Morocco to host 2015 African Nations Cup

LUBUMBASHI: Morocco will stage the 2015 African Nations Cup and the 2017 edition will be hosted by South Africa, the Confederation of African Football said yesterday.

The two countries were the only candidates left in the running after the withdrawal from the race of the Democratic Republic of Congo, leaving the 15-man executive committee of African football’s governing body to only decide on which country will host in which year.

The decision can be considered a victory for Morocco as both candidates had expressed a desire to host the 2015 edition rather than two years later.

Morocco said the future tournament would help their bid to professionalise football in the north African country while South Africa had sought to sustain momentum gained from a successful hosting of the 2010 World Cup.

Both have previously hosted one Nations Cup – Morocco in 1988 when there were just eight Finalists and South Africa in 1996, just four years after the country’s return from long-standing sporting isolation.

Morocco and South Africa were engaged in a much fiercer battle for the right to host the 2010 World Cup, which South Africa won in a tight 14-10 vote in Zurich in 2004.

Next year’s African Nations Cup Finals are being co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. After that, the tournament will be played every odd year with the 2013 tournament already designated to Libya.

  

Newcastle’s Ameobi snubs Lions for Nigeria

LAGOS: Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi was on Friday named in the Nigerian squad for the first time despite having played age-level football for England.

Ameobi and Victor Moses of Wi­­gan have never played for Nigeria at senior level, but both are set to be handed their opportunity in a February friendly against Guatemala in the United States.

Emmanuel Emenike from Kara­buk­spor in Turkey is also an uncapped player to feature at this level for the first time.

Chelsea midfielder John Mikel Obi, the country’s first choice goalkeeper Vincent Enyeama, Taye Taiwo of Marseille and skipper Joseph Yo­­bo, who features for Turkish club Fe­­nerbahce, have also been included in the party for the Feb 9 clash in Miami.

Nigeria plan to use this match to prepare for a 2012 African Nations Cup qualifier at home to Ethiopia at the end of March. The Super Eagles are second in Group B behind leaders Guinea, who have six points after two matches.