Africa Cup of Nations NoteBook - Day 4

Mahrez: Afcon a big tourney

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Algerian captain and Manchester City winger, Riyad Mahrez, said he will always honour the national team assignments.

Mahrez stated that their clubs would never prevent them from international duty as he dismissed the pressure European clubs put on the Confederation of African Football (Caf) and world governing body Fifa to postpone this year’s Afcon.

“Our clubs had no option because the Afcon is a big tournament like the Euros or the Copa America,” Mahrez told Newsnow.

Egypt’s Gabal, Hadary recover 

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Egypt goalkeeper Mohamed Abou-Gabal and goalkeeping coach Essam El-Hadary recovered from Covid-19 to join the national team camp in Cameroon.

However, they were not able to feature in their opening match against African giants Nigeria in a Group “D” match. Nigeria won 1-0.

While El-Hadary was replaced by Egypt under-23 goalkeeping coach Tarek Soliman until his recovery, no replacement was made for the Zamalek keeper. Abou-Gabal, 32, is the backup keeper for the Pharaohs in Cameroon.

Music icon nearly smashes Tv

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Multiple award winning Ghanaian rapper Michael Owusu Addo, popularly known as Sarkodie, almost smashed his television set while watching  his home team Black Stars lose to Morocco on Monday.

The icon could not sit throughout the match as the Black Stars were hit 1-0 by the Atlas Lions.

According to ghanasoccernet.com, Sarkodie had before the game tweeted how anxious he was when the four-times African champions played.

“Hate and love this feeling I get when my country plays,” he wrote before the match.