Through AFCON history and to the current edition of the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, Cameroon 2021, there had been a lot of “blood ties” in the participating teams.

National teams have some players who, in addition to wearing the same shirt, are united by blood ties.

Ghana has accustomed African football observers to selecting the Ayew brothers, André and his younger brother Jordan together since 2012 AFCON. They are the sons of Abedi Pele, who won the 1982 title and lost 1992 final with the Black Stars.

This is the case of the Comoros, who played their first ever AFCON finals. They had brothers Mohamed and Youssouf M’changama who were born in Marseille, France.

Mohamed M’changama was recalled to the Coelacanthes in March 2021. He had the honor of experiencing the historic qualification of the Comoros for TotalEnergies AFCON 2021.

There, he reunited with his brother Youssouf, who had a straighter trajectory going from the amateur division in France to becoming a recognized player in the French Ligue 2 with EN Guingamp.

In addition to M’changama brothers, Comoros had the Abdallahs, an uncle and his nephew.

At 34, Kassim Abdallah, who played in Marseille (France) will train his nephew Abdallah Ali Mohamed (22).

In Senegal and Guinea Bissau, there was the elder, Alfred Gomis and his younger brother, Maurice respectively defending two different camps.

Alongside Alfred Gomis who took over in 2019 from Lys Gomis who played for Senegal at 2015 AFCON and was selected for the 2021 edition, the youngest Maurice chose to join the Djurtus from Guinea Bissau, the country of birth of their mother.

Senegal has known in the recent history of its football, brothers evolving in selection at the same time with Lamine and Ricardo Sané who played matches together.

But these two have never taken part in AFCON finals together, with Lamine Sané playing in Africa Cup of Nations in 2012 and 2015.

Burkina Faso also had the brothers Alain and Bertrand Traoré from 2012 AFCON.

They were together in 2017 and 2019, but the only representative in Cameroon is Bertrand. Elder brother Alain Traoré has recently joined Arta Solar in Djibouti after leaving RS Berkane (Morocco).

Moreover, the current Burkinabe team has coach Kamou Malo and his son Patrick Malo as a player.

In 2015, when the Elephants were crowned, the French coach Hervé Renard was able to count on the Touré brothers; Kolo who was playing at the time in Liverpool and his younger brother Yaya, who was in the heyday of Manchester City, always in the Premier League.

Record seven-time champions Egypt had blood brothers with Hassan twins, Hossam and Ibrahim who played together at the AFCON in 1988, 1992 and 2000.

In 1959 and 1962, there were the Selim brothers Saleh and Tarek Selim among the Pharaohs.

Ikramy family was also there, the father Ikramy who played the editions of 1974, 1976, 1980 and 1984, and the son Sherif who was there in Gabon 2017 where Mohamed Salah teammates lost to Cameroon in the final.

The CAF Disciplinary Board has imposed a fine of 100 000 USD, with 50 000 suspended, to the Egypt Football Association (EFA) for breaching CAF TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Cameroon 2021 media protocols and directives.

This is after Egypt FA failed to honour a media press conference on 29 January 2022 ahead of their match against Morocco in the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations quarterfinals in Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium which is part of the obligations for all the participating teams.

Media and CAF Rights Holders had waited almost two hours for Egypt to arrive for the scheduled press conference.

Egypt FA have 60 days to pay the 50 000 USD fine.

The other 50.000 USD is suspended on the condition that Egypt FA are not found guilty with a similar offence during the Total Energies African Cup Of Nations, Cameroon 2021 as a result of the team failing to observe CAF’s Decisions and Directives as agreed at the pre-tournament teams’ associations media and marketing meeting and further amplified by the documentation and Directives given to them upon their arrival to Cameroun.

Cameroon’s U20 girls, Young Lionesses will fly into the Federal Capital, Abuja on Thursday morning for their FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup, fourth round second leg clash with the Falconets of Nigeria, scheduled for Saturday at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium.

The Lionesses, who held the rampant Falconets to a scoreless draw in the first leg played at the Stade Reunification in Douala penultimate Saturday, will arrive aboard an Air Ivoire flight.

Thenff.com can also report that the match officials for the encounter slated to kick off at 4pm on Saturday will arrive in Nigeria latest Thursday, with the Confederation of African Football having appointed Togolese official Vincentia Amedome as referee.

Amedome will be assisted by compatriot Abra Agbedanou (assistant referee 1); Ghanaian Doris Essuman Darko (assistant referee 2) and yet another Togolese Edoh Kindedji (fourth official). The match commissioner is Aisha Nalule from Uganda while Ghanaian Emmanuella Grace Aglago will serve as referee assessor.

The winner over two legs will proceed to the final round of the qualification series, scheduled for March.

This year’s FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup finals will hold 10^th -28^th August in Costa Rica.

Burkina Faso and Senegal battle for a place in the final match of the Africa Cup of Nations

Senegal lost via penalty shoot-out to Cameroon in the 2002 final in Mali and again to Algeria in 2019 through a freak goal.

Burkina Faso on the other hand were losing finalists to Nigeria in 2013 at South Africa.

What the fixture portend in the fact that a West African team will be in the final on Sunday. With both teams looking for their first ever title, the match is potentially titanic.

This is different from the following day fixture of Cameroon and Egypt where each of the two teams looks forward to adding to previous titles.

The Stallions of Burkina Faso have impressed since the start of the competition with a fluid, offensive and forward-looking game.

The Burkinabe finished third in their last appearance in Gabon 2017. After missing the last edition in Egypt, they are now eyeing to better their best AFCON record when they finished as losing finalists in 2013.

“The match against Senegal will be like a final. We will play all our assets to go to the final and seek the crown,” said goalkeeper Hervé Koffi, one of the team’s best performers in Cameroon so far.

The Nigeria Football Federation has strongly demanded that the country’s referees and assistant referees up their game in order to become very relevant and indispensable on the international scene.

This was the central theme of remarks during the badging of Nigeria’s 2022 FIFA referees, assistant referees, beach soccer and Futsal referees at the NFF/FIFA Goal Project inside the package B of the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, Abuja on Tuesday

Member of the NFF Executive Committee and Chairman of the Referees Committee,  Sharif LMC Rabiu Inuwa set the ball rolling by reminding the auditorium that Nigeria had only one official – an assistant referee – at the ongoing 33^rd Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon.

“That we could only have one assistant referee at the AFCON is a big indictment on all of us. We are not doing enough as professionals, and we must take this as a big challenge.

“We are proposing that we have a monitoring team for our referees who officiate internationally so that we can have accurate assessment of how they perform and conduct themselves.”

President of the NRA, Tade Azeez minced no words in saying that “Nigerian referees have failed. The NFF has been doing well to provide all the support that we need, and our FIFA and CAF instructors have also been doing their bit in trying to put us in great physical shape. But we have let them all down and we must turn a new leaf and aim for better performances.”

NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said: “To whom much is given, much is expected. Nigerian refereeing should be at a much higher level by now if the values of discipline, commitment, professionalism and integrity are held sacrosanct.

“Apart from officiating ability, there are other parameters that assessors look at that you may not be aware of. If you wish to grow, you have to be honest and fair to yourself in all that you do.”

After decorating the referees with their badges, NFF 2^nd Vice President/Chairman LMC,  Shehu Dikko charged the referees to develop the mental strength and fortitude to overcome their present challenges and any form of handicap, and commit to greater performances and upholding of the highest professional values at home and internationally.

A total of 30 referees, made up of 11 referees, 11 assistant referees, 4 beach soccer and 4 Futsal referees received their badges at the occasion.

Also at the event were LMC COO, Salihu Abubakar; referee instructors Calistus Chukwudi Chukwujekwu, Dave Egwu and Mohammed Ameenu; NFF Director of Communications, Ademola Olajire and; NFF Chief Technical Officer/former Nigerian international Garba Lawal.

REFEREES: Quadri Adebimpe; Basheer Salihu; Joseph Ogabor; Abdullahi Abubakar; Nurudeen Abubakar; Grema Mohammed; Kassim Abdulsalam; Yemisi Akintoye; Hannah Elaigwu; Patience Madu; Oluwafunmilayo Alaba

ASSISTANT REFEREES: Digbori Tejiri; Efosa Igudia; Peter Ogwu; Samuel Pwadutakan; Usman Isah; Hope Igho; Mimisen Iyorhe; Usman Abdulmajid; Beauty Kabenda Terah; Abibat Yusuf; Mfon Friday Akpan

FUTSAL REFEREES: Musa Dung Davon; Ndubuisi Ukah; Paul Umuago; Alhassan Bello Zuru

BEACH SOCCER REFEREES: Jelili Ogunmuyiwa; Olawale Fawole; Olayinka Olajide; Ahmed Rabiu

The Nigeria Football Federation confirmed on Tuesday that it has received an in-depth technical report on the Super Eagles’ outing at the 33rd Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon from the team’s technical crew led by Augustine Eguavoen.

“We have received the technical report on the AFCON 2021 and we are presently studying it, in conjunction with the Ministry of Youth and Sports Development. Once the study and appraisal are done with, we will make known our position,” NFF General Secretary, Dr Mohammed Sanusi said.

Nigeria won all her three group phase matches against Egypt, Sudan and Guinea Bissau in Garoua, and emerged the only team in the tournament to log maximum nine points from three matches. The team however lost by the odd goal to Tunisia in the Round of 16.

The Super Eagles will take on Ghana’s Black Stars in the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 play-off round scheduled for the month of March. 

Arsenal have confirmed that striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has left the club by mutual consent, however Barcelona are yet to complete a deal for the Gabon international.

The 32-year-old flew to Spain on Monday to sign for Barca and was pictured training with them on Tuesday.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said he hopes to unveil the forward this week.

“We wish Auba all the best for the next chapter in his career,” Arsenal said.

The Premier League side also thanked Aubameyang for his “contribution to the club”, having scored 92 goals in 163 appearances.

He scored both Arsenal’s goals in their 2020 FA Cup final triumph against Chelsea as they won the tournament for a record 14th time.

However, he had not played for the Gunners since a disciplinary breach in December.

“Having the chance to win trophies and the honour of being the captain of this club is something I will forever keep in my heart,” he wrote on Instagram.

“I have always been 100% focused and committed on doing everything I can for this club which is why leaving without a real goodbye hurts – but that is football.

Aubameyang’s departure on a free transfer comes four years after he made his £56m move to London from Borussia Dortmund.

Barcelona had feared the move was dead earlier on transfer deadline day, even though Aubameyang had flown to Spain, but managed to resurrect the transfer.

On Tuesday, Barca president Laporta said: “We will present Adama Traore tomorrow and, if everything continues well, we will also present Aubameyang.”