Victor Moses and the African Issues in World Football and Champions League
It’s been an exciting week for African players and the continental game.
The Cup of Nations qualifiers played out last week, but there are doubts about both the viability and the destination of the tournament.
The weekend’s games across Europe’s major leagues also brought headlines—some impressing and settling contests and others noteworthy for being controversial.
Finally, the Champions League returns Tuesday night with the third round of group-stage matches. As ever, a number of continental stars will be key protagonists in Europe.
This article looks back and forward and identifies some of the key African issues and talking points in world football and the Champions League.
Victor Moses: Did He, Didn’t He?
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Stoke City’s Victor Moses emerged as the villain of the Premier League weekend after taking a tumble against Swansea City. The Nigeria forward, under pressure from Angel Rangel, went down under almost no pressure.
Garry Monk, speaking to BBC Sport after the match, was furious with Michael Oliver’s decision to award the penalty after “barely minimal contact.”
The 35-year-old boss began: “Moses should be done for diving. He cheated us. Today was an absolute disgusting decision from the referee. I contacted referee’s chief Mike Riley but haven’t heard anything and I think that’s very poor leadership from him.”
Matt Le Tissier, writing on Twitter, also lamented Moses for his apparently unsportsmanlike behaviour.
Africa Football Shop’s James Ezimoha, however, believes that the Super Eagles star had every right to hit the deck following contact, albeit minimal: “The fact is that there was contact, no matter how minimal. That the player chose to milk the cow, which was well within his rights to do, is not an issue for debate. Who wouldn’t?”
N’Koulou Helps OM to 8 Consecutive Victories
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Ahead of the season, the question in France was not whether Paris Saint-Germain would retain the Ligue 1 title but how many records they would break in the process.
Subsequently, however, the narrative in the Hexagon has shifted.
Laurent Blanc’s PSG side have stuttered, while Marseille, under Marcelo Bielsa, picked up an eighth consecutive triumph against Toulouse this weekend.
OM have a large African contingent, with the likes of Brice Dja Djedje, Andre Ayew and, particularly, Gianelli Imbula among the league’s most impressive performers.
Cameroon stopper Nicolas N’Koulou has also rediscovered the form that deserted him at times last season and is thriving under the new manager.
In an interview with French outlet L’Equipe (via Foot Mercato), N'Koulou said he was pleased with the start he had made to the season, citing the freedom he and the team are enjoying as a reason for the upturn in their fortunes.
AFCON Confusion
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The African Cup of Nations qualifiers were laced with drama and excitement, but as the matches ended, confusion and concerns about the viability of the tournament itself emerged.
Morocco are set to host the competition, but according to Collins Okinyo of SuperSport, the North African nation have made clear their intentions to withdraw as hosts: "Since CAF rejected all our requests and suggestions then we are forced to withdraw from hosting Afcon 2015 with immediate effect to preserve the safety of our citizens and for that we are prepared to take any consequences that comes with our actions."
The nation’s concern is the Ebola epidemic that is ravaging parts of West Africa. The World Heath Organisation, per Ed Aarons of The Guardian, have published some concerning forecasts about the disease and have discouraged large gatherings of people. Morocco are keen to avoid welcoming Ebola onto their shores.
BBC Sport have suggested that Ghana and South Africa have been approached about taking over the hosting of the tournament, while Nigeria have also emerged as potential hosts, per Lolade Adewuyi of Goal.com.
When Harry Met Adel
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Queens Park Rangers improved their performance at the weekend, but their showing wasn’t enough to avoid defeat against Liverpool. The Rangers remain at the foot of the Premier League, with the pressure increasing on Harry Redknapp.
The former Tottenham Hotspur manager has responded to the side’s struggles by lambasting Moroccan playmaker Adel Taarabt.
Despite having received praise from Hoops owner Tony Fernandes earlier in the season, Taarabt clearly doesn’t have the faith of the manager who slammed the attacking midfielder in a press conference: “He’s not fit. He played in a reserve game the other day and I could have run more than he did. I can’t pick him. I pick people who want to try. I can’t keep protecting people who won’t train and are three-stone overweight.”
However, in an interview with Neil Ashton of the Daily Mail, Taarabt has come out all guns blazing: “I am a professional – this is not about retaliation, this is about protecting my reputation. I played in that reserve game for 90 minutes and if he didn’t think I was running he could have taken me off. … It was a reserve game and I was protecting myself.”
Taarabt’s position looks to have become untenable (if it wasn’t already), but will the manager still be around to see him out of the club?
Africa’s Pre-Eminent Champions League Star
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The Champions League returns Tuesday night and Wednesday night with a whole host of tasty fixtures.
Several African players have shone in the two group-stage matches to date, but as of yet, no one has emerged as the continent’s pre-eminent Champions League star. It is a topic that I have discussed in the African Football Weekly podcast.
Will one emerge this week?
Gervinho is one contender. AS Roma have found themselves in an incredibly tough group—alongside Bayern Munich and Manchester City—but have given themselves a fighting chance with a 5-1 victory against CSKA Moscow and an away draw in England.
The former Arsenal man has two goals and one assist to date.
Yacine Brahimi has also taken the competition by storm. He impressed in the play-off qualifying victory over LOSC Lille and has scored three in the group stage so far (making him joint-top scorer in the competition).
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Ahmed Musa have also impressed, but as of yet, other typical heavyweights, such as Yaya Toure, are yet to reveal their undeniable qualities.
Will Toure reassert himself in Matchday 3?
