Skip to main content

E Guinea coach first Afcon victim

Esteban Becker © Backpagepix
Equatorial Guinea coach Esteban Becker has become the first
casualty of 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying after a 3-0 loss in Senegal at the weekend.
A national football federation spokesman in the small, oil-rich central African state confirmed Tuesday that the out-of-contract Argentine would not be offered a new one.
The 52-year-old made a sensational start as coach of the Equatoguineans, taking the 2015 Cup of Nations hosts to the semifinals against all expectations.
Finishing fourth was particularly impressive as Becker got the job just a couple of weeks before the tournament having been in charge of the national women's team.
But the South American has been unable to replicate that success, with the Group A loss in Dakar the latest of many setbacks for the "Nzalang Nacional" (National Thunder).
Local coach Casto Nopo will fill in for Becker until a permanent replacement is named.
Equatorial Guinea, ranked 29 in Africa and 109 in the world, host Sudan next March during the second series of Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Prosecutors allege rapper Young Thug led gang as trial begins and many details unfolded

  Prosecutors in Atlanta said Monday that rapper Young Thug was the “proclaimed leader” of a gang that “moved like a pack” to commit crimes, as opening statements in a long-delayed racketeering case got underway. Controversy and hiccups have dogged the sprawling trial alleging criminal conspiracy since jury selection began in January, notably over the state’s presentation of rap lyrics as evidence. The US state of Georgia holds that Young Thug’s record label, YSL, is a front for a crime ring, arguing that the defendants belong to a branch of the Bloods street gang identified as Young Slime Life, or YSL. “The evidence will show that YSL checks all of the boxes for being a criminal street gang,” said Fulton County prosecutor Adriane Love as she delivered the government’s statement, which she began by quoting Rudyard Kipling’s “Law of the Jungle.” Love addressed the issue of songwriting head on: “We didn’t chase the lyrics to solve the murder, we chased the murder and found the lyrics...

Ronaldo Left Out Of Portugal Squad

Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Portugal squad amid ongoing rape allegations Cristiano Ronaldo has been left out of the Portugal squad for upcoming matches against Poland and Scotland, amid ongoing rape allegations in the United States. Ronaldo has been accused of rape by Kathryn Mayorga, who says the player assaulted her in Las Vegas in 2009. He has denied the accusation. The national captain will miss his country's UEFA Nations League game with Poland on October 11, before a friendly with Scotland three days late. Ronaldo joined Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer The Juventus forward also missed Portugal's first two post-World Cup matches last month, with coach Fernando Santos saying Ronaldo had only just moved to the Italian club and needed time to settle in. Santos used the 33-year-old team captain's absence last month to try out younger players in the senior side.

Diego Costa: Atletico Madrid complete deal for Chelsea striker

Problems between Costa and Chelsea surfaced earlier in the year when he was dropped after a dispute with a fitness coach Striker Diego Costa has completed his move back to Atletico Madrid from Premier League