Leekens sure of last eight berth

Tunisia head coach, Georges Leekens, has assured that his side has a big chance to qualify for the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations.

The 65-year-old Belgian coach said his team knows they are close to securing a place in the last eight and will play the match against DR Congo on Monday with "the spirit of victors."

"We have a big chance to qualify. I trust in my players and know they will show they deserve to qualify. My players and I will play the next match with the spirit, the spirit of victors," Leekens said.

"The game will be tough because it is important for both Tunisia and DR Congo, but we will enter it searching for only a win.

" I have watched the DR Congo team and I know they are a tough, tactical and physical side but I can assure too we are prepared for them."

The Carthage Eagles will play their third game against DR Congo in Bata on Monday after starting off their Afcon campaign with a 1-1 draw against Cape Verde Islands and then followed it up with a 2-1 win over Zambia in their second game to stay top of Group B.

Leekens' men just need to avoid defeat to seal qualification to the quarterfinals of the Afcon in Equatorial Guinea.

Riquelme announces his retirement

Veteran former Argentina and Boca Juniors playmaker Juan Roman Riquelme has announced his retirement.

The 36-year-old, who had spells in Europe with Barcelona and Villarreal, excelling particularly with the latter, last played for Argentinos Juniors, recently helping the Buenos Aires side earn promotion to the top division.

He had been expected to join Paraguayan club Cerro Porteno but decided instead to call a halt to his playing career.

Riquelme told ESPN Sport Centre in Argentina: "I've decided to stop playing football. Sunday used to be the most beautiful day of the week, I went on the pitch and did what I liked best. Now I'll be a fan."

He added: "To carry on playing there would have had to be something that interested me. I thought it was best to say that I won't play anymore."

Riquelme won 51 caps for Argentina - his first as a 19-year-old in 1997 - and played for his country in the 2006 Fifa World Cup™.

He began and ended his career with Argentinos Juniors but spent his best years at Boca Juniors, where as a goalscoring and creative midfielder, who specialised in set-pieces, he was widely admired.

Barcelona were persuaded to sign him in 2002, but he struggled to find his best form for the Nou Camp side and moved on to Spanish rivals Villarreal, where he spent two years on loan before permanent terms were agreed between the clubs.

Riquelme moved back to Boca Juniors in 2007, initially on loan, and stayed for seven years, before the final chapter of his career was played out in the second tier.

Madaki likes Super 4

Algeria head coach Christian Gourcuff will depend on the Dinamo Zagreb striker, El Arbi Hillel Soudani, to replace Sporting Lisbon Islam Slimani in Tuesday's Afcon crucial game against Senegal.

The Desert Foxes will miss the service of Slimani due to injury after he picked up a muscle problem in the first game against South Africa.

According to Algerian media the French coach will use Soudani from the start of the next match against Senegal after the striker has watched happenings at the Afcon from the bench in their first two matches.

Soudani has found it hard to win a starting place in the Algerian team since Gourcuff took the charge of the Desert Foxes last summer after the departure of former coach, Vahid Halilhodzic.

Media reports suggest that the Algerian head coach will leave out midfielder Medhi Lacen from the clash against the Teranga Lions of Senegal.

The Algerian delegation arrived in Malabo, venue of their must-win clash with Senegal, on Sunday.

No room for romance in Coppa Italia

The Italian Cup enters the quarterfinals this week although, unlike its English counterpart, there will be no hint of romance and barely a flicker of interest.

While the FA Cup is steeped in tradition and giant-killing feats, organisers of the Coppa Italia seem to go out of their way to prevent upsets.

In the Italian version, the top eight Serie A teams from the previous season do not enter the fray until the fifth round – the round of 16 – by which time any minnows have long since been eliminated.

Only 78 teams are allowed to enter in the first place, of which just 36 are from outside the top two divisions, compared to the FA Cup's total of 736 which includes a myriad of amateur and part-time teams.

The chances of upsets are further reduced because of the seeding system, which is based on the previous season's league positions and allows the stronger team to be automatically drawn at home throughout the tournament.

The result has been complete and utter predictability.

This season's fourth round, played in December, featured 10 Serie A teams and six from Serie B, who all played away. All eight ties produced home wins and five of the six Serie B teams failed to score a goal.

The fifth round, an all-Serie A affair which finished last week, produced one single away win as Lazio won 3-1 at Torino and left two coaches calling for the competition to be reformed.

Attendances were dismal with holders Napoli playing in front of just 14 000 at home to Udinese and only 10 000 at AC Milan, who kick off the quarterfinals at home to Lazio on Tuesday (2000).

"I reiterate that the Coppa Italia in its current format is pointless," said Atalanta coach Stefano Colantuono after his side lost 3-1 at Fiorentina.

"All the usual suspects get to the end, save for the odd rare exception. As a smaller or mid-table club, you have to focus on safety in Serie A. This way, it's just obvious who is going to win."

Empoli's Maurizio Sarri branded the tournament "unsporting" after his side were beaten by a hugely controversial penalty awarded five minutes from the end of extra-time at AS Roma.

"If I'm going to be honest, this competition doesn't interest me at all because it's unsporting, there are teams who have entered in the fifth or sixth round," he said.

"There are big clubs who only get involved now and play on home turf. I do not like the Coppa Italia at all."

Nedbank dates, venues confirmed

Orlando Pirates, the reigning Nedbank Cup champions will kick-off the 2014/15 edition of the Nedbank Cup competition against less-known Second Division Eastern Cape-based outfit, Tornado FC on 18 February 2015.

On Monday the Premier Soccer League (PSL) Organising Committee confirmed all the Nedbank Cup last 32 dates, venues and kick-off times.

The first two matches of the Nedbank Cup last round of 32 will be played on Wednesday night, 18 February 2015. Orlando Pirates will be coming against Tornado FC at the Orlando Stadium while Black Aces will face Maritzburg United at the Mbombela Stadium on the same day.

Both matches will kick-off at 19h30.

In 48 hours’ time, AmaZulu will host neighbours Golden Arrows in a KwaZulu Natal derby at Princess Magogo, Friday 20 February 2015. Kickoff is at 8pm.

There will be seven fixtures on Saturday, 21 February 2015 followed by four fixtures on Sunday, 22 February 2015. The last fixtures of the round of 16 will be played on Wednesday, 25 February 2015.

Tickets for the Nedbank Cup last round of 32 will be available soon. The PSL will advise in due course.

Uche approves Oshoala's Reds switch

Former Super Falcons head coach, Eucharia Uche has described as welcomed development the recent switch to the English FA Women Super League champions, Liverpool Ladies by the side’s top striker, Asisat Oshoala.

The reigning Africa female and youth player of the year was recently handed a five-year contract by the English FA WSL side.

Uche said the switch of the Rivers Angels markswoman to the top rated English women side will further enhance her standard of play as well as add more value to the national side.

“It’s a highly welcomed development the successful switch to the English women side, Liverpool Ladies by Asisat Oshoala.

“Her breakthrough is expected to improve and strengthen the domestic league as well as the national team.

“It’s a good omen to the side’s campaign at the forthcoming Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada later in the year.

“The exploits of the likes of Pepertua Nkwocha, Francisca Ordega, Desire Oparanozie, Onome Ebi, among others in the various European leagues have been a blessing to the senior national team.

“Oshoala is expected to come back to the national team a more improved player as her exploits are most likely to open doors to her colleague in the local scene,” said the former Nigerian striker to supersport.com.

The former FC Robo goal poacher has already given her words to be available for Falcons’ campaign at the upcoming Fifa Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Nigeria will campaign for honour in Group D together with world champions, USA, Sweden and Australia.

Oshoala won the best player and highest goal scorer awards at the 2014 Fifa Under-20 Women’s World Cup in Canada.

Motaung hopeful of Khune's Chiefs stay

Kaizer Chiefs football manager Bobby Motaung remains optimistic that captain Itumeleng Khune will sign a new contract before the end of the week.

The talented goalkeeper's current contract expires in June and with big-spenders Mamelodi Sundowns having made their intentions clear of securing the services of the 27-year-old, Motaung said it was important to finalise the deal as quickly as possible.

"The discussions are going well and Khune and his representatives are aware of our intentions," Motaung said on Monday.

"We value Khune a lot and it is important that both parties are on the same page. We should in the next few days be reaching an agreement and really there is no pressure because he knows where we stand as Chiefs."

Vowing not to break the bank in order to keep a player who has been at Chiefs for several years, Motaung said there was a policy at Chiefs when it came to negotiating contracts with players.

"We are a professionally run club and structures are what makes Chiefs tick.

"Our players are aware of our policies and Khune, who has been nothing less but a loyal servant, is aware how much Chiefs management value him.

"His brand is up there with the best and we look forward to having him at this club for years to come."

The fact that Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter has included Khune in his 25-man Caf Champions League squad is an indication that Khune's future is at Amakhosi, Motaung claimed.

Having returned to action after months on the sidelines due to injury, something that cost him a place at the Africa Cup of Nations with Bafana Bafana, Motaung was a happy man.

Chiefs currently top the Premiership standings and having gone 18 league matches without tasting defeat, Motaung said Khune's presence and impact would be key going forward.

"He will bring so much as we look to the second round which will not be easy.

"We have put ourselves in a good position and having Khune at the moment where we need him the most, this will motivate other players."

With Brilliant Khuzwayo having been good between the sticks for Chiefs, it remains to be seen who will take the No 1 position when the log-leaders resume their season.

"It is important to continue where we left off after five weeks of inaction.

"We also have the [Champions League] and Nedbank Cup to consider so we are excited about what lies ahead."