Sports Minister arrives in Segoe ahead of
Stars match
Bafana draws with Stallions in Group B
opening match
Sports Minister arrives in Segoe ahead of
Stars match
Segou (Mali) 21 January 2002 - Mr Edward Osei Kwako, Minister of Youth and Sports arrived in Segou on Sunday to cheer up the Black Stars who play their opening match against Morocco on Monday.
He was met on arrival by the technical team led by Mr Osam Duodu, Black Stars headcoach and Mr Kojo Quarshie, co-ordinator of the Black Stars Management Committee.
Mr Osei Kwaku plunged into business with the technical and management teams soon on arrival and had discussions with them. He said a set of off field kits should be purchased for the Stars for the meantime while they await a delivery from Adidas.
Adidas had delivered playing kits to the Stars without their off field kits.
Reacting to the situation, Mr Quarshie said that the off field kits which include T-shirts, slippers, caps and training shoes would further boost the morale of the boys for them to match up with their colleagues who are dressed in uniforms on and off the pitch.
On the preparedness of the team, Mr Duodu said there is great commitment and determination in camp and that the boys are confident of victory.
He said training has been approached with absolute commitment, resulting in players taking knocks here and there. He has therefore declared Sunday a day of rest to enable them relax their minds towards Monday's match. The teams in Segou are accommodated in the 'village Cocah' a games village meant for the tournament.
GRi…/
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Bafana draws with Stallions in Group B
opening match
Segou (Mali) 21 January 2002 - Hostilities in Group B of the 23rd African Cup of Nations opened at the Amary Daou Stadium in Segou on Sunday when the Stallions of Burkina Faso and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa sold a classic match to over
25,000 spectators, which however failed to produce any goals.
The South Africans dominated the early part of the game as Quinton Fortune, Benny McCarthy and Delron Buckly strung passes and surged forward on many occasions but were halted by a sturdy Burkinabe defence anchored by superlative goalkeeping of Sawadogo Yousfou.
South captain Shaun Bartlett took an early knock and was substituted in the 11th minute by Bradley August who produced a fantastic form to justify his introduction.
The youthful Burkinabe players relied on swift counter attacks which nearly gave them a first half lead when a move initiated by Pananteguiri Saidu Mady caught the South African rear line made of Mbulelo Old John, Bradley Carnel and Pierrre Issa flat footed and exposed Johannes Vonk in goal.
Predating Traore Amadu and and Dagano Beli Moumouni failed to connect and allowed the best chance of the match to slip from their feet. With three minutes to the end of the first half the Bafana Bafana had a half chance and Fortune riffled a left footer which connected the side netting.
The Burkinabe who had thousands of their nationals at the stadium rooting for them came into the second half more determined and worked themselves into shooting range on many occasions but they never pressed the trigger on target.
New entrant Sanou Wilfred produced some excellent footwork at the right flank despite the vigilance of South African wingback Carnel.
With time running out and both sides looking for an opportunity to break the deadlock, action swung from one end of the field to the other. The tackles became crunchier but none of the side could register a goal until Senegalese referee Ndoye Fall blew off the match after three minutes of added time during a tense goalmouth action in the Burkinabe half.
The South Africans however rushed on him and one of them hurled the ball at him for a reason that was not immediately clear. By this result South Africa and Burkina Faso are on one point each.
In other matches Mali drew 1-1 with Liberia in the opening game, while Senegal picked the first victory of the tournament beating favourites Egypt 1-0. Cameroon also posted a similar victory over Congo DR with a 25-yarder canon from Patrick Mboma midway in the first half.
GRi…/
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