PANAPRESS
Panafrican News Agency
2015 AFCON: Titbits as Africa's biggest football festival begins
Malabo, Equatorial Guinea (PANA) - Following are titbits from Equatorial Guinea, hosts of the 30th edition of the Orange African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which begins Saturday.
Kidiaba - the oldest, Abogo the youngest -- TP Mazembe and DR Congo goalkeeper, Robert Muteba Kidiaba, is the oldest player at the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015. The veteran will celebrate his 39th birthday on 1 February, 2015.
Third-choice Cameroon goalie, Pierre Sylvain Abogo, is the youngest player at the championship. The captain of the Cameroon Under-17 team turns 17 on 27 January, 2015.
However, the record for the oldest and youngest player remains intact. Egyptian Hossam Hassan holds the record for the oldest player (39 years, 5 months and 24 days) whilst Gabonese Chiva Star Nzighou holds the record for youngest player (16 years, 2 months and 30 days).
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Most youthful AFCON ever -- Of the 368 players present in Equatorial Guinea, only 26 are over 30 years (as at 17 January 2015) and 21 are less than 20 years. In summary, 321 of the players present in Bata, Malabo, Ebibeyin and Mongomo are between 20 and 30 years old.
Most of the participating teams have gone for youthful squads compared to previous editions.
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Seventh appearance for Seydou Keita, three Ivorians -- Mali captain Seydou Keita is a household name in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations. Since making his debut in 2002, he also appeared in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013 editions. The current championship is the seventh time the Mali captain is appearing at the showpiece event.
Keita shares the same record with former Ivorian goalkeeper Alain Gouamene, but still falls short of the eight appearances by Cameroon legend Rigobert Song.
Also making their seventh appearance is Ivorian trio, Boubacar ‘Copa’ Barry, Abib Kolo Toure and Siaka Tiene (2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013).
Zambia captain Rainford Kalaba and Kennedy Mweene will also be making their fifth appearances.
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Tunisia Unshakable for 20 years -- Tunisia is the only team to have participated in the final tournament and all eight successive appearances since 2000.
Since 2000, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Zambia have contested in seven (7) championships;
South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, and Senegal have made six appearances, Algeria and DR Congo have five (5) participations; Guinea have 4, Gabon 3 whilst Cape Verde, Congo and Equatorial Guinea one each.
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Mbasogo poised for successful tournament -- Equatorial Guinea President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has affirmed he would personally pay for 40,000 seats to offer to the poorest supporters throughout AFCON-2015, urging the very rich to do same.
“We have to make the AFCON event monumental; you should therefore buy tickets to fill up the stadia. Let the rich help the poor! Myself, I am buying 40,000 tickets, that is 10,000 per region (the four venues hosting the AFCON).
“These are CFA500 (75 cents) which is equal to 20 Million CFAF (30.000 euros),” President Mbasogo said Monday evening on national television, during a meeting with local chiefs, and military and civilian officials of the coastal region of the country.
To instigate the populace to go to the stadium, the head of state reduced the work shift of civil servants in the regions where encounters are taking place by two hours on the days matches are played.
Moreover, Gabon, a neighbouring country, with which Equatorial Guinea jointly organised AFCON-2012, has supplied 20 buses to transport the teams.
“It’s our contribution to support Equatorial Guinea. It is said among us that when the neighbour is hosting a feast, it is the entire village that is feasting,” Gabonese Minister of Sports stated, justifying his gesture.
-0- PANA VAO 17Jan2015
Kidiaba - the oldest, Abogo the youngest -- TP Mazembe and DR Congo goalkeeper, Robert Muteba Kidiaba, is the oldest player at the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015. The veteran will celebrate his 39th birthday on 1 February, 2015.
Third-choice Cameroon goalie, Pierre Sylvain Abogo, is the youngest player at the championship. The captain of the Cameroon Under-17 team turns 17 on 27 January, 2015.
However, the record for the oldest and youngest player remains intact. Egyptian Hossam Hassan holds the record for the oldest player (39 years, 5 months and 24 days) whilst Gabonese Chiva Star Nzighou holds the record for youngest player (16 years, 2 months and 30 days).
---------------------------------------------
Most youthful AFCON ever -- Of the 368 players present in Equatorial Guinea, only 26 are over 30 years (as at 17 January 2015) and 21 are less than 20 years. In summary, 321 of the players present in Bata, Malabo, Ebibeyin and Mongomo are between 20 and 30 years old.
Most of the participating teams have gone for youthful squads compared to previous editions.
------------------------------------------------
Seventh appearance for Seydou Keita, three Ivorians -- Mali captain Seydou Keita is a household name in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations. Since making his debut in 2002, he also appeared in 2004, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013 editions. The current championship is the seventh time the Mali captain is appearing at the showpiece event.
Keita shares the same record with former Ivorian goalkeeper Alain Gouamene, but still falls short of the eight appearances by Cameroon legend Rigobert Song.
Also making their seventh appearance is Ivorian trio, Boubacar ‘Copa’ Barry, Abib Kolo Toure and Siaka Tiene (2002, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2013).
Zambia captain Rainford Kalaba and Kennedy Mweene will also be making their fifth appearances.
-------------------------------------------------
Tunisia Unshakable for 20 years -- Tunisia is the only team to have participated in the final tournament and all eight successive appearances since 2000.
Since 2000, Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and Zambia have contested in seven (7) championships;
South Africa, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Mali, and Senegal have made six appearances, Algeria and DR Congo have five (5) participations; Guinea have 4, Gabon 3 whilst Cape Verde, Congo and Equatorial Guinea one each.
--------------------------------------
Mbasogo poised for successful tournament -- Equatorial Guinea President, Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo, has affirmed he would personally pay for 40,000 seats to offer to the poorest supporters throughout AFCON-2015, urging the very rich to do same.
“We have to make the AFCON event monumental; you should therefore buy tickets to fill up the stadia. Let the rich help the poor! Myself, I am buying 40,000 tickets, that is 10,000 per region (the four venues hosting the AFCON).
“These are CFA500 (75 cents) which is equal to 20 Million CFAF (30.000 euros),” President Mbasogo said Monday evening on national television, during a meeting with local chiefs, and military and civilian officials of the coastal region of the country.
To instigate the populace to go to the stadium, the head of state reduced the work shift of civil servants in the regions where encounters are taking place by two hours on the days matches are played.
Moreover, Gabon, a neighbouring country, with which Equatorial Guinea jointly organised AFCON-2012, has supplied 20 buses to transport the teams.
“It’s our contribution to support Equatorial Guinea. It is said among us that when the neighbour is hosting a feast, it is the entire village that is feasting,” Gabonese Minister of Sports stated, justifying his gesture.
-0- PANA VAO 17Jan2015
