The champions of Africa begin the defence of their title on Tuesday in Douala, Cameroon and having surveyed the first two days of the Africa Cup of Nations, may suspect that the toughest perils immediately ahead of them will come off the pitch. Tip-toeing through Covid-19 absenteeism, mastering hot conditions are significant challenges at Cameroon’s Afcon.
Those circumstances shaped some subdued showings on Monday from a trio of the leading contenders, Senegal, Morocco and Ghana, to snatch the title from Riyad Mahrez’s Algeria, who are unbeaten since they triumphed in the Egypt tournament of 2019.
Senegal, missing several key men because of positive Covid tests, needed a stoppage time penalty, converted by Sadio Mane, to beat a stubborn Zimbabwe 1-0.
Morocco had to be patient, too, Sofiane Boufal’s opportunism snatching the only goal of the game against Ghana in the 83rd minute, in this Afcon’s first meeting of traditional heavyweights and former title-holders.
Both Morocco and Ghana, in Group C, would rather not have to count back so many generations since they last lifted the trophy, in the 1970s and 1980s respectively. But expectation from home in each case is for a run deep into the knockout phase. Morocco, with their worldly and balanced squad, have the equipment of potential finalists.
They made a cautious, watchful start in Yaounde, wary of the potential threat of Ghana’s two young wingers, Kamaldeen Sulemana and Joseph Paintsil. Morocco had lined up in what at times resembled a back three, so deep was Samy Mmaee in the midfield, the better to maximise the attacking impulse of the full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Adam Masina.
That pair needed mobile, alert support behind them to cover for Sulemana’s darts into wide space. Hakimi, at right back, versus the 19-year-old Sulemana would turn into quite a duel. It’s one with fresh baggage. Sulemana is at French club Rennes, and was decisive from his left-wing position in their victory, last October, against Hakimi’s Paris Saint-Germain.
That night, Hakimi learned the hard way that Sulemana is strong on either foot, and that he has jets in his heels. The Ghanaian troubled his illustrious marker two or three times in the first half and set off on an ambitious counter-attacking run after Hakimi had been careless in possession. The move ran out of steam with a heavy touch from Sulemana. So did Paintsil’s bold slalom shortly before half time, ending in a wild shot off target.
Morocco had more of the ball, but in a contest that was more feisty than fluent in its first hour, their best openings came from set-pieces. Ghana conceded a series of free-kicks in areas of threat but it would be a while before Morocco’s designated dead-ball deliverers found their radars. When that happens, the mind is bound to wander to the set-piece expertise of Chelsea’s Hakim Ziyech, who was left out the Afcon squad by head coach Vahid Halilhodzic after he criticised Ziyech’s attitude during an international week last September.
After Imran Louza had wasted a pair of free-kicks near the Ghana penalty area, Boufal offered some improvement, arrowing in a cross that Roman Saiss nodded just over the crossbar. There were nimble turns into space by Selim Amallah, some astute prompts from Boufal but little, until the last 10 minutes, to alarm Joe Wollacott, the Ghana goalkeeper.
Morocco may look more potent once Youssef En Nesyri, the Sevilla centre-forward, who missed Monday’s fixture recuperating from a minor injury, is back in the side. They ended up grateful to En-Nesyri’s club colleague, Yassine Bounou, for preserving their clean sheet. Bounou saved athletically from Paintsil’s volley after Sulemana had chased down a long ball, and his cross was cleared only as far as Paintsil. It was one of two promising Ghana breaks, Andre Ayew lifting a shot off target earlier in the second half.
Boufal struck the winner after Ghana had twice failed to clear danger in their own penalty area, the winger seizing on a loose ball. The Al Ain striker Soufiane Rahimi, on as a substitute, might have doubled the score but for a sharp Wollacott save. Morocco had finished much the stronger side. Ghana now have ground to make up to ensure they emerge from the group.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
RESULTS
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How%20champions%20are%20made
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Results:
First Test: New Zealand 30 British & Irish Lions 15
Second Test: New Zealand 21 British & Irish Lions 24
Third Test: New Zealand 15 British & Irish Lions 15
SPECS
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Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
UAE squad
Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.
UAE tour of Zimbabwe
All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I
TEAMS
US Team
Dustin Johnson, Jordan Spieth
Justin Thomas, Daniel Berger
Brooks Koepka, Rickie Fowler
Kevin Kisner, Patrick Reed
Matt Kuchar, Kevin Chappell
Charley Hoffman*, Phil Mickelson*
International Team
Hideki Matsuyama, Jason Day
Adam Scott, Louis Oosthuizen
Marc Leishman, Charl Schwartzel
Branden Grace, Si Woo Kim
Jhonattan Vegas, Adam Hadwin
Emiliano Grillo*, Anirban Lahiri*
* denotes captain's picks
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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