African Roundup

SAFA formally endorses 2010 World Cup bid

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- The South African Football Association formally endorsed plans to go ahead with a bid for the 2010 World Cup finals at its regular executive committee meeting in Johannesburg on Thursday.

The bid's chief executive officer Danny Jordaan signed documents from FIFA, which will be returned to world football's governing body next week signalling South Africa's intention to bid for the tournament.

"The bid is going ahead. We'll have an official launch next week," said Jordaan. "For us now it's all systems go but I think it's going to be a tough bid."

Jordaan's comments follow reports on Wednesday that Egypt were to enter the race despite previously having agreed with the South Africans that they would stay out of the 2010 bidding process.

South Africa claimed they withdrew from the 2006 African Nations Cup finals bid earlier this year after reaching an agreement with the Egyptians, who were last week designated as hosts.

But Jordaan admitted there was no written agreement and that Egypt could not be stopped if they wanted to try and bid for the World Cup as well.

Libya and Morocco have also indicated in recent days they will submit letters of intent to FIFA by the deadline of December 31.

Algerian stadium banned after referee attack

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- The Rouiba stadium in Algiers has been barred from hosting all international and continental club matches after an attack on the referee at an African Cup Winners' Cup match earlier this month, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) said on Thursday.

Tunisian referee Mourad Daami, who also officiated at the World Cup finals, was injured in the incident which followed the 2-2 draw between USM Alger and Wydad Casablanca of Morocco on October 20.

The draw gave Wydad the win on the away goals rule and they face Asante Kotoko of Ghana in the final later this month.

The CAF said the ban, which will run indefinitely, would also apply to other competitions like the African Nations Cup qualifiers.

The stadium is not regularly used for major matches by the Algerian national side, who play at the larger July 5 stadium in the Algerian capital.

CAF said details of the incidents would be studied when their club competitions committee meets in December and further action might be taken.

ASEC chase fourth successive Champions League win

JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) -- A rampant ASEC Abidjan chase a fourth successive win in the African Champions League on Saturday when they host Raja Casablanca of Morocco in their semi-final, first leg match.

The Ivory Coast champions have proven invincible on home soil in this year's competition, scoring 17 times in five matches stretching back to the first round in April, and have emerged as the favorites for the continental crown.

ASEC, who finished second in their group, have enjoyed recent triumphs over strong north African opposition in group winners Zamalek of Egypt and Tunisia's Esperance.

The traditional rivalry between sub-Saharan sides and those of the Arabic-speaking north will also be played out in the other semi-final tie on Sunday when TP Mazembe Englebert of the Democratic Republic of Congo host Zamalek in Lubumbashi.

Raja's coach Walter Meeuws, the former manager of Belgium, is a fan of ASEC's all-out attacking style.

"They are a strong side, probably the strongest we'll face in this competition, with two strikers who go at the opposing defence all the time," said Meeuws on Thursday.

He singled out the capabilities of Antonin Nantcho Koutouan, who is the joint top goal scorer in the Champions League with seven, and his diminutive strike partner Bakary Kone, who has five goals to his name.

"I expect they will try and put us under all kinds of pressure and try and score as many goals as they can. We will not be able to afford any mistakes," Meeuws added.

Raja, who have won the Champions League twice in the last six years, have not proven good travellers in this year's competition but were still easy winners of their group and were the first team to secure a semi-final berth.

Their defensive prospects on Saturday are hampered by the absence of captain Abdellatif Jrindou, who suffered a head injury in a domestic league match and misses the trip to Abidjan.

Difficult conditions

Defence will also be the main priority of Zamalek on Sunday as they face difficult conditions in the south of Congo, where the pitch at the Kenya stadium barely has a blade of grass and the spectators are passionate in their support of TP Mazembe Englebert.

Mazembe scored four goals last weekend against St Luc de Kananga in their last match of the Congolese championship, where they finished second to surrender their title.

Zamalek welcome back defender Besher Al Tabei and midfielder Tamer Abdelhalim after suspension but will draw more inspiration from their recent league form in Egypt.

They won 5-0 against Aswan on Tuesday and have yet to concede a goal in their first four matches of the new Egyptian championship season.

The return leg of the two semifinals ties will be played in Cairo on November 15 and Casablanca on November 17.

 

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