Football

30 January 2011 There have been some big scorelines in the preliminary round, first legs, of the African Champions League played so far this weekend. Raja Casablanca humiliated Tourbillon of Chad 10-1 in their encounter in Casablanca after leading 6-0 at halftime. Striker Hassan Tair netted a hat-trick for the three-time champions, while there were further goals from midfielder Abdessamad…

30 January 2011 Bukola Babes are the biggest revelation of the Nigeria Premier League this season after they beat Heartland 1-0 to shoot to third place on the table. The NPL new comers, whose top stars earn a monthly salary of about $200, have thus recorded 23 points from 13 matches. Bukola Babes would maintain third spot if closest rivals…

29 January 2011 Morocco was awarded the hosting of the 2015 African Nations Cup and the 2017 edition will go to South Africa, where last years World Cup was held, the Confederation of African Football decided on Saturday. The two countries were the only two candidates left in the running for the two tournaments after the withdrawal from the race…

29 January 2011 TP Mazembe goalkeeper Robert Kidiaba was the hero in a 9-8 penalty shootout to win the CAF Super Cup at the expense of FUS Rabat of Morocco at the Stade de la Kenya in Lubumbashi on Saturday. The 34-year-old shot stopper saved FUS effort in sudden death before he then put away the all-important kick to give…

29 January 2011 Barcelona were in fine form as they thrashed Almeria 5-0 in the Kings Cup semi-final first leg at the Nou Camp on Wednesday to put one foot in the final and now face the only side to beat them in the league this season. Promoted Hercules stunned Barcelona with a 2-0 win at the Nou Camp just…

29 January 2011 Hosts for next months Championship of African Nations (CHAN), Sudan, have picked defending champions DR Congo as still the team to beat in the tournament exclusively reserved for players in the various local leagues on the continent. DR Congo won the inaugural tournament in Cote dIvoire two years and according to Sudan coach, Mohamed 'Mazda' Abdallah, they…

27 January 2011 Real Madrid's new striker Emmanuel Adebayor, signed from Manchester City, Thursday rejected suggestions he has come to the club to replace the out-of-favour Karim Benzema. "I'm not here to compete with him (Benzema) or with anyone else. What I want is that all the Real players give their best," he told a news conference as he was…

28 January 2011 The circus for this years CAF Champions League gets underway this weekend across the continent and by May, the eight teams for the money-spinning group stage of Africas foremost club competition will emerge. Who will be the clubs to then jostle for the biggest prize in African club football? MTNFootball.com picks the most likely teams to challenge…

28 January 2011 Sundays Oyo derby between hosts Shooting Stars and Crown FC will be a grudge battle as neither is willing to give in to the rival. It will be a battle. I have been told that matches between the two clubs are always very keenly fought as Crown never want to acknowledge the superiority of Shooting Stars, 3SC…

27 January 2011 The 2011 CAF African Champions League gets underway this weekend, with no less than 46 teams competing in the first leg matches of the preliminary round. A further nine seeded teams Al Ittihad (Libya), Al Merreikh (Sudan), Dynamos (Zimbabwe), Esperance (Tunisia), Stade Malien (Mali), Al-Hilal (Sudan), TP Mazembe (DR Congo), ES Setif (Algeria) and Al Ahly (Egypt)…

26 January 2011 Barcelona put one foot in the Kings Cup final with a brace from Lionel Messi sealing a thumping 5-0 semi-final first leg win over Almeria at Camp Nou on Wednesday. Three goals in the opening quarter hour put Barcelona in total command and now Barcelona, who have won the Kings Cup a record 25 times, appear a…

27 January 2011 Disgraced FIFA and CAF executive Amos Adamu is confident his appeal against a three-year ban will be successful just as the Nigerian government has taken a special interest in the case. A source close to Adamu told MTNFootball.com that it was all a set-up against the top official and with the government now in the full picture…

26 January 2011 Nigeria are no longer a giant in African football, the players are over-rated and officials have failed in their responsibilities, according to the countrys former skipper Austin Jay Jay. Everything is wrong, right from the players, coaches and the management. And the fans expect too much, moaned Okocha as a guest on a programme of pay television…

Is there something you have always wanted to know about the history of the game? Or what about the present day clubs and stars of African football? We're giving you the chance to Ask The Expert, and we'll select the best questions to get answered every Wednesday, only on MTNFootball.com! This week's question: Posted 26 January 2011 by Holyyommex, Osun State, Nigeria  Question: Do…

26 January 2011 TP Mazembe will look to further entrench their reputation as the dominant force of African club competition when they host FUS Rabat in the CAF Super Cup on Saturday in Lubumbashi, DR Congo. The reigning African champions, who claimed a second successive African Champions League title last year and became the first team from the continent to…