African Confederation Cup

[Al-khiyal]

Tunisia's EGS Gafsa defeated Togo's AS Port Lomé, 2-0, on Saturday (February 10th) in Gafsa in the second leg of the African Confederation Cup preliminary round match. The first leg ended with a 1-1 draw. Algeria's ASO Chlef defeated Mauritania's ASAC Concord, 2-1, at home. Both teams qualified for the next round, which starts in the beginning of March. EGS Gafsa will play the winner of the Port Authority of Sierra Leone and AS Bamako of Mali two-leg clash, while the Algerians of the ASO Chlef will face Egypt's Enppi.

Algeria's ASO Chlef wins CAF Confederation Cup match

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Algeria's ASO Chlef tied, 0-0, with Enppi of Egypt on Friday (March 2nd) in Algeria in an African Confederation Cup first-round qualifier. According to Algerian defender Kada Kechalmi, Enppi's objective was a goalless draw, so they chose a defensive strategy. Both teams retained chances to advance to the final qualifying round next month, depending on the results of the second leg in Cairo.

Algeria's ASO Chlef ties with Egypt's Enppi in Confederation Cup game

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Nigeria's representatives in the CAF Confederation Cup Kwara United of Ilorin yesterday advanced into the next stage of the competition by defeating MC Alger of Algeria 3-0 in Ilorin. The game was, however, marred by ugly scenes as the Algerians went gaga, prompting five minutes of stoppage time by center referee, Done Noumanguez Desire from Cote d'Ivoire.

After some early minute misses by the duo of Lukman Ijaya and Obada Felix, Akombo Ukeyima scored the first goal from a through pass in the 7th minute after good work from Ijaya.

The Algerians' fought back for desperate equaliser with Guinean striker Coulibally Moussa and Badji Faygal, who plays for the Algerian national side, threatening the Nigerian defence.

But it was Coulibally, who got his marching orders after his second booking in the 28th minute.

Kwara capitalised on their numerical advantage over the Algerians to score the second goal through Akombo in the 40th minute.

The second half witnessed several missed chances from both sides but respite came for Kwara in the 88th minute with Akabueze Chukwuama coming in for Felix and scoring the third with his first touch. The Algerian defence had fouled Akombo while newly introduced Akabueze fired in from the resultant free kick.

From then on, anger boiled over with Alger's players assaulting on the referee.

The second leg will be played in a fortnight in Algiers.

Kwara United sink MC Alger

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Mouloudia President Khaled Adnane said Monday (March 5th) the club has submitted a protest to the African Football Confederation (CAF) against the arbitration of the referee trio from Cote d'Ivoire during Mouloudia's CAF Cup game against Kwara United in Nigeria. Liberte quoted him as describing the arbitration as "catastrophic". One of the reasons for the protest was the partiality of the arbitration. The referees spent the night before the match in the same hotel as the opposing team, which violates FIFA regulations.

According to Italian coach Enrico Fabbro, who claimed the "atrocious" conditions, provided by the hosts, the arbitration aimed at destabilising the Algerian team. Mouloudia lost the match and need to score four goals at home in the second leg to oust the Nigerians.

Mouloudia protests against arbitration in match against Kwara United in Nigeria

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African Football Confederation (CAF) confirmed Sunday (March 11th) in a letter to the Algerian Football Federation that six Mouloudia Algiers players will be suspended for attacking and insulting the referees in the CAF Cup match against Nigeria's Kwara United on March 4th. The players - Merouane Abdouni, Hadj Moussa Coulibaly, Kamel Bouacida, Fodhil Hadjadj, Reda Babouche and Smail Chaoui - will not be able to play in the second leg match scheduled for next weekend. Mouloudia official Khaled Adnène will also be punished. Mouloudia has sent a report on the match, protesting the referees' partiality.

CAF suspends six Mouloudia's players

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Confederations of African Football (CAF) has suspended six Mouloudia Club d' Algiers' players and their club president, Khaled Adnane over their violent conduct during the first leg of the Confederations Cup tie against Kwara United in Ilorin.

The players suspended are, goalkeeper Abdounni Meruane and Mali-born defender Moussa Coulibaly who got red cards instantly for gross misconduct. Others include Reda Babouche, Kamel Bouacida, Fodhil Hadjadj and Chaoui Small.

According to Algierian tabloid Liberte, the suspension of the six players and their cluib president by CAF has been communicated to the Algerian Football Federation FAF.

Liberte said further measures will be taken on the suspended players when the CAF disciplinary committee meets on the matter.

CAF based its decision to come down hard on the players and their president based on the match report filed by the match commissioner Brunno Didavi from Benin Republic.

The report indicted goalkeeper Abdouni as the principal instigator who led the assault on the Ivorien referee who was slapped around by the players. The goalkeeper will get a six match ban. Coulibaly expelled for a second bookable offence will get two-match ban while others will get two to three match bans.

Mouloudia was given 18 hours to prepare its defence, when the CAF disciplinary committee meets this week in Cairo.

CAF hammers Algeria's MCA over Ilorin fracas

[Al-khiyal]

Le MC Alger, décimé par la lourde suspension infligée par la Confédération africaine de football (CAF) de six de ses meilleurs joueurs, aura la lourde tâche d'affronter le club nigérian Kwara United, large vainqueur (3-0) au match aller disputé à Ilorin:

Cet après-midi au stade Benhaddad de Kouba à partir de 15h : MC Alger - Kwara United