THE FINAL THIRD

Algerian coach Rabah Saadane stated that his side will most likely stick to the same lineup that battled England to a 0 – 0 draw. Full of confidence, the Desert Foxes fell as if they can seize their opportunity and qualify for the second round.

“We have two options,” he told reporters. “The first one, which is the most plausible, is that the team which gave such a good performance against England will be used again.

“The second option is perhaps to make a change and it would be with the forwards. But we’ll see,” he said, noting that he could bring in Rafik Djebbour if he changes his lineup.

Saadane said his players would represent the whole of Africa and the Arab world and were ready to qualify for the second round at the World Cup finals for the first time.

“We have a great deal of responsibility, we represent the African continent, the hopes of the African continent and we also represent the Arab world,” he said.

Algeria are bottom with one point but can clinch a place in the last 16 if they beat the US by two clear goals and would also go through if they win and England do not beat Slovenia.

Captain Antar Yahia said they had got a huge confidence boost from their draw with England, one of the pre-tournament favourites, and said they had nothing to fear against the US.

“I think that following our game against England, we have a feeling of trust and of confidence,” he said. “We are confident that we have played very important matches like this one (before) during the African Cup of Nations and others.

“So we are not going to feel further pressure. We have confidence that it is going to be a great game. We have the means to write Algerian history tomorrow.”

Algeria lost their opening match 1-0 to Slovenia while looking particularly nervous but they improved markedly in their second game to earn a point after a poor England display.

While England looked dejected with the result, the north Africans were delighted with an improved performance. However, they have yet to score a goal at this World Cup and Saadane said he could consider making changes in attack if necessary.

Sepp Blatter is doing some serious good these days. Togo will return to the African Cup of Nations through a peace deal brokered by Fifa president Sepp Blatter in Zurich on Friday.
Blatter persuaded African Football Confederation officials to withdraw a two-tournament ban they imposed on Togo after it left the 2010 finals following an attack on the team bus by Angolan gunmen.

The Togolese Football Federation had filed an appeal against this decision by the CAF with CAS, and both parties had agreed to meet under the mediation of the Fifa president.

According to the agreement, CAF president Issa Hayatou agreed to ask his executive committee to lift the sanction excluding the Togo from the next two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations. Togo in turn agreed that it had not communicated to CAF the withdrawal of its team from the Africa Cup of Nations Angola 2010 in accordance with the competition regulations.

Togo also acknowledged that the CAF executive committee had taken its decision of 30 January in application of the relevant regulations.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to find a solution which is satisfactory for both parties. Today marks a victory for the whole football family, particularly for African football.

This shows that we can solve internal disputes within the football family for the benefit of all those who are involved in our game, and in particular for the players,” said the Fifa president after the meeting.

“Considering the emotional circumstances surrounding this case, it was very important for the parties to find a reasonable solution in order to put an end to their dispute.

This is good news for the players of the Togolese team as well as for CAS, which has been able to bring this mediation to a successful conclusion,” added Matthieu Reeb, secretary general of CAS.

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor has announced his retirement from international football stating that he has been unable to mentally recover from the attack on the Togo team bus at the African Cup of Nations.

Adebayor looked on in horror as bullets riddled the bus in an attack that killed an assistant coach and the squad’s spokesman and led Togo to pull out of the tournament in January.

The former Arsenal star later admitted he feared his life was about to end during the assault in the northern Angolan province of Cabinda and he has been unable to shake off the mental scars of the incident.

“Following the tragic events during January’s African Cup of Nations, in which two of my fellow countrymen were killed by terrorists in Angola, I have made the very difficult decision to retire from international football,” Adebayor told his club’s website.

“I have weighed up my feelings in the weeks and months since the attack, and I am still haunted by the events which I witnessed on that horrible afternoon on the Togo team bus.

“We were just footballers going to play a football match and represent our country, yet we were attacked by people who wanted to kill us all. It is a moment I will never forget and one I never want to experience again.”

The coach’s Angolan driver also died in the attack, while defender Serge Akakpo and goalkeeper Kodjovi Obilale were among a number of passengers injured.

Obilale was initially reported to have been killed but was flown to a South African hospital for life-saving surgery and remained there for two months, with Adebayor paying for the GSI Pontivy player’s partner and sister to travel to South Africa and accompany him during his recovery.

Togo were banned by the Confederation of African Football for the next two editions as a result of their decision to pull out of the tournament, a sanction over which they are currently embroiled in an appeal process.

The 26-year-old Adebayor scored 16 goals in 38 appearances for Togo and helped his team reach the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

He insisted he will always have a special bond with the team-mates who were on the bus in Cabinda.

“The people who were on that coach together will forever be joined by a special bond – we are all brothers,” he said.

“I will always have the team and the people of Togo close to my heart and wish them every success in the challenges that they will face in the future.

“For nine years I have played for the Togo team and, despite the events in Angola, I have some very good memories of my international career.

“I feel very proud to have been trusted with the position of captain of the Togolese football team. Leading your country in international competition is the ultimate honour for any player.”

Now that his international career has come to an end he will be focusing solely on Manchester City and their goal to dominate English football. Adebayor has scored seven times for City since returning to action after the tragedy and struck twice in Sunday’s 5-1 win over Birmingham as Roberto Mancini’s side consolidated fourth place in the Premier League.

The club, backed by their Abu Dhabi-based billionaire owners, has already spent millions in an attempt to secure qualification for the Champions League and Mancini’s men are within touching distance of reaching that goal.

Whatever Adebayor achieves at City, he admits he will always retain fond memories of his time with Togo and he hopes the team can make their country proud in the future.

“Togo have some very talented players, and I dearly hope the players who remain will be able to put their memories of Angola behind them and go onto be a success for the nation,” he added.

“I have enormous belief in each and every one of them, players, coaches, staff and their families.”

Kids play in an abandon stadium near Lubango, Angola on January 22, 2010. Lubango will host one of the four African Cup of Nations quarter final on monday at the Tundavala stadium. It has been a memorable tournament so far for both the good and the bad.

image GIANLUIGI GUERCIA/AFP/Getty Images

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