South Sudan thrashed Djibouti 6-0 in Juba on Tuesday to overturn a first leg deficit and win 6-2 overall.

Comoros go through after a 1-1 draw with Mauritius gave them a 3-1 aggregate win.

South Sudan progress to play in Group C with Mali, Gabon and Burundi.

They were in front after just 12 minutes and had scored four times before the break, thanks to two goals from James Joseph, and one each from Robert Duku and Dominic Abui.

Ater Thomas and Khemis Leon scored in the second half to round things off.

Comoros now advance to Group B to play along side Morocco, Malawi and reigning champions Cameroon.

The Indomitable Lions will qualify automatically as hosts no matter where they finish in the final standings.

Greece-based Ben El Fardou extended Comoros’ overall lead in the 13th minute with a header from the edge of the area.

It was to be his last contribution following a clash of heads with Walter Saint Martin as he scored his goal meant he had to be substituted.

Mauritius were lucky not to go further behind as the woodwork and goalkeeper Kevin Jean Louis came to their rescue.

The hosts equalised in injury time at the end of the first half as Comoros failed to defend a corner and the ball fell Ipswich Town’s Kevin Bru whose shot was deflected into the net by Saint Martin.

Mauritius once again ended the game with 10 men after Andy Patate was shown a straight red card in the 80th minute, they had also ended the first leg a man down after Emmanuel Vincent was sent off.

The group stage of the 2019 Nations Cup qualifying begins on the first weekend in June with the 12 group winners automatically earning a place in the finals.

The three best runners-up will also advance to the tournament in Cameroon.

Draw in full:

A: Senegal, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan, Madagascar

B: Cameroon, Morocco, Malawi, Comoros

C: Mali, Gabon, Burundi, South Sudan

D: Algeria, Togo, Benin, The Gambia

E: Nigeria, South Africa, Libya, Seychelles

F: Ghana, Ethiopia, Sierra Leone, Kenya

G: DR Congo, Congo, Zimbabwe, Liberia

H: Ivory Coast, Guinea, Central African Republic, Rwanda

I: Burkina Faso, Angola, Botswana, Mauritania

J: Tunisia, Egypt, Niger, Swaziland

K: Zambia, Mozambique, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia

L: Cape Verde, Uganda, Tanzania, Lesotho

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Source: BBC

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The 60-year-old Israeli coach signed a 28-month contract with the Ghana Football Association in 2015 following a troubled 2014 World Cup campaign.

Citi Sports sources close to the Ghana Football Association say that a meeting was organised on Tuesday morning to assess the performance of the team in the 2017 AFCON and also to discuss the future of the coach.

However, Grant had already prepared his resignation and tendered it in. He is also said to have wished the GFA well in its future endeavours.

The former West Ham United and Former Portsmouth coach led the Black Stars to a second place finish in his first Africa Cup of Nations in Equatorial Guinea but failed to reach the final in the just-ended edition in Gabon.

The team eventually finished 4th after losing 1-0 to Burkina Faso in the 3rd place playoff.

Grant was in charge of Ghana for 29 games; winning 14, drawing 8 and losing 7.

The search for Grant’s successor may begin in a few weeks with Morocco head coach Herve Renard and Uganda head coach Milutin Sredojevic being tipped as favourites for the post.

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By: Citi Sports Desk

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Veteran goalkeeper Essam El Hadary proved Egypt’s hero, saving Bertrand Traore’s spot-kick to secure victory.

In normal time Mohamed Salah opened the scoring for Egypt when he curled a superb shot into the top left corner.

Burkina Faso became the first side to score against Egypt this tournament when Aristide Bance chested down Charles Kabore’s cross and volleyed in.

The Burkinabe, who were the more adventurous and ambitious side throughout normal play, took an immediate advantage in the shootout.

Goalkeeper Herve Koffi, only 20 years old, magnificently pushed Abdallah El Said’s spot-kick on to the post.

But he later turned from hero to villain when he stepped up to take his side’s fourth penalty and was unable to beat El Hadary – who at 24 years his senior is the oldest Nations Cup player in history.

El Hadary’s experience – he now has a chance to win his fifth African title – proved vital as he then saved Bertrand Traore’s effort to send Burkina Faso home.

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Source: BBC

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Ghana beat DR Congo 2-1 in the quarter-finals thanks to goals from Jordan Ayew and Andre Ayew in the match played in Oyem.

The team has now booked a semi-final place against Cameroon on February 2 in Franceville.

But Nyantakyi has his eyes on the ultimate prize and he revealed this to journalists after the match.

“We are going for the trophy. Nothing has changed in relation to those plans or do we feel that something has changed? We are targeting the trophy because Ghanaians have waited 35 years for this.”

The Black Stars were given a tough test by the Congolese throughout the match.

They managed to get an equaliser from Paul-Jose M’Poku in the 68th minute; 5 minutes after Jordan Ayew opened the scoring but they failed to put away their chances.

Nyantaki admitted that the opponents were tough but he jokingly added that he was the team’s good-luck charm.

“It was good tactical game. Both coaches (Avram Grant for Ghana and Florent Imbenge for DR Congo) did well. The Congolese played well.

But I told my colleagues that once I was around, we would win. I had the feeling that we would be victorious.  I told Wilfried Osei that we would get the goals in the second half more especially in the goal that we defended in the first half.”

The Black Stars have made their sixth straight semi-final appearance in the African Nations Cup since 2008.

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By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Jordan Ayew latched onto a pass from Mubarak Wakaso, beat a defender and fired past the goalkeeper to give the Black Stars the lead in the second half.

The lead lasted only 7 minutes as Mpoku, fired in a beauty for the Congolese from just outside the penalty area.

However, the Black Stars restored their lead as Andre Ayew scored from the penalty spot after Christian Atsu was brought down in the penalty box.

Ghana will now face Cameroon who beat Senegal on penalties in the semi-final.

The Congolese should have taken an early lead as Hull City striker Dieumerci Mbokani pounced on a poor backpass, rounded the keeper but hit the post.

Mbokani thought he should have been awarded a penalty after a tussle with John Boye in the box but the referee waved play-on.

The Ghanaians struggled to get into the game but lacked a focal front up front.

The Black Stars resorted to long balls which were easily dealt with by the Congolese defence.

Christian Atsu, Jordan Ayew and Andre were shackled well by the defence and were unable to create much for the Stars

Mbokani had a couple more chances in the half firing wide when through on goal and straight at Brimah from just outside the box.

The Black Stars started the second half brightly with Andre Ayew firing in a shot which was saved comfortably by the goalkeeper.

But the Ghanaians were relentless and almost took the lead as Wakaso’s free-kick bounced in front of the keeper who just about kept it out.

Moments later, Jordan Ayew danced into the box, nutmegged a defender and was challenged as he cut back in the box but the referee waved play on.

Thomas Partey’s shot was then well saved by the Congolese keeper.

The Black Stars eventually broke the deadlock as Jordan Ayew fired past the Congolese keeper.

The Congolese found a way back into the game minutes later as Mpoku took on a Stars defence that kept backing away and fired in a belter.

But Andre Ayew fired the Black Stars into the semis from the spot after the marauding Christian Atsu was upended in the box.

The Congolese had a chance to equalise late on but Brimah, in Ghana’s goal was equal to a shot.

Christian Atsu almost sealed the win for Ghana but his shot was saved after a delightful run into the box but the Black Stars had done enough to secure a 6th straight semi-final appearance .

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post DR Congo 1-2 Ghana: Ayew brothers on target as Ghana reach AFCON semis appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

They were held to a 2-2 draw by Group B winners Senegal in a match they had to win to have any chance of avoiding an embarrassing early exit.

Islam Slimani scored both their goals, a two-yard volley and a scuffed effort that wrong-footed Algeria’s goalkeeper.

But Senegal twice equalised, Papakouly Diop and then Moussa Sow both firing in efforts from the edge of the area.

Algeria went into the tournament as one of the favourites for the trophy but leave with their reputation damaged by three underwhelming performances.

After being held to a shock draw by Zimbabwe in their opener and then beaten by neighbours Tunisia, who booked their quarter-finals with a 4-2 win over Zimbabwe on Monday, Algeria have had a tournament to forget.

Their misery was compounded at the last by the fact they were held by Senegal’s second-string side, which featured 10 changes from their last game.

Senegal coach Aliou Cisse had taken the opportunity to rest his first-choice players given the Teranga Lions had already won the group ahead of their final fixture.

And Cisse will be pleased by the resilience of his reserves who fought back to hold their own against a full-strength Algeria and ensure Senegal ended the group stage unbeaten.

Algeria might have signed off with a win but Slimani missed a chance to grab his hat-trick and a modicum of consolation when he shot wide when clean though.

Senegal will play Cameroon in the quarter-finals on Saturday.

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Source: BBC

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The Panthers needed to beat Cameroon on Sunday but could only draw 0-0.

Aubameyang said: “It is really annoying because we had chances. Sadly there are days when it doesn’t go in, like my first chance from two metres out.

“We are all really disappointed. We didn’t really have the time to prepare (for the tournament).”

Aubameyang reacted angrily after final whistle, storming off, kicking a ball off the pitch and not shaking hands with anyone.

Coach Jose Antonio Camacho told him to calm down but Aubameyang waved him away as he walked down the tunnel.

“Of course everyone is disappointed, it is usual in these situations,” said Aubameyang. “The players feel it the most.”

Aubameyang also appeared to be unhappy that the team did not begin their preparations for the tournament on 3 January as planned.

“We did not start on that date, we started a little bit late,” he said. “But I am really proud of all the players, because everyone gave their all.

“I think we were stronger than every other team in the group, but it is about everything, the preparation, the change of coach, it wasn’t easy.”

Aubameyang, who scored in the opening two games, also admitted that his own contribution could have been better.

“I know there was a lot of expectation around me,” he said. “I’m not entirely satisfied with my performances, I think I could have brought a little more. Sure I scored two goals but I wasn’t at 100%.”

Spaniard Camacho was appointed as Gabon coach only 43 days before the tournament started, replacing the sacked Jorge Costa.

It was always going to be a tough task for him to creative a cohesive unit with the players and Gabon misfired at the tournament, drawing all of their games and only managing to score two goals.

Camacho believes conceding a late equaliser to debutants Guinea-Bissau in their first game set them back and they failed to recover.

“I am very sorry for the fans. And the players, who did their best. I think today we did not qualify because we dropped two points in the first match against Guinea-Bissau,” he said.

“The most important thing is to score goals. Against Burkina Faso we had lots of opportunities but did not score and the same was true against Cameroon.
“The reality in football is if you do not score goals you cannot qualify.”

Burkina Faso qualified for the quarters-finals as Group A winners and Cameroon joined them as runners-up.
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By: BBC

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang missed a great chance for Gabon early on when he bundled the ball wide from two yards.

His team-mate Denis Bouanga brought saves from Fabrice Ondoa as Gabon poured forward in the early stages.

Bouanga was denied a last-gasp winner, that would have put Gabon through, when his shot crashed back off the post.

The rebound sat up perfectly for Didier N’Dong but his shot was pushed over the bar brilliantly by Cameroon goalkeeper Ondoa as he was picking himself up the floor.

Gabon went into the game knowing they had to win to guarantee their qualification from Group A but they go out of the competition after three draws.

Burkina Faso are the other quarter-finalists from the group after they beat debutants Guinea-Bissau 2-0, a result which put them top of the table above Cameroon by goal difference.

Borussia Dortmund star Aubameyang, one of the most prolific strikers in world football, will now have another painful memory from the Nations Cup to add to his crucial penalty miss in 2012 that cost his side a place in the semi-finals.

He will replay over and over the moment in this match when he somehow got his feet tangled and put the ball wide of a gaping goal when trying to convert Bouanga’s low cross to the back post.

After their fast start did not bring a goal, Gabon’s belief and confidence drained.

They lacked the guile and creativity to break Cameroon down and they created virtually nothing until that late drama.

The Indomitable Lions were little better in what was a poor match and were unable to put Gabon out of their misery earlier, coming closest through an Ambroise Oyongo shot that clipped the post and a first-half header from Adolphe Teikeu that went narrowly wide.

But Cameroon have a chance to improve, while Gabon must face up to their poor performances.

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Source: BBC

The post AFCON 2017: Host nation Gabon limps out of tournament appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

“Personally I do worry a lot, even now that I am leading the team. It’s quite frustrating having this group of quality players and not taking anything home,” he said in an interview.

Ghana won four AFCON titles between 1963 and 1982, but has since failed to add to them.

Asamoah Gyan, who is making his 6th AFCON tournament appearance, after making his debut in 2008 when Ghana hosted, says he is honoured to still be involved in the tournament after such a long time, but says he is more discontent at not winning the trophy after so many attempts.

“I feel blessed, because it’s not easy playing six AFCON tournaments. I still feel strong despite recent injuries which have slowed me down a bit.”

“It is frustrating but we will try and make sure we carry the cup home. It is however too early to be talking about winning the trophy.”

“We just have to be more composed to do what we do best, that’s winning games and we will see what happens.”

Gyan is currently tied with Rev. Osei Kofi and Andre Ayew as Ghana’s all time leading scorer in the AFCON and is just a goal away from breaking that record.

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By:Daniel Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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