence, where former England international Steven Caulker was making his debut. He switched his international allegiance on the eve of the tournament.
Sierra Leone president Maadu Bio took to Twitter to express his delight.
“We are very proud of you, our Leone Stars,” he said.
Iheanacho, who is now Nigeria’s lead striker for the finals, crashed a half-volley from the edge of the box into the top corner after 30 minutes to settle the contest.
However, Nigeria should have added at least a couple more goals in what was the best performance by a team in the finals so far. Egypt failed to shift out of first gear and could not get talisman forward Mohamed Salah into the game as he cut an isolated figure up front. “The performance in the first-half was very poor, and that’s the truth, we weren’t on the pitch,” said Egypt coach Carlos Queiroz.
PARIS - Five Champions Cup matches that were postponed because of the French government’s COVID-19 travel restrictions have been cancelled, organisers announced yesterday.
The five games, and two more in the Challenge Cup, will be classified as 0-0 results.
This weekend’s third round fixtures are expected to go ahead as scheduled, however, with the French government set to lift a mandatory 48-hour isolation period for visitors.
Travellers from the UK must currently self-isolate upon arrival on French territory.
The isolation can be waived after 48 hours on presentation of a negative COVID-19 test, but English clubs were nevertheless contemplating a boycott over the shortened quarantine, given the extra costs and scheduling problems involved.
“The 48-hour (isolation) rule imposed on UK citizens is expected to be lifted since the virus is circulating as much here (in France) as in the UK,” a source with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
The French sports ministry said in a statement that decisions about sports teams will be “formalised in the next few days but we are moving towards greater flexibility.”
News of the round-two cancellations will come as a huge blow, however, with organisers EPCR saying they had been left with no alternative.
It had been hoped the matches could have been played at a later date.
“The options of modifying the tournament formats and/or rescheduling the matches were deliberated in great detail,” an EPCR statement said.
“... however, in an increasingly complex fixture calendar due to COVID-19, it was regrettably decided that the only choice in the circumstances was to cancel the matches.”
The cancelled matches are: Bath v Stade Rochelais, Sale Sharks v ASM Clermont Auvergne, Scarlets v Union Bordeaux-Begles, Stade Toulousain v Wasps and Stade Francais Paris v Bristol Bears. Each team will be awarded two points.
EPCR said thanked all participating clubs “for their patience and understanding in what are extremely difficult times.”