CAF competitions 2013 – Second Round

The journey continues for clubs in our region in pursuit of continental glory this weekend in second rounds of CAF champions’ league and CAF confederation cup.
Two teams from our region are still remaining in Champions’ league while three more are also flying their flags high in Confederations cup.

CAF Champions League second round

Orlando Pirates from South Africa, the only club in COSAFA region to have lifted this title, and one of the favourites to challenge for this trophy again this year will meet giants of the continent in TP Mazembe from DRC and last year’s semi-finalists and 2010 champions of this competition. A mammoth task indeed…
Pirates will host the first leg at Orlando Stadium on Saturday night.

A team which knocked South African PSL champions Orlando Pirates last year in preliminary round of this competition and subsequently were eliminated by Sunshine Stars from Nigeria, our fellow COSAFA region affiliates, Recreativo Do Lubodo from Angola are the other club remaining in CAF champions’ league from our region.
CRD Libodo in the first leg will travel to Nigeria again as they did last year but this time round they will be playing against Enugu Rangers.

CAF Confederation cup second round

Remaining in the competition are:

Supersport United from South Africa who will be travelling to Egypt to play ENPPI behind closed doors.
Liga Muculmana from Mozambique, the surprise packages this far in this competition after beating Lobi Stars of Nigeria in the first round, will host Wydad Casablanca from Morocco.
The last team doing us proud is Recreativo Da Caala from Angola; they are playing hosts to the Tunusian giants Etoile Du Sahel in what will be one of the two fierce battles.

We have faith in our teams and will be watching them closely and wishing that they all go through to the next stage of both the competitions. This is the year where I believe we will have at least semi-finalists in either of the tournaments.

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Chris Katongo nominated for BBC African Footballer of the Year

African champion skipper Christopher Katongo has been nominated for the 2012 BBC African Footballer of the Year Award.
The list of five nominated players was revealed Thursday morning on the BBC's News Day live show.

The short list also has Ivorians Didier Drogba, Yaya Toure and Senegalese Demba Ba and Younes Belhanda.

The Chipolopolo skipper is also in the running for the prestigious African Footballer of the Year which will be handed out at a CAF gala dinner in Accra next month.

The winner of the BBC award is decided by fans votes across the continent.

According to the BBC, the winner will be decided by African football fans, who have until 1830 GMT on Thursday, 13 December to vote for their choice.
You can either vote via the BBC African football page or by sending an SMS from your phone to +44 7786 20 50 75:

Text 4 for Christopher Katongo

Standard international text rates apply, please check with your service provider. Texts are limited to one text per mobile phone number.
The winner will be announced on Monday, 17 December.

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South Africa squad for Nelson Mandela Challenge 2012

The South African Football Association (SAFA) held a press conference on Monday, November 5, at SAFA House in Nasrec, Johannesburg, where national team Coach Gordon Igesund named his the squad for the upcoming international friendly against Zambia.

The South African national team will host the defending African Cup of Nations at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday, November 14, in the Nelson Mandela Challenge. It will be Igesund’s fifth game at the helm of Bafana, with his record currently standing at two wins and two loses.

Igesund, a four time PSL winning coach, took over from coach Pitso Mosimane earlier this year and is looking at rebuilding the squad for the upcoming 2013 Afcon, which will be hosted in South Africa. 

Following losses to Brazil and Poland, and wins against Kenya and Mozambique, Igesund’s squad is beginning to take shape and the picture is looking a lot clearer in the Bafana setup.

The national squad selection is showing more consistency in the coach’s progression on the bench, with indications that the squad is coming together as a team.

Igesund and his technical team have selected a 24-man squad for the international friendly, with some notable changes, including re-calls for Moroka Swallows’ Katlego Mashego and Golden Arrows’ Thanduyise Khuboni. The coach explained that his squad is 75% to 80% complete and that there could be a few changes ahead of next year’s Afcon.

Full Bafana Bafana squad:

Goalkeepers:

Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs)

Darren Keet (K.V. Kortrijk) (Belgium)

Defenders:

Anele Ngcongca (Racing Club Genk) (Belgium)

Siyabonga Sangweni (Orlando Pirates)

Bongani Khumalo (PAOK) (Greece) - captain

Bevan Fransman (SuperSport United)

Ricardo Nunes (MSK Zilina) (Slovakia)

Punch Masenamela (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Thabo Nthethe (Bloemfontein Celtic)

Midfielders: 

Dean Furman (Oldham Athletic) (England)

Thanduyise Khuboni (Golden Arrows)

Reneilwe Letsholonyane (Kaizer Chiefs)

Lerato Chabangu (Moroka Swallows)

Kagisho Dikgacoi (Crystal Palace) (England)

Teko Modise (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Oupa Manyisa (Orlando Pirates)

Thuso Phala (Platinum Stars)

Sifiso Myeni (Orlando Pirates)

Siphiwe Tshabalala (Kaizer Chiefs)

Delron Buckley (Maritzburg United)

Strikers:

Bernard Parker (Kaizer Chiefs)

Katlego Mashego (Moroka Swallows)

Tokelo Rantie (Malmo FF) (Sweden)

Kermit Erasmus (SuperSport United)

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