Liberia to "Throw" Mali Game???

The Daily Observer Sports has gathered “classified reports” from a group calling itself Concerned Citizens for the Promotion and Development of Football (CCPDEF) that the Mali’s decisive final qualifying match with Liberia next month is on the verge to be sold.

The group’s spokesperson, who begged anonymity told our reporter, that they obtained the “classified information” from an inside source.

According to CCPDEF Spokesperson, the Malian delegation had been in the country since two weeks under the disguise of visiting their Muslim counterparts on the holding of a successful Ramadan, which ended on Tuesday, August 30, 2011.

The group stressed that mathematically, Liberia’s last game with Mali at home on Saturday, October 8, 2011, is a ‘mere yarn,” owing to her poor position on the table of the Group One’s African Cup of Nations qualifiers.

They said the group topper, Mali, who is hanging with nine points, because of Zimbabwe closeness on the log, with eight points, desperately needs a win against Liberia to grab the lone seat.

“A victory for Mali will qualify her with 12 points, while Liberia remains the underdog with 4 points and received an undisclosed amount of money.

“We therefore, want to use this medium to advise the Musa Bility’s leadership not to sell our birthright for peanut, or else, Liberia will be too small for him,” the group spokesperson warned.

Accurately, a draw or lost for Mali against Liberia, will qualify Zimbabwe, with 11 points, if she thrashes Cape Verde in their decisive final qualifying match away in Praia, Cape Verde.

But, if Zimbabwe bows, Cape Verde is online of grabbing the lone seat, if she wins with at least 3 goals difference.

The pending game between Liberia and Mali will be the second leg game. It can be recalled on Saturday, October 9, 2010, Mali got their 2012 Africa Cup of Nations Group A campaign back on track with a hard-fought 2-1 home win over Liberia.

After a shock 1-0 away loss in the Cape Verde Islands last time out, the Malians desperately needed a win to keep their hopes of winning a place in Equatorial Guinea and Gabon alive.

They made the perfect start as Abdou Traore gave them the lead inside two minutes, enough to settle the nerves that would have been prevalent in the side.

But Liberia never stopped trying and they pulled level just before the break as 20-year-old Theo Lewis Weeks netted to stun the home crowd.

Mali was ahead again soon after the break as Russian-based Dramane Traore scored in the 52nd minutes.

The game flowed from side to side, but in the end there were no more goals, and Mali could savor a precious victory.

Meanwhile, on Sunday, September 5, 2011, in Harare the Lone Star of Liberia was thrown-out from the 2012 African Cup of Nations qualifiers, when she was convincingly beaten by the Warriors of Zimbabwe.

The Roberto Landi’s boys were convincingly whipped 3-0.
Up to press time, the football house is yet to be reached for respond, when our reporter tried to contact the Secretariat of the Liberia Football Association (LFA) and the offices of the Director of Communication via mobile phones.

Munya Mbanje lights up Leeds

Munya Mbanje lights up Leeds:

'via Blog this'

Super Diski Better Than Country PSL

Super Diski Better Than Country PSL

FIFA's zero tolerance? More like zero scruples

When history books are written, this should go down as the week when FIFA's last scraps of dignity and credibility withered and died.


Because this was the week that world football's governing body exposed itself: It professes to "zero tolerance" of corruption but, from its actions this week, "zero scruples" appears closer to the truth.


This May, football officials called to a meeting in the Caribbean were offered brown envelopes stuffed with $40,000 in $100 notes and told not to breathe a word. We know this because some but not all of the officials later blew the whistle.


FIFA investigated. Its conclusions, leaked this week, were that the payments seem to have been bribes and that two of its most senior and influential executives - FIFA vice president Jack Warner and Asian football chief Mohamed bin Hammam - were apparently neck-deep in the dirt.


Evidence, FIFA said, was "comprehensive, convincing and overwhelming." Bin Hammam wanted Sepp Blatter's job as FIFA president. For that, he needed football officials' votes. From FIFA's report, it appears he was ready to pay for them.


Warner, one of football's most powerful men, allegedly used his clout and contacts to act as bin Hammam's facilitator. FIFA's report accused him of arranging the May 10-11 meeting at a hotel on the Caribbean island of Trinidad and of condoning the payoffs.


If FIFA put football's interests first, Warner should have been hung out to dry as an example to others, packed off in disgrace, good riddance.


FIFA's report even suggested as much.


"Corruption affects the very core of sports and is to be considered as nothing less than life-threatening for sports and sports organisations. Thus, if there is considerable suspicion that offenses related to corruption might have been committed, immediate action is imperative," it said.


"FIFA has a direct and pressing interest in barring the persons concerned from sports immediately and effectively," it added. "In this regard, FIFA and the FIFA Ethics Committee adhere to a zero tolerance approach."


You can almost hear Warner laughing. He got a free pass. He walked away, resigning this week from football duties and taking with him his secrets from 28 years inside the most discredited governing body in sports. Whatever knowledge Warner may have of any misdeeds within FIFA, the "football tsunami" of embarrassing revelations that he threatened to unleash, he can now keep for himself.


Good deal for Warner, an insult for football. Warner is not banned from football stadiums or from contacting buddies still working in the game, officials who owe him their jobs and may still do his bidding. It seems, although FIFA's press office won't outright confirm or deny this, that Warner may even still be eligible for his FIFA pension, payable for as many years as he served on the Executive Committee - 28.


The biggest scandal is that FIFA waved off Warner with kind words of thanks, saying his football work was "appreciated and acknowledged."


FIFA's statement completely omitted mention of its own report, which it was sitting on, that accused him of knowing about, facilitating and condoning the alleged bribery in the Caribbean. Nor did it recall the 2006 World Cup ticket scam that Warner's family was fined for, or the other financial misdeeds that critics linked him to over the years.


FIFA closed its ethics probe of Warner. Because Warner is no longer involved in football, FIFA said it no longer has any authority to investigate him. That may be true. But FIFA surely didn't need to go the extra mile and state, as it so obligingly did, that Warner's "presumption of innocence is maintained."


FIFA has not been so forgiving with others, like Michel Zen-Ruffinen, Blatter's former right-hand man forced out for crossing swords with his boss a decade ago. Last November, FIFA declared Zen-Ruffinen "persona non grata" after he told reporters that countries bidding for the World Cup were secretly trading votes.


So why was Warner accorded such a face-saving send-off? Out of fear that he might, if dealt with strictly, pull down others in FIFA, too?


More worrisome is why Warner and bin Hammam apparently felt safe that they wouldn't get into trouble for the alleged bribery in May and that officials offered wads of cash wouldn't double-cross them. Does that suggest that, in the past, officials simply took the money? And is this how FIFA presidential votes are won?


These are questions Warner no longer needs to answer.


How can that be zero tolerance?

Crunch Time ....

THE Premier Soccer League leadership are currently "in a state of confusion" as they don't know where to take the PSL Trophy for presentation on Sunday.

This Sunday sees the local Premiership in a unique or rather interesting situation in which two teams, Motor Action and Dynamos, are poised to win the league title.


The two are tied on 63 points with one round of matches to go and they are both facing two sides -- Lengthens and Black Mambas -- who are also eager to escape the dreaded chop on the last day of the season.

Motor Action, who are leading Dynamos at the top of the Premiership table by virtue of a superior goal difference, entertain Lengthens at home at Motor Action Sports Club on Sunday.

The same afternoon will see Dynamos taking on Black Mambas away at either Rufaro or Morris Depot.

And the PSL are scratching their heads, trying to figure out where to take the championship Trophy for presentation to the eventual winners.

Twine Phiri, the Premiership boss, said yesterday he is aware of the tricky situation they are in.

"It will be ideal to send the trophy to a particular venue for presentation, but it's exciting in that we do not know which team will win it.

"If we had money, we could have hired a helicopter that would be hovering with the trophy between the two venues.

"However, we will just keep the trophy at a neutral venue like the PSL offices and then go with it for presentation to the winners after the end of the games on Sunday," said Phiri.

Phiri said the PSL cannot afford to have the trophy at Motor Action Sports Club without attracting the ire of Dynamos.

Equally, it will be hard for the PSL to have the trophy at Morris Depot or Rufaro without Motor Action raising some questions if they lose the championship in this photofinish race.

The PSL called for fair play from all the teams as they want to jealously guard the sponsorship they have landed for next season.


Phiri yesterday revealed that the league has indeed secu-red a sponsor for next year and that the domestic game will finally be branded.

The CAPS United boss, however, chose to keep a very tight lid on the identity of the sponsors.

"We have secured a sponsor for next season but first of all we have to meet with the board of governors to brief them.

"Definitely we are going to have a sponsor for next year and we will unveil them when the right time comes," said Phiri.

The confirmation by Phiri that the league will have a sponsor next year comes as sweet music into the ears of local Premiership clubs, which have toiled for the past two years without a brand.

But while PSL are keeping a tight lid on the identity of their sponsors as they are still working on the finer details of the contract, it is understood that Econet Wireless, NetOne and Delta Beverages are the potential bankrollers of the league for next year.

But it's all calm in the Dynamos and Motor Action camps ahead of Sunday's crucial title deciders against Lengthens and Black Mambas and indicators are pointing to a bruising finish to the season for the teams involved in the fight for the championship and those fighting to survive relegation.

The Mighty Bulls will host unpredictable Lengthens at Motor Action Sports Club while Dynamos engage Black Mambas at Morris Depot on Sunday, although the match could be shifted to Rufaro.

There is everything to play for for the four clubs involved and with the script now heading towards the climax, no stone will be left unturned in their preparations for the D-Day matches.


But there was little to suggest that the two title contenders will relent on the final day and let slip their chances of landing the title while the two sides in the bottom half of the table will have to throw everything into the matches to survive relegation.

Dynamos goalkeeper Washington Arubi, who has been in good form this season, said the Glamour Boys are determined to win the title after bagging the other titles that were on offer this season.

DeMbare, however, face a drawback from the goal difference, which could take centre stage if both teams win or lose on Sunday, as they have plus 29 while their rivals enjoy a slight advantage with plus 32.

This means they need to win by many goals -- that is, they have to achieve a victory margin of four goals better than Motor Action, whatever the results of both matches.

"That is very possible but we only should not succumb to pressure. In football we should expect anything, but we shall try our best to get the goals and win," said Arubi.

Dynamos go into this match buoyed by the 10 goals they scored in their last three matches and will be hoping to continue with their fine form.

They beat CAPS United 3-2 in their last match to win the BancABC Sup8r Cup and were 4-0 victors over Douglas Warriors in the last league outing.

"Right now we are not putting ourselves under a lot of pressure so that we don't lose focus.

"Instead, we are concentrating on the match against Mambas and our supporters should back us in this because they are the 12th man on the field," he said.


The Mighty Bulls, who are chasing a historic league silverware, revealed yesterday that they were going about their business as they have been doing the whole season, as they prepare for their date with destiny after a brilliant showing in 2010.

Team captain Bekhimpilo Ncube said the Mighty Bulls are not ruffled and are enjoying calmness ahead of the crucial match.

"This is going to be a very important match for us because we want the title. But at the same time Lengthens want to survive relegation, which makes it competitive.

"But we are not putting ourselves under pressure because we are taking this match just like any other game that we have played in the Premiership this season.

"We have taken every game seriously this season and each outing was like a cup final for us and that's the same approach we have now," said Ncube.

The Warriors trialist has been inspirational in the Mighty Bulls' colours this season with his commendable industry in the midfield department.

He said the club owes much of their success this season to coach Joey Antipas and his assistants David George and Prince Matore.

Motor Action were fighting for survival at this stage last season and only one point helped them escape the dreaded relegation-promotion playoffs.

"We had a problem of continuity last season because we changed many coaches but the coming of Mafero (Antipas) and George changed our fortunes.

"These guys mean business. They helped us survive relegation and they have motivated us to continue with the same spirit into the new season.

"There has been stiff competition in the Premiership this season but at Motor Action we had set our motto this year which says we should work very hard all season.

"It makes me proud as captain of this team because Motor Action had never reached this stage in history. We are just hoping that we win the last game and lift the title," he said.