How is soccer keeping Niger girls in school?

Education and football are working hand in glove to improve the lives of girls in Niger. The West African country is among the poorest in the world with the highest rates of early childhood marriage. A startling three in four adolescent girls are married before the age of 18, as a result, many girls do not finish school.

Photo Credit: Unicef.org

After dropping out of school and marrying at a young age, they lose out on the opportunities that education provides for young women.  A football program that is funded by UNICEF is helping to change the status quo for many out-of-school girls in Niger.  This program has been supporting soccer academies for young women, such as Academie Atcha in Niger’s capital Niamey. The academy combines both academics and football which is an incentive for the girls to attend school while also playing the game, which has effectively increased the student retention rates. Through education, these young women are widening their options for their future. Over the past two years, UNICEF together with the National Football Federation has been organizing a national tournament for girls under the age of 17.

“The organization of this tournament goes beyond the question of sport. It aims above all to challenge stereotypes and gender norms. Sport can help girls to place themselves on an equal footing with boys…When girls play, when girls go to school, when girls are no longer victims of violence, when childhood is not shortcut by marriage, the world wins!”- Felicite Tchibindat, UNICEF Representative in Niger.

Breaking boundaries on and off the pitch

As a predominantly Muslim country, it is not common for girls to pursue a career in football. The young women who play the game are faced with gender stereotypes and restrictions that become obstacles for them. Niger’s senior women’s national team has also shared struggles to be excepted from the community which believes that women should never play football as a profession. Despite the opposition from communities and religious leaders who disapprove of girls playing football, the families of the footballers give their full support to the girls. Football is not only giving the girls access to education but also gives these young women the confidence and agency to make decisions and use their talents to better their lives.  In turn, the girls are changing the rules and using the game as a vehicle to pursue their dreams, break gender stereotypes and change perceptions in their communities.

“Football is not just a man’s game. Girls can play as well.  In the past, after school, I went to the playground where boys practice football, but they refused to play with me arguing that football is not a sport for girls. I was shocked, and in my neighborhood, not a single girl plays football.”- 16-year-old Cherifa

Football with a difference

It is the right of every child to get an education. Sadly, millions of girls around the world are robbed of this right. Organizations such as UNICEF which are committed to partnering with communities to transform the lives of children are playing a pivotal role in showing the positive impact that sport and education have on young women.

Photo Credit: Unicef.org

Nelson Mandela once said that “sport has the power to change the world.” Football is more than just a game but a powerful force to support children and get them into school as is the case now in Niger. It builds confidence in their abilities and should be encouraged as they tackle the obstacles on and off the field. The young girls are breaking boundaries and shattering gender stereotypes despite being told by their community that they should not play football.

FirstTouch’s Top 5 African Female Ballers of 2019

On the 7th of January 2020 in Egypt, Africa's football governing body CAF will announce the top women's player of the year. It's an accolade that has seen all its previous winners enjoy global success as they pushed for new frontiers and held the banner of African football with pride. Out of the shortlist of 10 women chosen by technology and media professionals, here at FirstTouch, we have picked our 5 leading candidates to claim the prize. In no particular order, they are as follows:

Han Peng #18 and Liu Shanshan #2 of China try to block Ajara Nchout #3 of Cameroon during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada Round 16 match between China and Cameroon at Commonwealth Stadium on June 20, 2015 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

(June 19, 2015 - Source: Todd Korol/Getty Images North America)

1. Asisat Oshoala (Nigeria & Barcelona)

No better place to start than with the 3-time winner of the CAF Women's Footballer of the year. The 25-year old Nigerian international has become a legend all too quickly playing for the best teams in the best leagues around the world. Not least of her former employers include Arsenal, Liverpool and Dalian Quanjian in the Chinese Women's Super League. The year 2019 was probably not her best with Barcelona as the Spanish Primera Division side missed out on the league and UEFA Champions League honors. Perhaps her biggest goals of the year included one in Barcelona's only goal in a 1-4 final loss to Lyon in Champions League and another one against South Korea that helped Nigeria reach the round-of-16 of the FIFA Women's World Cup for the first time in since 1999.

2. Thembi Kgatlana (South Africa & Beijing BG Phoenix Rising)

After an unreal 2018 that left her by far the best player on the continent as she helped South Africa reach the FIFA Women's World Cup finals for the first time, Kgatlana didn't fold in 2019. The reigning CAF Best Player of the year made the move to Chinese side Beijing BG Phoenix Rising in February 2019 and has since scored 6 goals in her debut league appearance. The 23-year-old forward also scored South Africa's first and only goal of the World Cup in a group stages 1-3 loss to Spain.

3. Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi & Jiangsu Suning)

Africa keeps churning goal-scoring talents and Chawinga is the latest legend in the making. After becoming the first Malawian women's player to ply her trade in Europe, the 22-year-old has delivered performances worthy of being a pioneer. Short stints in Sweden saw her grab all the top goal scorer's awards she ever contested for and at times pipping the runner-up by a clear 14 goals. She has since made a move to China after a record transfer fee in Swedish football. The year 2019 was her second in the Chinese Women's Super League as she helped Jiangsu Suning to a treble and also bagged a treble of her own in terms of top goal-scoring accolades. Chawinga is the current top goal scorer in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics qualifiers and also retained the CSWL's golden boot after scoring 12 times in 14 league appearances, 4 goals ahead of the second-best. By reason of all this, she surely is the favorite to win Africa's top prize. It just looks like her reign has only started and could make the rounds in a few more years, world-wide.

Elizabeth Addo of Ghana looks on during the women's international friendly match between Germnay and Ghana at Benteler Arena on July 22, 2016 in Paderborn, Germany.

(July 21, 2016 - Source: Lars Baron/Bongarts)

4. Ajara Nchout (Cameroon & Valerenga)

This name should be familiar to most. The Cameroonian international scored Cameroon's only 2 goals in their only victory over New Zealand at the 2019 FIFA World Cup in France. The Valerenga forward's brace was actually enough to send the Indomitable Lionesses into the round-of-16 where they eventually lost 3-0 to England under the spotlight of VAR controversies. Most excitingly, the 26-year-old was nominated for the 2019 FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year courtesy of her brilliant solo goal against New Zealand at the World Cup. She could be forgiven for then losing out to Lionel Messi on the accolade. The Indomitable Lionesses forward has also proven a clutch in her nation's pursuit of a 2020 Tokyo Olympics spot, scoring the decisive goal against DR Congo in the 3rd round. Cameroon are now in the playoffs finals against Zambia.

5. Elizabeth Addo (Ghana & Jiangsu Suning)

When they mention Chawinga in China, Addo's name usually comes after. The Black Queens captain is the Malawian's partner in crime at Jiangsu Suning. Elizabeth, 26, also aided the CWSL side's treble win with her 3 goals in 14 outings. She has been one of the best footballers on the continent for a while now, with club stints in Nigeria, Serbia, Hungary, Sweden, USA, and Australia. Addo also captained Ghana at the 2018 Africa Women's Cup of Nations and got listed in the tournament's best XI despite the host nation's failure to go past the group stages.

There you have it people, let us know if we missed anyone in the comment box below.

2019/20 Absa Premiership Breakout Stars of the Season: Which players could blow?

Fans during the Absa Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Soweto, South Africa.

(Oct. 25, 2013 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

Here’s some names for you to remember. Seven of the Absa Premiership’s hottest prospects and future stars that could light up the 2019/20 season.

1. Teboho Mokoena

Age: 22

Club: SuperSport United

Position: Midfielder

At his age, he is already part of the South African national team. He made his debut appearance for Bafana Bafana in 2016 and has since made about 50 appearances. Teboho scored the winning goal in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers for South Africa against islanders, Seychelles.

2. Phakamani Mahlambi

Age: 21

Club: Mamelodi Sundowns

Position: Attacking Midfielder

He started his career with Bidvest Wits and has been blazing since then. Of note, he suffered a medial collateral ligament and took some time off the field of play. In 2017, he signed for Al Ahly, making him the first ever South African to play in Egyp. He has since returned home for the champions and remains one of the reasons why Pitso’ side remain acclaimed for their squad depth.

3. Justin Shonga

Age: 22

Club: Orlando Pirates

Position: Forward

The Zambian player was signed by the South African Bucs in 2017 from Nkwazi FC, a club back in Zambia. So far he has scored 4 goals in 23 ABSA Premiership appearances. Put aside his age, Justin “the Sheriff” Shonga is one of the deadliest attackers in the league, ask the defenders. He has however been a subject of speculation in the summer with Tanzania’s Simba FC reported to be interested in the Zambian international.

Siyabonga Nkosi of the Chiefs celebrates after the Nedbank Cup Final between SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium on May 25, 2013 in Durban, South Africa.

(Dec. 31, 1999 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

4. Gift Links

Age: 20

Club: Cape Town City F.C.

Position: Forward

He was with Al Assiouty in Egypt where he made 11 appearances. He was called for the Bafana Bafana squad and gave a splendid performance. That caught the eye of his current team which then offered him a more permanent post and a return to South Africa, his homeland. Not many are as technically gifted as the 20-year-old.

5. Siphesihle Ndlovu

Age: 22

Club: Orlando Pirates

Position: Midfielder

After Maritzburg, he was caught in a dilemma between Mamelodi Sundowns and the Bucs. He eventually decided to side with the stars in black and white because he was apparently attracted by their style of play. Ndlovu signed a contract that will bind him to the side for the next three years and SA is waiting in anticipation to see what the voted 2018/19 midfielder and young player of the season has to offer in the long-term.

Fans during the Absa Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on October 26, 2013 in Soweto, South Africa.

(Oct. 25, 2013 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

6. Sipho Chaine

Age: 22

Club: Bloemfontein Celtic F.C.

Position: Goalkeeper

Chaine grew up in Bloemfontein and playing for Celtic has always been his dream. At Celtic, he aims to wear the number one jersey. He appeared in this year’s MTN 8 and hugely earmarked as one of the most promising football talents in the country.

7. Sibusiso Mabiliso

Age: 20

Club: Amazulu

Position: Defender

The ABSA Premiership player is one of the youngest players in the league which has an average age of 27 years old. The age advantage has made the player one of the most solicited players in the league. It’s true that defenders are like wine, they get better with age. Mabiliso however happens to be a rare taste.

The USA are back to back champs. Even though European nations are making progress, substance must always trump style.

Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, and Allie Long celebrate during the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team Victory Parade and City Hall Ceremony on July 10, 2019 in New York City.

(July 9, 2019 - Source: Getty Images North America)

Introduction

Over the past few months leading to the global showpiece that is the FIFA World Cup, the women’s football fraternity has been filled with both inspiration and disappointing news. Some of the issues caused an international uproar while a fair share caused the rest of the world to take a pause, sit back and critically think of the issues that are affecting our societies. We saw Ada Hegerberg refuse to appear in the 2019 World Cup because of a dispute between her and the Norwegian football federation over the amount of resources availed to the national team. Some fans were of the persuasion that the 2018 Ballon d’Or winner feels like she has gotten bigger than the Norwegian national team whereas others did agree that maybe it was time we looked at how our governments prioritize what women do. Even after we went past that wave of the tournament proceeding without Ada on the field, there were still more complaints about it. It was firstly, the fact that the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) was introduced very close to the world cup which did not give players and coaches enough time to get used to the revolutionary equipment that is meant to improve the quality of refereeing decisions. There was also the general misconception that the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) was a counterfeit of the men’s World Cup and its credibility got questioned by some. Cameroon’s “childish” behavior during their match against England in the round-of-16 and the “exaggerated” celebrations in the USWNT’s 13-0 win over Thailand also brought a lot of interesting conversations on the streets. In the midst of all that, nothing could stop the ladies from giving their best and we got to the end of the tournament where we saw the United States Women’s National team win the WWC for the fourth time, which is more than any other national team has won it. We want to analyse what this means for women’s football and think through some of the structures that have been put in place that enable the level of excellence shown by the USWNT.

“ Their win has brought even more attention to this crucial conversation in the society and given the champions and the rest of the world, more evidence to further their cause.”

— Simiso Shabangu, FirstTouch Africa

Lieke Martens, Stefanie van der Gragt, Vivianne Miedema and Anouk Dekker of the Netherlands make a defensive wall during the Final of the UEFA Women's Euro 2017 between Netherlands and Denmark at FC Twente Stadium on August 6, 2017 in Enschede, Netherlands.

(Aug. 5, 2017 - Source: Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images Europe)

USWNT winning formula over the years

When you win once, it could easily be discarded as odds being in your favor, but if you do it multiple times, then it means excellence has become part of your DNA. How that excellent character comes to life can only be as a result of intentional and systematic efforts in the form of structures put in place, enabling that kind of behavior. Here’s some of them:

 1.Thriving local soccer leagues and international exposure

The U.S. has generally invested a lot into structures such as the university soccer leagues that do not only enable the identification of talent, but allows this talent to be groomed into the powerhouse that the national team has become. A report by College Choice proves that soccer has become a key part of college life in the US spanning across decades. This places the country far ahead of any other country that they get to meet at the world cup. In essence, preparation for the world cup does not begin a few days before, but begins decades before the ladies get to hit the field.

Lucy Bronze of England celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's third goal during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Quarter Final match between Norway and England at Stade Oceane on June 27, 2019 in Le Havre, France.

(June 26, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

 Beyond the university leagues, there are also thriving local leagues that challenge the players to put on their A-game all the time. Leagues like the Women’s Premier Soccer League and the National Women’s Soccer League have become the breeding ground for talent in the US and even the go to destination for foreign players. Some of their players also get to play in other leagues outside of the country where they are chiseled into legends of excellence. Local leagues have raised stars that include Hope Solo, Alex Morgan and Lindsey Horan. As a national team, they have also always participated in the SheBelieves Cup, and numerous international friendlies. This goes to prove that you cannot build a great team without exposure to opportunities that yield continuous growth.

 2. Deeply inculcated “winning” mindset

The kind of attitude and character that has also been inculcated into the team is that of ruthlessness and unrelenting at all times. Only a team that has been groomed to be like that can polarize opinion by scoring 13 goals against Thailand and still play like they are trailing. This attitude is also supported by prominent voices in the US space that are calling for equal pay in the game and the investment of resources into growing women’s soccer in the US. Equally ingrained in the Stars & Stripes’ drive is the innate desire to want to excel at something they started. As one of the initial pioneers of the WC, it is not a surprise that the US have maintained that level of excellence over the years. They got to learn the winning formula way before anybody else joined the game.

 Setting a precedence and inviting others in

The 2019 world cup victory is actually not just for the USWNT, but extends to women’s soccer in general. Regional competitions like the Total Women Africa Cup of Nations and the UEFA Women’s Euro Cup have also gained prominence in the field. Their contribution to the development of talent in the game can never be overstated. Players who participate in these tournaments become the cornerstones and jewels of their national teams. The bigger wave of women empowerment across the world that advocates for women’s equal inclusion in sports is also something that is contributing to the exponential growth of women’s football. For example, Procter & Gamble donated $529K to further bridge the gender pay gap in U.S soccer. Other countries like France and the Netherlands have heeded the call for inclusion in sports and have made substantial investments in their local leagues.

 The investment in local leagues explains why the USWNT did not cruise through the tournament but faced fierce competition from Spain, England and France. Even Alex Morgan attested to the competitive nature of the 2019 finals by stating that “I think during the tournament it’s more emotionally exhausting. After, we are actually so sleep deprived — like it’s physically exhausting.” That exhaustion was a sign of how hard that win must have come for the US because other teams were equally determined to win the championship too.

Amandine Henry of France celebrates her team's second goal with team mates during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Round Of 16 match between France and Brazil at Stade Oceane on June 23, 2019 in Le Havre, France.

(June 22, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

 Even the progress of the African teams that were at the tournament highlighted the bigger conversation about the growing and maturing nature of the women’s game across the world. For the first time in history, two African teams, namely Cameroon and Nigeria, advanced to the knockout stages. The only team that could understandably not advance were debutants, South Africa. The improvement can also be accorded to the fact that African players are now able to play in other leagues outside of Africa. For example, Thembi Kgatlana plays for Beijing BG Phoenix F.C. in the Chinese Women's Super League while Asisat Oshoala is blessing Barcelona Femmine with her presence. Such exposure gives them a feel of how the game is played on other sides of the world way before they go to international tournaments like the World Cup. In our past article, we gave a detailed analysis of how impressively unbeatable Lyon has become. Since it is an international club with players from diverse nationalities, their spirit, drive and energy is able to spread across to other countries as well.

 The world has also been impressed by players such as Thembi Kgatlana who was named the 2018 CAF’s Footballer of the Year and Hegerberg who has gone to be the first woman to win the Ballon d’Or. More notably, there is also a rise in the quality of coaches who offer technical support to their teams. Some legends have returned through their teams today. For example, former Manchester United legend Phil Neville is now managing England.

Alex Morgan of the USA is challenged by Lucy Bronze, Jade Moore and Nikita Parris of England during the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup France Semi Final match between England and USA at Stade de Lyon on July 02, 2019 in Lyon, France.

(July 1, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe

 Why USWNT’s win is important for women’s football

One thing we have gotten used to is the influence of the U.S. on the affairs of other countries. If the idea of equal attention, pay and investment in sports is successful in the U.S., it can then trickle down to other countries. Their win has brought even more attention to this crucial conversation in society and given the champions and the rest of the world, more evidence to further their cause. Other prominent figures like Megan Rapinoe who got both the Golden Ball award as the World Cup’s best player and the Golden Boot as its leading scorer have grabbed the attention of President Trump who was quoted saying, “the conversation is no longer about should we have equal pay, or should we be supporting women. It’s how do we support not only athletes but women in general.” The involvement of newspapers and cash donations from companies like Secret Deodorant have also given this discourse more positive attention.

 Conclusion

We can never congratulate the USNWT team enough, not just for the win but the consistent excellence. It has helped the rest of us recognize and appreciate the true meaning of commitment and being deliberate about setting ourselves up for success. We have seen that the U.S. win does not begin every 4 years but generations before. Beyond the championship, it is also important to recognize the contribution of such performances to the more crucial conversation about women in sports, inclusion and equal remuneration.

2019 WWC Review: After all the African teams failed to make it past the Round of 16, What’s next for the game in Africa?

With the 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup now in the books, it's time to reflect on what an amazing month of soccer it was, precisely for Africa. This year’s World Cup, saw two of Africa’s three representatives reaching the round of 16. Below we breakdown the happenings of the tournament with a focused attention on the African teams; Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa as well as the future of the sport on the continent moving forward.

“Further to this, according to Yasmine Arkoub, co-founder of sports consulting firm, Melting Sports, there are also plans to launch an African Women’s Champions League. Additionally, former Nigerian player Yusuf-Aromire has also launched the SheFootball Initiative to encourage young Nigerian girls to get on the pitch.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

Claudia Goette of Leverkusen challenges Amanda Dlamini of South Africa during the women's friendly match between South Africa and Bayer Leverkusen at Sport School Hennef on July 12, 2012 in Recklinghausen, Germany.

(July 11, 2012 - Source: Christof Koepsel/Getty Images Europe)

AFRICA’S 2019 WORLD CUP EXPLOITS SUMMARISED

Nigeria

Nearly knocked out of the group stages as a result of a controversial VAR decision, the Nigerian Super Falcons had a decent world cup performance as they managed to reach the round of 16. While they were knocked out by two time champions, Germany, the West African team did meet their primary objective of at least qualifying for the knockout stages. Thus, the team will look to build on from this in preparation for future tournaments and ultimately the 2023 World Cup. What is more, coach Thomas Dennerby looks to have unearthed some young players who could be long term foundations of the squad.

Cameroon

Cameroon qualified for the round of 16 after beating New Zealand 2-1 in their final group match. A big letdown for the Cameroonians was their failure to be clinical in front of goal throughout the tournament. The Indomitable Lionesses were very creative and threatening going forward but a bit less cohesive defensively. In their last time out, Cameroon lost 3-0 to England in a match that was characterised by intense physicality and various controversial VAR decisions. One may not be faulted for believing that the less sportive behavior displayed by the Cameroon team during their match against England marred their never say die attitude which had helped them reach the round of 16. The players refused to restart the game after England had scored a goal awarded by a controversial VAR decision, causing a conundrum on the field of play in an unbearable sight for football fans.

South Africa

To whom much is given much is expected, says an old adage. After a stellar showing at the 2018 Women’s AFCON tournament last year where they reached the finals, much was expected from the South African women’s team. The 2019 FIFA Women's World Cup was Banyana Banyana’s first ever appearance at that stage. The team lost all three matches though they did manage to salvage some pride by scoring a consolation goal courtesy of star player Thembi Kgatlana in their 3-1 loss against Spain. Nevertheless, perhaps some positives can be taken from Banyana’s world cup journey. Their ability to reach the tournament for the first time is something not to be taken lightly. Furthermore, the team has been able to blend in experience and youth that has come up the ranks, and as such, by the time the next world cup tournament arrives, a majority of the team’s youngsters would have reached their peak and will be ready to be more competitive.

Cameroon line up during the Women's Football first round Group E Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Cameroon and Brazil at Millennium Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.

(July 24, 2012 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

THERE ARE OTHERS

While the above teams have exerted their place as the leading women’s football nations from the continent, there are other teams that are closely behind them that may rise in the near future. These include Mali, Zimbabwe and Zambia. The Mighty Warriors were the first Zimbabwean national football team to make it to a global event after qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil. Previously, Zimbabwe had qualified for the Women's Africa Cup of Nations three times and their best performance was a fourth place finish at the 2000 edition held in Nigeria. Moreover, the upcoming COSAFA Cup will be an opportunity for the Mighty Warriors to redeem themselves and show their competence especially after failing to book a place at the Africa Women's Cup of Nations (AWCON) last year.

SOME CHALLENGES THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE WOMEN’S GAME

It must be pointed out that African national teams (both women and men) still have a long way to go if they are to succeed in major tournaments such as the Men and Women’s FIFA World Cup. Prominent even today, stories of pay disputes between players and the football governing body remain poisonous to the development of the sport and if left unaddressed, will continue to be a problem. Such disputes have reared their ugly heads as a result of the corruption and general mismanagement that plagues high-level football across Africa. Despite being home to large throngs of football lovers and also some of the world’s best players, football federations across the continent are engulfed by cancerous maladministration which creates a lot of problems that ultimately force players to take extreme measures in an effort to get their payments. Noteworthy examples that come to mind include the issues faced by the Nigerian women’s team after beating Cameroon 5-0 to win the AWCON back in 2004. The Nigerian federation refused to pay players their bonuses and pending allowances as the federation claimed there was no money. The players eventually got their dues after continued pressure from both players and the media. Fast forward to 2019, the same issue arose at the end of their world cup journey.  It was reported that the Super Falcons refused to return home unless they were paid. Therefore, the absence of proper structures to deal with such problems will continue to result in unrest and lack of optimal performances from national team players.

Renata Costa of Brazil scores a header during the Women's Football first round Group E Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Cameroon and Brazil at Millennium Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.

(July 24, 2012 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

A GLOBAL VIEW

In the same vein, another predominant issue not only in African women’s football but globally as well, has been the issue of unequal pay between the men’s and the women’s teams. It was reported that Banyana Banyana, South Africa women’s team, were paid 10 times less than Bafana Bafana, the men’s team. As such, this damning discovery resulted in the South African Football Association (SAFA) taking action to rectify this. To this end, in May 2019, SAFA increased Banyana's pay and made it equivalent to their male counterparts in a move that was welcomed by many South African football lovers. It was also reported that Nigeria too, has recently taken steps to correct the wage disparity between male and female players. The Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) told CNN it conducted a pay review in 2017 resulting in basic match bonuses for the Super Falcons being raised to $3,000 per player, while the basic bonus for the men's team was reduced from $10,000 to $5,000 per player. According to Samuel Ahmadu, a member of the women's committee for the NFF, the enormous pay gap in the African game can partly be attributed to poor handling of female football teams by their sports associations.

INFRASTRUCTURE & REASONS TO BE HOPEFUL

Despite the difficulties faced by many female players on the continent, there are signs of hope for the women's game. The Confederation of African Football (CAF), has been making bold steps towards investing in women's football. In 2018, the CAF President in a speech at the CAF women's football symposium alluded that the organization would prioritize women's competitions and support local federations in managing women's teams. Further to this, according to Yasmine Arkoub, co-founder of sports consulting firm, Melting Sports, there are also plans to launch an African Women's Champions League. Additionally, former Nigerian player Yusuf-Aromire has also launched the SheFootball Initiative to encourage young Nigerian girls to get on the pitch. The Super Falcons legend offers training for girls and provides football kits for those who can't afford them. "There are a million girls out there who want to play football but are not being encouraged. They just need the support and access to opportunities," she said.

Worth noting is that many African players have been travelling overseas in search for better opportunities to develop their football talents and advance their careers, yet the national teams have found themselves unable to shine on the global stage and many nations are still without a professional league. It is said that out of the 54 national associations in Africa, 25 countries currently have a women’s league with only four boasting well-organized and quality competitions, namely Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and South Africa. As a result, the insignificant number of leagues on the continent hinders many players’ abilities to compete at the highest level consistently, both at national and club level.

“Fast forward to 2019, the same issue arose at the end of their world cup journey.  It was reported that the Super Falcons refused to return home unless they were paid. Therefore, the absence of proper structures to deal with such problems will continue to result in unrest and lack of optimal performances from national team players.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

Asisat Oshoala #8 of Nigeria reacts after scoring the second goal against Sweden during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.

(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Considering all else, there is a long way to go for African football, and the following are some of the action points that I believe need to be addressed by relevant stakeholders in order to improve the sport. Firstly, football associations should make it a priority to source for more sustainable sponsorship for national women’s leagues. This will help in not only having enough prize money for the leagues, but it will also help in attracting local players to remain in the continent as a result of increased competitiveness in the domestic leagues, as well as increasing awareness and abolishing stigma surrounding women’s football which can ultimately draw more sponsors. Additionally, more partnerships between countries should be formed to fast-track the development of players. For instance, one notable initiative in this regard has been the partnership between SAFA and the Spanish La Liga which has seen the League commit to sponsoring the South African Under-17 women’s national team’s (Bantwana) trip to Spain to play two important friendly matches against select sides from La Liga’s national women’s league. SAFA’s representative remarked, “we have received balls to give to our provinces from La Liga, they have sent us La Liga qualified coaches to train our local coaches and have been heavily involved in initiatives with our regions and provinces to develop the sport at grassroots level.”

More of such partnerships are needed across the continent if women’s football in Africa is to rise to the level it belongs.

UCL Review: Why Liverpool got blanked in Spain and Barcelona battered in England

WHY LIVERPOOL GOT BLANKED IN SPAIN

Lionel Messi of Barcelona scores his sides third goal from a free kick during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

Dejavu

Thirty-yards out, Alisson stood sure between the sticks as if daring the Blaugrana talisman to do the unthinkable. The Red wall in grey clothing, shoulders high, hearts unsure – with some palms, cup shaped and firmly fixed to protect the valuables; presentable a seemingly impenetrable force to the king. As per usual, Leo Messi was unmoved, fixing his eyes to a target that covered a twentieth of the entire goal mouth and with a stern face as that of Game of Thrones’ Night King, preparing to dissolve the wall and its commander. Two steps backwards and then forward, he whipped the ball, traversing in a direction that was inconceivable according to the understood laws of physics, it deserted everything and everyone else until it found its way into that top 5% of Liverpool’s goal mouth. A goal for the king and a third for Barcelona on the night, wrapping up a 3-0 score line in the first leg of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League semi-finals. We weren’t fooled, that rare moment wasn’t new at all. Quite characteristic of perhaps the greatest footballer that has walked the surface of the earth. Dejavu is the word, that is all it was!

At end of the ninety, Barcelona were already one foot into the final and the reality of Liverpool turning that score line in the second leg was nothing but a fleeting fantasy. Jurgen Klopp’s Red Army had played considerably well on the night but were left licking their wounds, mostly because of one reason, one word, one man and five letters. Messi! Things really got Messi!

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates after he scores his sides third goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Before things got Messi

Liverpool had been sailing in unfamiliar waters prior to this match in Spain. With a Premier League record that had them losing only once in over 30 matches, and unbeaten in 20, in all competitions to be precise, they had become the closest thing to perfection since sliced bread. En route to Catalonia, they had made light work of the Bavarians, dismissing them by 3-1 in Munich and dispatched Malian Mousa Marega’s impressive Porto by an aggregate score-line of 6-1, a side that had lost only once from the UCL group stages to the quarter-finals. Mount Virgil Van Dijk still seemed unsurmountable and prior to the Barca clash, the Dutch captain had been awarded the PFA Player of the Season, succeeding Mohamed Salah, in a thorough EPL campaign that propelled them to go toe to toe with Man City for the title. Senegalese Sadio Mane and the Egyptian king in Salah, were still firing across all cylinders and the African duo, simply flexing African talent on show by going head to head for the Premier League Golden Boot, scoring over 20 goals each. Only the Gabonese forward, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Sergio Aguero were in the same scoring bracket. A total of 20 Premier League clean sheets, 87 goals scored, a point within table topping City and only a single game lost, the Merseysiders were soaring, it only would have taken something of a magician to put a stop in their tracks. And it did.

When things got Messi

Of course it was the Big Luis Suarez 9 who showed enduring class to put the La Liga champions ahead in the first forty-five, after intercepting Jordi Alba’s perfectly timed cross with a first time finish, under the noses of Virgil Van Dijk and Cameroonian Joel Matip. Yes, you heard right, Mount Van Djik was left for dead. That was actually the Uruguayan’s first champions league goal of the season, biting the hand that once fed him but not typically. At least this time it was all legal and metaphorical. Since then, it was all Liverpool, with Sadio Mane and Mo Salah causing all sorts of problems for the Barca defence, doing it all, except scoring. The close to 100 000 stadium capacity filled the faithful, they were forced to watch their heroes humbled off the ball in their own temple, but it was that humble approach that paid dividends.

“As per usual, Leo Messi was unpertubed, fixing his eyes to a target that covered a twentieth of the entire goal mouth and with a stern face as that of Game of Thrones’ Night King, preparing to dissolve the wall and its commander.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Lionel Messi of Barcelona celebrates with his team mates after he scores his sides third goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final first leg match between Barcelona and Liverpool at the Nou Camp on May 01, 2019 in Barcelona, Spain.

(April 30, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Warrior Arturo Vidal was back to his best, thwarting almost every sensible threat and flying up and down in the middle of the park. Except for a few moments of lapse in concentration, Pique and Lenglet marshalled the Barcelona backline with class and experience, whereas Marc Andre Ter Stegen was available to superman anything that had deluded the rest of the team. It was almost as though, the Blaugrana was happy to soak in the pressure and hit Liverpool on the counter. Which is exactly what they did on the second goal. Possession was won in the middle of the park and Messi was available to oversee proceedings, sending Suarez through on the left wing, before the ball reakeshared off Sergi Roberto to the Uruguayan. Suarez instinctively hit the ball with his knee, only finding the upright before the ball returned into the box, where Leo Messi reacted quickest to chest and slot it home, again under the nose of the mountainous and tipped Balon d’Or candidate, Virgil Van Dijk. We all know what happened on the third goal. Liverpool were blanked by Barca’s humble approach camouflaged in Leo Messi’s superhero suit. The latter took his goal tally to 26 against English opposition, over 20% of his 112 champions league goals. His favorite customer is actually Chelsea, with 10 to his name. Even the second most expensive goalkeeper in the world, Alisson Becker, infuriated, hit the goal post as if to suggest it was the one dancing to the tune of the Argentine magician, made in Spain.

Liverpool had given their all, above and beyond. In addition to Barca’s humble approach, firing blanks in front of goal after 15 shots with 4 of them on target compared to Barca’s 12 whereas 5 were on target, was another important reason as to why they got blanked.

However, the story doesn’t end there. What happened in the second leg, couldn’t have been in any script whatsoever.

WHY BARCELONA GOT BATTERED IN ENGLAND

Fans of Liverpool enjoy the pre match atmosphere with flares prior to the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England.

(May 6, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

The setting

The 3-0 first leg win by Barcelona ensured Liverpool needed to score at least four goals to advance to the 2019 UEFA Champions League final in Madrid. That is four goals without conceding to a Barcelona side which is hardly shy of goals given the presence of those who need no introduction. To make matters worse, after missing Mane and Salah’s hinge, Roberto Firmino in the first leg, the Egyptian king was also going to join the Brazilian to the sidelines after suffering a concussion in a Premier League encounter against Newcastle. So was the Guinean dynamic midfielder, Naby Keita, who limped off in the early stages of the two legged tie in Camp Nou. In fact, he is reported to be at risk of even missing out on the June 2019 AFCON finals in Egypt. To say the least, they who never walk alone were facing an uphill task, only convicted to give their best shot in front of the faithful Anfield choir. Only memories of the 2005 Champions League final in Istanbul, which they won after coming back from a 3-0 down at the end of the first half against AC Milan, offered glimpses of hope.

But even their gaffer, Jurgen Klopp remained pragmatic of the task at hand:

“Two of the world’s best strikers are not available tomorrow night and we have to score four goals against Barcelona to go through after 90 minutes. It doesn’t make life easier but as long as we have 11 players on the pitch then we will try and everybody knows that.”

Jordan Henderson of Liverpool celebrates as Divock Origi (R) scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England.

(May 6, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

Rapid red fire

It was all about the start by Liverpool. They were on the clear of the task at hand and wasted no time in going at Barcelona to push for the impossible. The Swiss attacker, Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi who were in for the absent Salah and Firmino were no strangers to the cause. Their usual press was more amplified, deliberate, energetic and did not look like them who would get tired. The soldiers in the Red Army quickly forced Barcelona into committing mistakes, most of all their former frontman, Philippe Coutinho. They got their first goal of the night as early as the seventh minute through Origi after some quick interplay between Senegalese Mane and Henderson off a Jordi Alba mistake. It was a much need breakthrough, that even lifted the roof and atmosphere to even more electrifying levels, making Anfield a total nightmare for the visitors.

It was not only the Liverpool front line doing the job by forcing mistakes and testing Ter Stegen. Prospective Balon d’Or candidate in Virgil Van Dijk was in charge at the back. Him and Matip were uninterested in any Barcelona threats, shoving aside all that came to Alisson’s goal. They however had to wait for the second forty-five to complete the comeback.

Schoolboy defending

A blessing in disguise came through Liverpool’s way as Gini Wijnaldum made way for injured Andy Robertson. A midfielder for a defender, definitely the right attitude by the manager and his team who now had nothing to lose. Within a few minutes of coming on, the Dutch attacker bagged two goals in succession to put the tie level. Initially, he pulled off a Suarez to latch onto Trent Alexander Arnold cross, goalwards under the supervision of the ever fighting Vidal, Pique and Clement Lenglet. The second really shouldn’t have gone in, Gini was the only who rose to head an incoming cross from the left wing into the net as all of the Barca defence watched on. As if that was not enough, the fourth goal capped Barca’s horror showing.

Liverpool’s young full-back, Alexander Arnold once again had his fingerprints on the crime scene. TAA pulled off some quick thinking as he took a Liverpool corner, capitalising on the napping Pique who was playing Divock Origi onside as he tied his shoes close to the goalkeeper. The full back quickly sliced the ball onto the unmarked Origi’s path who had the simple task of powerfully putting the ball past Ter Stegen as everyone else watched on. The Red part of Anfield was elevated to ecstasy as the traveling Barca fans were forced into despair. The unthinkable happened, twice in the same tie. Firstly, the Messi free-kick and now Liverpool’s comeback. Mohamed Salah’s hoodie shared the message that had perhaps inspired the rest of the squad, “Never Give Up,” it read, as the Egyptian marched onto the pitch to join his teammates in celebrating the miracle.

Liverpool were rampant, rapid and clinical on the night but Barca were also just simply horrible. Suarez coined it perfectly, “we defended like children.” After an impressive and more disciplined approach in the first leg, they surprisingly looked off and uninterested from the start. Perhaps they got to comfortable and paid for it.

“Even Lionel Messi’s magic never really popped, Gini’s “gini” reigned supreme instead. Fabinho, Henderson and company took every chance to swarm and annihilate the Argentine’s efforts in the middle of the park.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Haunted by the 2018 AS Roma Ghost

What is also true is that once the goals started coming in, the ghosts of the 2018 quarter-final in Rome perhaps started resurrecting in the La Liga champions’ minds. They had led 4-1 in the first leg at Camp Nou only to lose 3-0 and got knocked out the 2017/18 UCL competition on away goals rule under some miraculous circumstances. In the Liverpool tie, Blaugrana employed the same tactics and substitutions as in the first leg but looked a different opposition entirely. Even Lionel Messi’s magic never really popped, Gini’s “gini” reigned supreme instead. Fabinho, Henderson and company took every chance to swarm and annihilate the Argentine’s efforts in the middle of the park.

At the end of the day, it was Liverpool marching on to the 2019 Madrid final, their second successive UEFA Champions League final after as many years. It leaves many questions unresolved for Barca’s boss, Ernesto Valvedre, and his approach towards the UCL competition, after being knocked out twice under unfamiliar circumstances.

Jurgen Klopp, Manager of Liverpool and Mohamed Salah of Liverpool and team mates celebrate after the UEFA Champions League Semi Final second leg match between Liverpool and Barcelona at Anfield on May 07, 2019 in Liverpool, England.

(May 6, 2019 - Source: Getty Images Europe)

 After all is said and done

Defending champions Real Madrid’s four UCL titles in the past five years ensured the fading of the reign of two El Clasico rivals (with Barcelona) who dominated Europe in the last decade. Outside the two, only Chelsea, Inter Milan and Bayern Munich had managed to win the Champions League in the same period. After being on the side lines for a long time, with their last major trophy coming in 2006, Liverpool have gradually returned to the big stage and staking a claim amongst Europe’s best. Two consecutive UCL finals is no children’s bread. After losing the 2018 final to Real Madrid, Liverpool however need to win the forthcoming June final against English rivals, Tottenham if they are to formally reign as one of Europe’s highly revered teams. If not, they risk writing another Juventus story. Completely dominant in the Italian Serie, coming close on two occasions by reaching the final in 2015 and 2017 but with no success on the biggest stage.

With regards to Liverpool’s remarkable turnaround that also inspired Spurs to follow suit against Ajax, one reason stands out to explain the event, they believed they could and they did.

With two all English finals in the UEFA Champions and Europa League, the first time four teams from the same country have achieved such a feat, 2019 is an English year as far as football is concerned.

Champions League Final (1st June 2019) Europa League Final (29 May 2019)

Tottenham Hotspur vs Liverpool Chelsea vs Arsenal

Liverpool’s African “imports” are out there making dreams come true

“The 2017/18 PFA Player of the season sprang up from nowhere, wriggled and danced past Emerson before driving his effort into the top corner to score an EPL goal of the season contender. Nostalgic was the word.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

The Merseyside club’s silverware drought may soon come to an end as the Premier League and even the continental race to capture the UEFA Champions League trophy goes down the wire.

They have had to wait for 29 solid years to dream again, of the reality to be declared English champions. The last time they won it, their current captain, Jordan Henderson had just been born. As of now, only a finger nail distance separates them and Pep’s Manchester City, every second, stride and sweat drop counts. This past weekend, Jurgen Klopp’s men swept past a stern Chelsea side who are in hunt for a champions league qualifying spot by netting two with no response.

Like most times if not always, familiar names grabbed the headlines. The Senegalese marksman, Sadio Mane who is enjoying his best Liverpool season statistically, opened the scoring early in the second half. Mane was a privileged recipient of Jordan Henderson’s carefully worked cross and was available to head the ball past Arizzabalaga from close range, for his 18th EPL goal of the season. Just one behind leading scorer, Sergio Aguero and teammate Salah in the race for the Golden Boot. Mane has now scored 21 goals in 41 matches for Liverpool this season, including a super important UCL brace in Munich that ensured the Merseyside’s progression into the quarter-finals.

Xherdan Shaqiri of Liverpool celebrates with teammte Sadio Mane after he provides the assist for Liverpool's first goal, an own goal by Wesley Hoedt of Southampton during the Premier League match between Liverpool FC and Southampton FC at Anfield on September 22, 2018 in Liverpool, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 21, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

The points were wrapped up, only a moment after Mane’s goal. The Egyptian king, Mohamed Salah, who had earned a less desired nickname as a “one-season wonder” after going through eight Premier League matches without scoring, delivered a beauty. The 2017/18 PFA Player of the season sprang up from nowhere, wriggled and danced past Emerson before driving his effort into the top corner to score an EPL goal of the season contender. Nostalgic was the word. We were all taken back to the former season where he bagged 32 goals to break Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez record of most goals scored in a single Premier League season. It’s now two in the last two for the Egyptian. He is not doing bad either in the current, as he is joint top scorer with Aguero.

For the most part, it has only been these two Africans delivering the goods for Liverpool. However, the summer signing, Guinean Naby Keita is slowly coming to the party. After failing to net in his first 27 fixtures for the club, the dynamic midfielder now has two goals in his last three matches for Liverpool. So is the Cameroonian centre back, Joel Matip, who is looking an able long term partner for the heralded Virgil Van Dijk in the heart of the Reds’ defence.

All the hard work and money spent comes down to this moment. Liverpool are two points clear off City who have played one game less and with a total of four top flight league matches to play. Their 2-0 advantage over Porto heading into the second leg clash of the champions league quarter-finals means they are very much in the running to possibly capture both the league and UCL titles. They have toiled and came close on numerous occasions but perhaps 2019 is their year.

One thing is for sure, their African talent remains a critical component of that charge and ambition.

As anticipated, the Liverpool and Chelsea EPL fixture grabbed the weekend headlines. So did Senegal, Egypt, Guinea and Cameroon who were well represented as the Reds marched on towards a possible Premier League title.

The recurring and disturbing horror of footballers’ relatives kidnapped for ransom

“A footballer’s salary is often an upwards of 5 figures every week, added to it, the fact that their earnings are made public, they will continue to be at risk of being victims of thieves and criminals. ”

— Margaret Mandeya, FirstTouch Africa

It’s difficult to imagine the horror of receiving a phone call from home informing you that your loved one has been kidnapped while you are halfway across the world. This is fast becoming the reality for some of Nigeria’s most prominent footballers. The latest case in a series of organised kidnappings of the relatives of Nigerian players is that of Bordeaux winger, Samuel Kalu’s mother.

Kalu’s mother was abducted on the 27th of February in Abia and released after 6 days. Ozuruonye Juliet Kalu’s gun-wielding kidnappers ambushed her whilst she was driving home and demanded a ransom of USD 138,000 when they found out about her son’s professional footballer status. The 21-year-old who joined Bordeaux in August 2018, on a five-year contract with the Ligue 1 team paid the ransom to ensure the safe return of his mother.

Joseph Yobo of Nigeria is dejected after the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa Group B match between Greece and Nigeria at the Free State Stadium on June 17, 2010 in Mangaung/Bloemfontein, South Africa.

(June 16, 2010 - Source: Stuart Franklin/Getty Images Europe)

Abia State Police have announced that investigations are being made to identify the kidnappers and bring them to justice. Sadly, kidnappings are becoming more frequent in Nigeria and the phenomenon has spread more than can be accidental. John Mikel Obi’s father has been the victim of kidnapping twice. The first incident occurred in 2011 after which he was released safely from his captures. In June 2018, in what can only be described as a nightmare, Mr Michael Obi was kidnapped for the second time in seven years.

The Nigerian captain received the news of his father’s abduction moments before the Super Eagles faced Argentina in the group stages in Russia, during the 2018 World Cup, news he said he kept from his teammates. Fortunately, Mikel Obi’s father was rescued by the Enugu State Police during which the police and the kidnappers engaged in a gun battle.

Former Everton player, Joseph Yobo's brother was kidnapped by gunmen in July 2008 and was released two weeks later. It turned out that the people who had organised the abduction of Norum Yobo were close family friends. According to Yobo, the ordeal was frightening. He stated in a 2009 interview, "I was terrified the police would get involved. I had to make them understand that sometimes you have to let other people deal with it another way.”

Reports suggest that kidnapping is a big business in Nigeria with some prominent politicians and businessmen involved in ransom kidnappings. Wealthy people are a target for these kidnapping rings and football players are at great risk of having their family members abducted because of their financial capabilities. The problem is very big and the kidnappings of  famous football players’ family members are bringing attention to the extent of this crisis. The police have been trying to crack down on the kidnapping rings in the country and particularly in the southern part of Nigeria but the people behind these activities are still at large.

A footballer’s salary is often an upwards of 5 figures every week, added to it, the fact that their earnings are made public, they will continue to be at risk of being victims of thieves and criminals.

Samuel Kalu who is currently injured will miss Nigeria’s two matches against Seychelles and Egypt. He is set to be replaced by Ikouwen Udoh when the Super Eagles take on Seychelles in an African Cup of Nations qualifier and a friendly against Egypt in Abasa on the 22nd and 26th of March.

Emmanuel Frimpong: The end of a chapter

He’s a name not on everyone’s lips. In fact, he might not be on everyone’s mind when you think about the talents that Africa has produced in the past decade. Emmanuel Frimpong is a Ghanaian international who low-key graced the European scene and played in the English Premier League, Russian Premier League, Cypriot First Division and even appeared in the Swedish League. The African player has been unfortunate to join the list of football players that are forced into retirement due to injury. Here’s a snippet of the player’s journey thus far.

Early career: Arsenal

Emmanuel Frimpong of FC Ufa in action during the Russian Premier League match between PFC CSKA Moscow and FC Ufa at the Arena Khimki Stadium on November 29, 2014 in Khimki, Russia.

(Nov. 28, 2014 - Source: Epsilon/Getty Images Europe)

Emmanuel Frimpong is a product of Arsenal’s Hale End academy where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Jack Wilshere in the junior leagues before his colleague made a quick transition to first team football as soon as he turned 16. Frimpong was made to wait for his opportunity under Arsene Wenger with the midfield packed with internationals offering a wide range of skills and talent. The defensive midfielder could only manage a total of 16 first team appearances including a notable night in Reading where the gunners made a miraculous come-back to win 7-5 after having been four goals down in a Carling Cup fixture. Seeing his colleagues progressing in their careers whilst he was on the sidelines could not cut it for the ambitious youngster, so he decided to leave Arsenal at the age of 24.

Injury plagued career

It is no surprise that he struggled to succeed at Arsenal considering the fact that he suffered two major injuries which disrupted his progress. Frimpong suffered an Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) damage in one of his knees which haunted him throughout his career. This could only mean that the player was not able to give his best thus being shipped off to other leagues and clubs. In the end, the player has represented Charlton, Barnsley, Fulham, Ufa, AFC Eskilstuna and Ermis in his short time in football. However, it might have been a different tale had he sworn allegiance to England.

Switching allegiance to Ghana

Although the player was born in Kumasi, Ghana, he had the opportunity to choose England as his national team. It could only make sense considering that he had represented them at various youth levels while he was part of the Arsenal team that won the FA Youth Cup and two Premier Academy League titles. Just like any other English player, Frimpong was hyped up and being mooted to be the next Paul Scholes. Instead, Frimpong aspired to play for his native home, Ghana and he was quoted to having said, “I have always told my family that if Ghana calls me, I will personally ride my own bicycle from England to Ghana [to play for the Black Stars]”. He did not care about the fact that he was still being called up for the England U-21 team because his dream was to represent the African team. In 2011, the player’s dream became a reality as he was cleared to play for Ghana but it came at a cost. All the hype and attention was quickly flushed down the drain.

Popularly known for?

Emmanuel Frimpong of Arsenal is watched by Samir Nasri of Manchester City during the Carling Cup Quarter Final match between Arsenal and Manchester City at Emirates Stadium on November 29, 2011 in London, England.

(Nov. 28, 2011 - Source: Michael Regan/Getty Images Europe)

Frimpong was well-known for his off-the-pitch antics than his performances on the pitch. The African was used to dropping controversial statements on his social media accounts which often got him in trouble. One time, he threw jabs at his new employers on Instagram after news broke that he was leaving Arsenal for Barnsley. He said, “How am I gonna draw girls now?” when lamenting about his move to the lower league club.

Also, he had his fair share of punishment from the English Football Association for posting offensive tweets directed at a fan. Frimpong was just too much.

Retirement announcement

Emmanuel Frimpong announced his retirement on the 8th of March 2019 after a long consideration of his future and well-being. The player had struggled with a knee injury for the past 5 years which saw him play through pain. The defensive midfielder said, “since November 2017 I haven't been in action as I had a tear in my knee ligament. I decided with my own will that I will not opt for the operation since I was not enjoying football playing through pain.” Spending some time out of the game with his family made him realize that he is blessed and he plans on being available for his daughter more now that he has hung up his boots.

Farewell Emmanuel! All the best in your future endeavors.

“Just like any other English player, Frimpong was hyped up and being mooted to be the next Paul Scholes. Instead, Frimpong aspired to play for his native home, Ghana and he was quoted to having said, “I have always told my family that if Ghana calls me, I will personally ride my own bicycle from England to Ghana [to play for the Black Stars]”.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

Why Obi Mikel & Chukwueze were left out of the Nigerian squad for the upcoming AFCON Qualifier

The most notable omissions from the latest Nigerian national team squad include the captain, John Obi Mikel and the young sensation Samuel Chukwueze. The Super Eagles are to play a 2019 African Cup of Nations qualifier and international friendlies during the international break this week. We analyse if it’s a cause for concern for the former Chelsea player and whether Chukwueze will ever be considered in the future.

John Obi Mikel

John Obi Mikel of Nigeria drives the ball during an international friendly match between Argentina and Nigeria at Krasnodar Stadium on November 14, 2017 in Krasnodar, Russia.

(Nov. 14, 2017 - Source: Epsilon/Getty Images Europe)

There are three important pointers to John Obi Mikel’s situation:

1. Obi’s move to Middlesbrough. The Nigerian captain decided to move back to England from the Chinese Super League in the wake of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The player became a free agent in November after representing Tianjin TEDA for almost two years. He has been trying to get back to his best competing in a more challenging competition and his move to Middlesbrough presented him that opportunity. He, however, has to adapt to the league which is probably why the Nigerian coach, Gernot Rohr, omitted him for the upcoming matches. Managers are supposed to take care of their players and make sure they are in their element for the team to succeed. Rohr probably saw the need to give Obi Mikel some time to allow his smooth transition to the English Championship before calling him back up to the squad.

2. Current form. To be honest, his form has not been great. For a manager to justify the decision of calling up a player to the national team, the primary indicator that everyone looks at, is the player’s current form. Mikel has played only 7 matches since November 2018 which can arguably suggest a lack of match fitness. Also, in those 7 matches, he has been far from his best recording an average of 1 interception, 1.3 clearances and a little over 2 tackles per match as part of his defensive contribution. Whereas, other players in his position like Wilfred Ndidi are clocking 5 tackles, 4 interceptions and 2 clearances per match. Clearly, Obinna Mikel has not done enough to warrant a call up. Picking Obi Mikel in a team with players working their socks off like Ndidi would not make sense to the public eye.

3. His Age. This can not go unmentioned. John Obi Mikel is not young anymore. He's a 31-year old defensive midfielder who is not playing in a top-flight football league. Relying on a player of his age should be concerning for a country like Nigeria who pride themselves in developing a sustained pool of talented African players. Instead of relying on an old horse, the country should be preparing for life after the player who captained the Super Eagles at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, hence the omission from the latest squad announced by Gernot Rohr. It might be that they don't see him as an integral part of the team which should be fine considering the player is winding down his career.

I'm not really surprised at the decision after considering these three pointers. The odds have not been on Obi’s favor of late.

Samuel Chukwueze

For the young kind, we also have three points that should be considered:

1. Chukwueze’s competition. Before we cause a scene on social media, we need to look at the players that have been picked by Rohr ahead of the Villarreal player. Alex Iwobi, Ahmed Musa, Henry Onyekuru and Samuel Kalu have all been in better form than the young wing-wizard who is plying his trade in the Spanish La Liga. If he had scored and assisted a couple of more goals, Samuel Chukwueze would be giving Gernot Rohr a headache on whether or not to start him ahead of the rest.

2. Style of Play. This is a tricky one. There are players that are a joy to watch and Chukwueze is one of them. He has the confidence of carrying the ball and running at defenders which keeps fans at the edge of their seats. If anything, Chukwueze has been the closest thing to Victor Moses at his prime when he had the swagger of pulling out a trick or two to beat defenders before rushing into the box. However, one has to consider if these attributes are what the team needs. On the pitch, the team needs balance and this requires a lot from the players. Chukwueze lacks the defensive edge as well as crossing abilities which are a must for a modern day winger. Although he can pull some magic out of nowhere, the player is still growing in the basics that warrant a player of a starting berth, which is why Rohr might have opted not to include him this time around.

3. His Age. At 20-years, Chukwueze definitely has a lot to learn. He is far from being the finished product, meaning he has a lot of time to work on his weaknesses and make a claim for a place in the Super Eagles squad. It's too soon to be worried about his lack of involvement in the national team but with a few more stellar performances like the one against Real Madrid, we will stop caring about his age and demand his presence in the starting team like Mbappe in the French national team.

“Chukwueze’s competition. Before we cause a scene on social media, we need to look at the players that have been picked by Rohr ahead of the Villarreal player. Alex Iwobi, Ahmed Musa, Henry Onyekuru and Samuel Kalu have all been in better form than the young wing-wizard who is plying his trade in the Spanish La Liga.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

Nigeria have already qualified for the 2019 AFCON finals to be played between June-July in Egypt. They will welcome Seychelles for their final group game whereas South Africa and Libya have all to play for as thy cross swords to determine the second finalist from the group.

MLS Preview: Top 10 Must Watch Players Of African Descent - #7 Emmanuel Boateng

Apparently, Boateng is not the least popular last name in Ghana and neither is the name, Emmanuel. Other than the Chinese Super League based Emmanuel Boateng who once helped Levante sink Barcelona by scoring a hatrick in the 2017/18 La Liga season, the Major League Soccer have their own.

The 24-year-old LA Galaxy forward, Emmanuel “Ema” Boateng got re-signed by the club prior to the commencement of the 2019 season after his three-year contract had run out. He is one such an individual who is yet to realise his full potential at the MLS’ most successful club with a record 5 titles. In his first spell, Ema scored 8 goals and assisted 12 others in a total of 87 appearances (58 starts) across three seasons. The pacey, diminutive winger is an absolute joy to watch in his element. The kind who can slither past opposing players with ease and a rare eye for goal when he chooses. With Galaxy in the mood of chasing another MLS title after missing out on the playoffs in the 2018 season, Ema couldn’t be more important now. Their top man and captain, Zlatan Ibrahimovic has promised to break all records in the American league and that would be made even easier with quality players such as Giovani Dos Santos and Emmanuel Boateng around him. Even the LA Galaxy General Manager was not shy to highlight the importance of the uncapped Ghanaian:

“We are excited that Ema will be returning to LA Galaxy. Ema is a talented young player who brings excitement and depth to our roster. We look forward to his continued development as a player and future contributions to our team.”

— Dennis te Kloese, LA Galaxy General Manager

Boateng was born and grew in Ghana, in a home that lacked running water and electricity. He first made contact with the US after winning a scholarship to attend Cate School in Carpinteria, California. He quickly climbed up the ranks, playing for the University of California, Santa Barbara men’s soccer team before short stints in the Swedish league and eventually making an MLS debut with LA Galaxy in 2016. His story has been featured on documentaries and most notably on CNN.

Africans on the move and what they bring to their respective clubs

Oumar Niasse of Everton arrives at the stadium prior to the Premier League match between Everton and Southampton at Goodison Park on May 5, 2018 in Liverpool, England.

(May 4, 2018 - Source: Alex Livesey/Getty Images Europe)

The winter transfer window is known for being an opportunity for the stranded to make-up on their weaknesses and bolster their squads in a bid to save their campaign with 6 months left before the end of the season for most football leagues across the globe. January came and passed, and it is no surprise that Africans dominated the headlines of players on the move to different leagues. Let’s briefly look into those that made the loudest buzz.

Niasse – Everton to Cardiff

With the unexpected disappearance of Emiliano Sala, Cardiff City were left stranded without a striker. In Sala, they had found the answer to their problems further up the pitch. Cardiff needed goals to get out of the relegation places and turned their attention to Everton forward Oumar Niasse.

Niasse was once again struggling for game-time this season, under Marco Silva. He was limited to just 5 substitute appearances since the beginning of the campaign. In contrast, Niasse has already started 3 matches under Neil Warnock at Cardiff although he is yet to repay the boss’ faith in bringing him to the struggling team in this difficult time.

What to expect: Niasse is not the prolific goalscorer that a club like Cardiff wish they had but he is guaranteed to put in a performance and chip in with an odd goal when it matters the most.

Victor Moses of Chelsea looks on during the FA Community Shield match between Manchester City and Chelsea at Wembley Stadium on August 5, 2018 in London, England.

(Aug. 4, 2018 - Source: Clive Mason/Getty Images Europe)

Victor Moses – Chelsea to Fenerbahce

This is a weird one. You would have thought the former Nigerian international would have a chance to show his true potential in a wide forward role at a big club after announcing his retirement from international football. Maurizio Sarri had other plans. There were early signs that most of us ignored. Callum Hudson-Odoi was handed a start against Arsenal in pre-season ahead of the experienced Victor Moses. The situation did not get better for him as he could only manage 26 minutes in the English Premier League.

However, he has since sought greener pastures after deciding to move to Fenerbahce on an 18-month loan deal. The move is positive for the African player as it presents him an opportunity to start afresh at a relatively competitive side that often play UEFA Champions League football. Victor Moses will look to make the right flank his own in the Turkish League and once again prove how deadly he can be with the backing of his manager.

Angel Martin Correa (R) of Atletico de Madrid competes for the ball with Yohan Benalouane (L) of Leicester City FC during the UEFA Champions League Quarter Final first leg match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Leicester City at Vicente Calderon Stadium on April 12, 2017 in Madrid, Spain.

(April 11, 2017 - Source: Gonzalo Arroyo Moreno/Getty Images Europe)

What to expect: Moses has long been criticized for his goalscoring stats and it does not look like he would change that anytime soon with the player well in his 20s. But, he could breathe a new life in terms of creativity for the legendary club and regenerate his career like Gervinho who happens to be steamrolling the Italian Serie A.

Yohan Benalouane – Leicester to Nottingham Forest

It was only a matter of time before the 31-year old left the King Power Stadium. His colleagues have been gradually freezed out of the first team fold because of their age and Claude Puel has preferred Harry Maguire who is owning the centre back spot and not looking back. Moving away from Leicester City was the only logical thing for the Tunisian international if he wished to increase the number of minutes he was getting.

Nottingham Forest came in for the experienced defender. Their ambition is to make it to the play-off places as they currently lie 5 points adrift of 6th placed Bristol City. The club have been in great need of a player to protect the backline and they have got one in Yohan.

What to expect: Yohan Benalouane might be a bit rusty which explains the 3 yellow cards and 1 red card he has already received in the Championship. However, they will soon enjoy the presence of the towering defender who bullies strikers for fun and shrugs off anyone who comes his way.

Vitesse, PSV Eindhoven and Feyenoord opening academies in Zimbabwe?

“Ajax already has it with Ajax Cape Town and I am thinking about a partnership with either Vitesse, PSV or Feyenoord. I want to go to PSV and ask head coach Mark van Bommel and his advisor Bert van Marwijk to work with us.”

— Clemens Westerhof, former Nigeria and Zimbabwe Head Coach

It’s of no doubt that football in Africa has been lagging behind on many aspects. The number of quality players that make it to the professional scene versus that of those that fail to find opportunities and are forced to change professions before their mid-twenties is astonishing. Many have talked about these things and some have even suggested solutions which are yet to yield impactful results. Clemens Westerhof, the former Nigeria and Zimbabwe national football coach has something brewing for Africa.

Background

Thulani Serero of Ajax in action during the pre-season friendly match between Norwich City and Ajax at Carrow Road on July 31, 2012 in Norwich, England.

(July 30, 2012 - Source: Mark Thompson/Getty Images Europe)

Apart from the fact that the Dutchman has coached the national teams of Nigeria and Zimbabwe, the 78-year old football veteran has had some experience in coaching at club level in Zimbabwe. He coached one of the biggest clubs in the country, Dynamos, who have a rich history admired by many.

His plan

The Netherlands born coach, Clemens Westerhof is contemplating the possibility of coaching at a telecom club in Gweru, Zimbabwe and taking up a challenge of building an academy ground-up. The latter is the more interesting part which has been touched by some football greats like Johan Cruyff who influenced the structure and style of play at Ajax, a successful club and academy that has a rich scouting network. Westerhof admires how Ajax have setup a network in South Africa i.e. Ajax Cape Town which has developed players like Thulani Serero. This partnership has brought some developments to the country through the spread of high-quality training techniques applied in other parts of the world.

Clemens Westerhof assumed an advisory role at the Peter Mubi Academy. The football academy wants him to improve their academy and hopefully achieve what he achieved in Nigeria in the past and improve the level of football in Zimbabwe. He is looking to collaborate with Dutch football clubs. The experienced coach wants to take advantage of his network and approached PSV Eindhoven, coached by a football great in Mark Van Bommel who played for Barcelona, Bayern Munich and AC Milan. He is quoted as having said the above.

Could this be it? The breakthrough that Africa needs. Are partnerships with bigger clubs in the world the solution to Africa’s football ills?

The pursuit of justice for racial abuse on Kalidou Koulibaly continues

We cannot not deny the impact of the efforts that have been made by the responsible authorities over the years to curb racism but still, players of color often receive this kind of abuse on and off the pitch. On the 26th of December 2018, Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly was a subject of racial abuse in a match with local rivals, Inter Milan. We have been made to believe that the due process to deal with such issues is to report it to the FIFPro and UEFA who will launch a probe on the matter before making a decision. However, no action has been taken so far against the disrespectful fans. Here’s a recap.

The incident

Kalidou Koulibaly of Napoli during the Group C match of the UEFA Champions League between SSC Napoli and Liverpool at Stadio San Paolo on October 3, 2018 in Naples, Italy.

(Oct. 2, 2018 - Source: Catherine Ivill/Getty Images Europe)

The Senegalese defender was at his job on a typical matchday Sunday in the Italian Serie A before the unfortunate incident took place. Some of the Inter Milan fans started making monkey noises directed at Kalidou Koulibaly in the match. The player was then sent off after picking up 2 yellow cards. He was suspended for two matches as punishment for sarcastically clapping off the referee after receiving marching orders. In the aftermath, Napoli coach Carlo Ancelotti came out to say that they made calls to end the match after hearing the abuse but it fell on deaf ears. He was not pleased with the way the officials handled the matter in the game.

Koulibaly’s support system

Not so long after, Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba wore an armband in support of Kalidou Koulibaly after the incident. The player’s message was clear and directed to the perpetrators who are fighting against the game’s values of honor, tolerance and respect. He was not the only one to show much needed support to the player. Even the Inter Milan coach, Luciano Spalletti was quoted to having said, “We were with Koulibaly, as we are at the side of all those who are targeted during the games.”

Also, fellow African Faouzi Ghoulam of Napoli wore Koulibaly’s No 26 shirt in the warm up for the game against Bologna in which the defender was suspended. He was joined by the fans who held up anti-racism banners and photos of Koulibaly.  

Ancelotti’s threat

Carlo Ancelotti has since threatened to lead his team off the pitch if there is a repeat of such an incident. There is no place for racism in the game of football and everywhere else. He said, “The boy was on edge, he's an educated footballer who was targeted. What happened today was bad, not only for us but also for Italian football.”

The authorities’ actions

The Italian League judge gave the verdict that Inter Milan would play the next two home matches behind closed doors. This means that their supporters would not be allowed to populate the stadiums and support their club. Also, the verdict included a partial closure for the club’s third home game.

However, the culprits who led the chants have not been punished. The Italian FA should do more and make sure that these fans are banned from the stadium for life.

Kevin Prince Boateng’s shocking move to Barcelona explained

You know you are a liar if you say you saw this one coming! Yes, Barcelona have confirmed the signing of Ghanaian legend Kevin Prince Boateng from Sassuolo in the 2019 Winter Transfer Window. The versatile forward will be joining the club on an initial €2m loan for the remainder of the season with an option to buy mooted to be in region of €8 million. But why are we really surprised by this move?

His playing positions

Kevin-Prince Boateng of US Sassuolo pulls the ball into the goal during the serie A match between US Sassuolo and Genoa CFC at Mapei Stadium - Citta' del Tricolore on September 2, 2018 in Reggio nell'Emilia, Italy.

(Sept. 1, 2018 - Source: Pier Marco Tacca/Getty Images Europe)

Kevin Prince Boateng is one of the most versatile players that we have seen in recent years. In the early stages of his career, he played in all of the midfield positions that you can think of. He anchored the stew in England with Portsmouth and Tottenham before being given the creative responsibilities in Italy and Germany with teams like AC Milan and Schalke FC. Just recently, he was deployed as an out and out striker at the Spanish club Las Palmas.

I do not see him adding anything to the already packed midfield of the Blaugrana who have Arthur and Coutinho taking turns to prove themselves in late cameos off the bench. Even in front, Ernesto Valverde has the experienced Luis Suarez and arguably the world’s greatest footballer of all time, Lionel Messi, who also plays as a forward. This would only mean that the African player will have to settle for a second fiddle role to the latter. He could be a competent substitute forward.

His age

The former Ghanaian international shined at the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa with his nation. His performances left fond memories in our minds which make it surreal to even think that that was 9 years ago. On the 6th of March this year, Kevin Prince Boateng will be turning 32 years of age. The tall and aggressive all-rounder might not be past his prime yet but is close to the retirement package days which raises questions as to why he would join Barcelona now. He has lost some of his pace and will not be the ferocious threat he was at Milan under Allegri, but will have to complement it with his experience. He has been kicking the ball up and down the soccer pitch for close to 15 years now and can surely manage to do the basics in the remainder of this season.  

“Kevin Prince Boateng is one of the most versatile players that we have seen in recent years. In the early stages of his career, he played in all of the midfield positions that you can think of. He anchored the stew in England with Portsmouth and Tottenham before being given the creative responsibilities in Italy and Germany with teams like AC Milan and Schalke FC.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

The Club

Kevin Prince Boateng is a well-known Real Madrid fan who once shared in an interview in 2017 that he would prefer to play for Real Madrid than Barcelona. He even went on to express his frustration that he had not gotten to the club of his dreams because he had not been hard on himself enough to improve his game to reach a level required at the Spanish club. Knowing all this, surely, the Barcelona fans would not be happy about having a Madridista on their books considering the rivalry between the two clubs. In his defense, Boateng said, “Don’t ask me about Real Madrid... is just the past! I only want to focus on Barcelona and I hope to score at Bernabéu for the next Clasico.”

We can say a lot about this transfer but there’s one fact to be acknowledged by all. Boateng has played for many clubs in Europe, now 11 to be exact, and has always delivered. It says a lot about him and the many African players who have done it before him. Make sure to follow him during his time at Barcelona.

We argue Real Madrid could be fixed in two Senegalese signatures

“This is where Koulibaly would come in handy. Plug him next to the experienced Ramos and the 2018 World Cup winner, Raphael Varane and no one would dare to attack them in open play.”

— Tinotenda Magiya, FirstTouch Africa

We all know it! It’s not working. The biggest club in world football is struggling. They lost two leaders at the end of last season. Cristiano Ronaldo and Zinedine Zidane departed the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu for personal reasons which are closely linked. With them, they left a club with an ageing defence and toothless attack. Both of them were bringing out the best in the Madrid squad to play on the biggest stage, but the Spanish club has since lost that. So now what? How do they solve this? Two players. Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mane.

Add another body in defence

Kalidou Koulibaly is arguably the best centre back in the world right now. The Senegalese has been consistent in his performances for a while now and his efforts are starting to be recognized by many. But what about Ramos you may ask. Check his stats. Whoscored gathered that he’s averaging 0.7 blocks per game in the Spanish La Liga. His defensive work rate is now off the pace although his attacking prowess is undeniable. Ramos has scored 7 goals and provided 1 assist already across all competitions this season which shows that he has a lot to offer. With him leading the attack from the back, he could benefit from having the presence of the African defender who is more than capable of bossing around some of the toughest strikers in Europe having already pocketed the likes Edinson Cavani when Napoli faced Paris Saint-Germain in November 2018. Koulibaly could ease the pressure off the Real Madrid captain who is turning 33 in less than two months.

Trying a different formation

Sadio Mane of Senegal during the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia group H match between Senegal and Colombia at Samara Arena on June 28, 2018 in Samara, Russia.

(June 27, 2018 - Source: Michael Steele/Getty Images Europe)

It’s all fun and games when a team plays one way and are getting results. We have seen it over the years with Roberto Mancini’s Manchester City that was conservative against its opposition and pounced on the break with some frightening counter-attacking play. Real Madrid have had that aura in them and dispatched teams the Madrid way. But gone are the days when the never changing 4-3-3 formation of the Los Blancos was feared. They have been figured out. Changing formation to a 3-4-3 could prove to be a masterclass. Antonio Conte used it at Chelsea and he has an English Premier League title to show for it. But Madrid cannot use it as they lack the quality at the back. This is where Koulibaly would come in handy. Plug him next to the experienced Ramos and the 2018 World Cup winner, Raphael Varane and no one would dare to attack them in open play. Such is the significance of the Senegalese defender who brings a new dimension not only to the defense but to the style of play for the whole team. I am rooting for his signature.

Add quality in attack

Real Madrid are lacking the quality on the top end of the pitch. That’s evident. Galacticos have always been a solution in times of need for the club and they always will be. Why not make Sadio Mane the next Galactico. I know, I know, not a name on everyone’s minds but hear me out. He’s a player more than capable of carrying the weight of the team on his shoulders. We saw it not long ago. At the biggest stage, Sadio Mane stood up for Liverpool in the 2018 UEFA Champions League final against Real Madrid. He came through with a goal and caused havoc for the reigning European champions. In him, Real Madrid have got a player who beats players, creates and a player who is hungry for success having not won any trophy since moving to Liverpool from Southampton in 2016. Sadio Mane could bring back that fear factor that is lacking from the Spanish giants.

Inspire the new generation

Florentino Perez has made efforts to improve his attack. He has put his faith in the youngsters making noise in the junior age groups and managed to attract them to the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu. We have seen it Vinicius Jr, Brahim Diaz, Marco Asensio, Diaz Mariano and with Rodrigo Rodrigues who is still yet to make his way to the club from Gremio. There has been a lot of hype around these youngsters and we have seen some glimpses of hope in some. However, they have come short whenever they have been called up to task this season. I am sure they probably watched Ronaldo when he was playing and learnt a few lessons. What then do they need? They need another player with influence whom they can pick a few things from. Sadio Mane could come in and do that job. Show them another side of an attacking player capable of putting in the work and press high up the pitch when the team suffers. Bring some new inspiration into the dressing room and maybe, just maybe, Real Madrid could turn their misfortune around.

Get these two and Real Madrid could be revived in no time and forget the loopholes left by Zinedine Zidane and Cristiano Ronaldo’s departures.

FT Sideline: Why has Aubameyang been so prolific?

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal looks on during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Sporting CP and Arsenal at Estadio Jose Alvalade on October 25, 2018 in Lisbon, Portugal.

(Oct. 24, 2018 - Source: David Ramos/Getty Images Europe)

There is no use trying to make a case why Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is one of the best strikers in the world, simply because everyone knows and vehemently agree. It’s a better use of time exploring what makes him tick, with the hope that such attributes can be learned and passed down to future generations of African and global strikers at large.

It is know that modern strikers usually go through what is famously knowns as a “goal drought,” September used to be a boogey month for Harry Kane, Suarez is relatively going through a drought right now at Barcelona despite the impressive overall performances, Manchester United’s Romelu Lukaku and the list goes on and on. The point is that the barren periods are almost part and parcel of a striker’s package. But, that’s not Aubameyang. The Gabonese captain has been scoring at least 30 goals a season since 2015 at Borussia Dortmund and before that, as a developing footballer in France and other places, he would hit at least half of the thirty goals. He was never an out and out striker to begin with, he just recently developed this goal scoring wit and has never looked back. But why is he immune to the droughts? Why is he so prolific?

Here are two simple reasons why:

1. Simplicity, the ultimate sophistication

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Arsenal scores his team's first goal during the UEFA Europa League Group E match between Arsenal and Vorskla Poltava at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2018 in London, United Kingdom.

(Sept. 19, 2018 - Source: Henry Browne/Getty Images Europe)

It’s modern “wisdom” that a good striker should contribute to overall play of the team, tracking back to help with defensive duties on set pieces, holding up play, taking on defenders, laying up assists for teammates and many other things. Harry Kane is increasingly becoming a member of this bracket after criticism of “selfishness,” Alexandre Lacazette is Arsenal’s version of that “modern striker” and Suarez is not a stranger to such duties at Barcelona. Now, Auba is different. The 29 year-old knows how to score goals and fundamentally sticks to that. His dribbling game is not the best nor is his hold-up play. He usually goes “missing” when his team is on the ropes but at any moment, with the slightest of chances - he can ripple the net. The African striker’s winner over the weekend which bagged all three points for Arsenal resembles this attribute of coming out of nowhere to turn the tide in the favor of his colors. Joking with his teammate, Sead Kolasinac who was the assist provider on the day, Auba even posted on instagram about how he loves tap in goals. He is the kind of guy who does not clutter his game with a lot of “best practices” or “modern tactics” but does one thing well enough to dominate the rest. No wonder he is currently joint-top scorer with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero in the Premier League tied at 8 goals for the campaign. It’s this “one dimensional” play that has enabled him to reach 20 goals in 31 matches for the Gunners, quicker than the time Thierry Henry or legend Ian Wright took.

2. Lightning pace

Lightning and Auba usually go in the same sentence because he is that quick. EA Sports didn’t rate him the fastest play on FIFA 18 for no reason. It is this pace that aids him to latch on crosses the quickest and make a meal of no ingredients at all. Those tap in goes and numerous strikes inside the box, it’s never because defenders do not know what he will probably do, they just can’t catch him.

“Auba even posted on instagram about how he loves tap in goals. He is the kind of guy who does not clutter his game with a lot of “best practices” or “modern tactics” but does one thing well enough to dominate the rest. No wonder he is currently joint-top scorer with Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero.”

— Dennis Takaendesa, FirstTouch Africa

Conclusively, Arsenal look like they are more than sorted in their attack with Lacazette complimenting the Gabonese in numerous ways. They will however need to continuously learn to play to his strengths if they are going to get the most out of the Gabonese international.

2019 Women's AFCON Semis: Mali, Cameroon, South Africa & Nigeria go to war

Augustine Ejangue of Cameroon battles with Barbara of Brazil during the Women's Football first round Group E Match of the London 2012 Olympic Games between Cameroon and Brazil at Millennium Stadium on July 25, 2012 in Cardiff, Wales.

(July 24, 2012 - Source: Julian Finney/Getty Images Europe)

Nigeria, Mali, South Africa and Cameroon have made it to the semi finals of the Africa Women’s Cup of nations.

Friday night saw the last Group A matches being played with Ghana taking on Cameroon and Mali  taking on Algeria. Ghana failed to recover from the setback of losing to Mali 2-1 in the second group encounter. The Black Queens needed a win to secure a semi final appearance but unfortunately they were held to a 1-1 draw by Cameroon’s fierce Indomitable Lionesses. Mali on the other hand had their date with destiny as they overcame Algeria 3-2.

Nigeria successfully dismissed Equatorial Guinea on Saturday with a 6-0 defeat while South Africa and Zambia drew 1-1. Equatorial Guinea finished at the bottom of Group B standings as the two time champions lost all three of their group stages matches. The very poor performance comes as a huge blow to the Nzalang Nacional who had successfully appealed a ban by CAF to claim their qualification just in the nick of time.Their poor performance is highly indicative of their lack of adequate preparation time despite their successful appeal.

Group A winners Cameroon will now face Nigeria in their semi-final clash on Tuesday. This semi-final will feel to many like a final due to the competitive history of these two giants in the tournament. Nigeria are ten time champions while the Cameroonians are still to claim the title despite being very close on a number of occasions. The last time Cameroon came close to lifting the cup was in the 2016 edition of AWCON when Nigeria dashed their dreams in the final once again as they did in 2014. The Indomitable Lionesses are definitely up to the task of dismissing the Nigerians, however the Super Falcons have never been an easy match for the Cameroonians or vice versa.

“Whenever we play Cameroon, it is always a big fight. We are prepared for the big fight tomorrow and we are sure we will come out victorious. There is no doubt that the Cameroonians have improved from the team we defeated in Yaounde in 2016. But that is expected.”

— Onome Ebi, Super Falcons Captain

Ngozi Okobi #13 of Nigeria reacts after scoring the first goal against Sweden during the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015 Group D match between Sweden and Nigeria at Winnipeg Stadium on June 8, 2015 in Winnipeg, Canada.

(June 7, 2015 - Source: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images North America)

Banyana Banyana will meet Mali in their semi final encounter which promises to be just as exciting. Banyana Banyana have continued with their pre-tournament form and have been consistently churning out solid performances. Along with combined efforts, Thembi Kgatlana has been a star player and an important asset for South Africa in the attack as well as a goal scoring maestro. Despite their superior group stage performance, Banyana Banyana head coach Desiree Ellis is not taking any chances by unrating their west African counterparts. After all, Mali caused the biggest upset thus far after knocking out hosts Ghana to qualify for the semi finals by finishing second in Group A, a fact that the South Africans are very much aware of.

I predict a Nigeria vs South Africa final simply because of South Africa’s superb tournament form and because of Nigeria’s hunger and determination that saw them bouncing back from that initial loss in the first game. Are we going to see South Africa vs Nigeria go head to head in the final or perhaps it will be a Mali vs Cameroon affair? Either way, the teams that claim the first, second and third positions will receive an automatic qualification to the 2019 FIFA World Cup, a goal that will be at the top of the minds for all four countries going into their semi-final showdowns.

“The semi-finals against Mali is an all final and our thoughts are going to be the same. We are not underestimating any team,...They are not as mean. They kicked out hosts Ghana who are a competitive side and that tells a lot about their quality.”

— Desiree Ellis, South Africa Women's Coach