Algerian Boualem Mankour has been confirmed as Mauritius’s new coach, signing a two-year contract with the team nicknamed ‘Club M’. The Franco-Algerian technician knows Africa well, having coached Saint-Eloi Lupopo in DR Congo, KAC Kenitra (Morocco) and AS Gabès (Tunisia). The 49-year-old will now have his first experience as a national coach, having previously led DR Congo’s U17 side in 2014-2015.
Former Nigeria international Emmanuel Amuneke says his job title at Egyptian side Misr El-Makkasa has changed from head coach to director of the club’s academies across Africa. El-Makkasa only announced the appointment of Amuneke on 2 February as coach after they ended the contract of Ahmed Hossam ‘Mido’. The club issued a statement on Sunday, naming Ehab Galal as the new man in charge, with Amuneke changing his role after less than a month as coach.
Montreal Impact have signed Kenya midfielder Victor Wanyama from Tottenham on a free transfer. Wanyama, 28, has made just four appearances for Spurs this season, with his only start coming in the Carabao Cup loss at Colchester United. “We wish Victor well for the future,” the Premier League club said. Impact, managed by Arsenal great Thierry Henry, beat New Engand Revolution in their opening game of the Major League Soccer season on Saturday.
The Confederation of African Football’s Commercial Director Abdelmounaïm Bah has been appointed as Acting General Secretary. CAF convened an Emergency Committee meeting on Tuesday to find a replacement for Mouad Hajji, who surprisingly quit on Monday. Fellow Moroccan Bah, who has assumed the post immediately, will continue as both Acting Secretary General and Commercial Director until CAF’s next Executive Committee meeting. Bah became Commercial Director in June 2018 and was a unanimous appointment.
Chelsea advanced into the FA Cup quarter-finals as Liverpool suffered their second successive defeat of this stellar season in a highly-competitive encounter at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea won 2-0. Liverpool made seven changes to the side that lost surprisingly at Watford on Saturday – the first reverse of their league campaign after a run of 18 successive victories left them on the brink of a first title for 30 years.
The ongoing crisis in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) took a new step on Monday as Secretary General Mouad Hajji resigned from his post. The Moroccan had been in power for less than a year, having taken charge in April 2019. His resignation comes at a time when CAF is under close scrutiny from football’s world governing body FIFA, who recently commissioned an audit that proved to be damning for African football’s ruling body.
Former Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says he is “devastated” after being banned from football for four months for breaching betting rules. He was originally given a six-week ban last summer, four of them suspended, but the FA appealed against the findings of an independent commission. An appeal board also doubled the 30-year-old’s fine to £150,000. Sturridge’s contract with Turkish side Trabzonspor had been terminated by mutual agreement earlier on Monday.
British world champion Anthony Joshua will fight Kubrat Pulev at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, 20 June. Bulgarian Pulev, 38, is the mandatory IBF challenger to take on Joshua, who holds the WBA, IBF and WBO titles. Joshua won back the belts with a unanimous points victory over Andy Ruiz Jr in December. “I am happy to have the opportunity to show the world how strong I really am,” said Pulev. It will be Joshua’s first fight in the UK since beating Alexander Povetkin at Wembley in September 2018.
Egyptian side Misr El-Makkasa have confirmed that former Barcelona and Nigeria player Emmanuel Amuneke has been removed from his job as head coach after less than a month in the role. El-Makkasa only announced the appointment of Amuneke on 2 February after they ended the contract of former coach Ahmed Hossam Mido.
Real Madrid beat Barcelona in a captivating El Clasico to move above their rivals at the top of La Liga. Vinicius Junior drove in via a deflection in a second half packed with chances after Isco saw a shot saved and an effort cleared off the goalline. Karim Benzema volleyed over for Real and substitute Martin Braithwaite went close for Barca moments before Vinicius sparked celebrations at the Bernabeu. Substitute Mariano struck in added time as Real moved a point clear of Barca.
The Tokyo Marathon took place on Sunday against a backdrop of empty streets and with just a couple of hundred runners due to the coronavirus outbreak. Organisers had reduced the entries to just elite runners and wheelchair athletes with the mass race, which usually attracts around 38,000 runners, cancelled. The numbers of volunteers were also reduced and spectators were advised to “avoid gathering along the course” and were instead encouraged to “support through TV and radio.” Event staff and competitors were given surgical masks and hand sanitizer.
Raul Jimenez scored a smart winner as Wolves recovered and won 3-2 to move above Tottenham in the Premier League and boost their hopes of earning a Champions League spot. Nuno Espirito Santo’s side trailed twice in north London before Jimenez latched on to Diogo Jota’s pass to finish with his left foot. Spurs first led when Steven Bergwijn poked in and then from Serge Aurier’s curling effort before the break. But Matt Doherty and Jota combined to bring Wolves level on both occasions. Jota’s ball was fired home by Doherty after Spurs defender Japhet Tanganga failed to clear and then Jota tapped in from close range following Doherty’s low cross.
Everton had a late winner against Manchester United ruled out and manager Carlo Ancelotti was sent off in an entertaining game in which both teams were undone by goalkeeping mistakes. The hosts made a dream start thanks to a calamitous error by United’s David de Gea, whose clearance cannoned straight into Dominic Calvert-Lewin and then into the net for the striker’s 15th goal of the season. United responded from that early setback when Nemanja Matic’s shot smacked against the Everton crossbar, and they equalised after 31 minutes when Everton’s Jordan Pickford failed to stop Bruno Fernandes’ bouncing shot from 20 yards.
Manchester City secured their third League Cup (Carabao Cup) win in succession – and their fourth in five years – with victory over Aston Villa at Wembley. Pep Guardiola’s side won an historic treble of domestic trophies last season with the Premier League and FA Cup, and they thoroughly deserved their triumph despite a spirited effort from Aston Villa. Manchester City looked like they would stroll to victory when Sergio Aguero’s strike and Rodri’s header from a corner that was hotly contested by Villa put them in complete control inside 30 minutes.
Deontay Wilder will fight Britain’s WBC heavyweight world champion Tyson Fury for a third time this summer, according to promoter Bob Arum. The pair drew their first fight in 2018 and last weekend Fury stopped Wilder in the seventh round to win the title. The American had 30 days to call a rematch and Arum, Fury’s US promoter, says he has been “formally notified” by Wilder’s team that they are doing so.
Five Serie A matches this weekend have been postponed because of coronavirus, including Juventus’ game at home to Inter Milan. Matches at Udinese, AC Milan, Parma and Sassuolo have also fallen victim to the outbreak of the virus in Italy. The games were initially going to be played behind closed doors, but Serie A took the decision on Saturday morning to call them off. All five fixtures have been rescheduled for Wednesday, 13 May. As a consequence, the Coppa Italia final, which was scheduled for the same day, has been moved to the following week on Wednesday, 20 May – four days before the end of the domestic season.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino has spoken in favour of introducing the ‘daylight’ principle to the offside law to bring extra clarity. There has been a great deal of controversy over offsides in the Premier League this season, with a number of goals ruled out by very fine margins after VAR checks. FIFA’s chief of global football development Arsene Wenger said last week that the law should be changed so that a player is onside if any part of their body that can score a goal is behind or level with the relevant defender, a view which Infantino clearly shares.
Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich played out one of the most bizarre conclusions in the history of football as they passed the ball between each other for 13 minutes after a long delay for an offensive banner in the crowd. Bayern were 6-0 up when their travelling fans unfurled an offensive banner about Hoffenheim president Dietmar Hopp. Coach Hansi Flick and most of the players pleaded – angrily in some cases – with the fans to put it away. Sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and board member Oliver Kahn – both former players – also attempted to talk to the ultras.
Liverpool’s hopes of remaining unbeaten for an entire Premier League season were ended in sensational style by a rampant Watford at Vicarage Road. Ismaila Sarr scored twice while captain Troy Deeney added a third in a sparkling second-half display from the hosts as Liverpool’s run of victories was brought to a shuddering halt. The Reds had won their past 18 Premier League games and another at Vicarage Road would have made history as the longest winning run in the English top flight. But they never got going against a Watford side who were superb from start to finish.
Leeds goalkeeper Kiko Casilla has been banned for eight games and fined £60,000 for racist comments made to Charlton winger Jonathan Leko.
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