African football briefs

Highway scare for Egypt defender

CAIRO: Egypt and Zamalek defender Ibrahim Hassan suffered slight bruising when his car rolled twice on a highway en route to the holiday resort of Hurghada, reports said.

Strasbourg test Senegal starlet

DAKAR: Diaraf captain and Senegal under-23 midfielder Alioune Niakasso has travelled to French first division club Strasbourg for trials, an official of the Dakar team said.

New-look Cameroon championship

YAOUNDE: Cameroon will increase their league by two clubs to 18 next season with the teams divided into two pools from which the top four in each advance to a Super League.

Orlando Pirates one point from title

JOHANNESBURG: Orlando Pirates beat relegated African Wanderers 2-1 and need just one point from two fixtures to win the South African Premiership for the second time in three seasons.

Tunisia plan friendly programme

TUNIS: Tunisia want to host friendlies against Argentina, Canada, Japan and Nigeria before hosting the biennial 16-team African Nations Cup from January 24 to February 14.

Sacked Angolan coach bounces back

LUANDA: Joao Machado has bounced back after being fired by Academico Lobito, succeeding Daniel Ndunguidi as coach of Angolan first division sturgglers Desportivo Huila.

Uganda reward faithful fans

KAMPALA: Uganda will reward supporters who travelled to Rwanda last March for an African Nations Cup qualifier by admitting them free to the return fixture here during July.

Castle Cup date change

MAPUTO: The Castle Cup regional championship fixture between Zambia and Mozambique scheduled for Saturday has been rearranged for July 26 after six Mozambican first division players were killed in a car accident.

Backing for embattled Egypt coach

CAIRO: Egypt coach Mohsen Salah has received a vote of confidence from the national association after media calls for his resignation following a 5-0 friendly drubbing by France in Paris last week.

Women join All-Africa Games

LAGOS: The All-Africa Games will feature a women?s tournament for the first time when Nigeria stage the quadrennial event during October with the hosts, Algeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mali and South Africa competing.

Plan to build regional academies

ADDIS ABABA: The African Football Confederation says it will build regional academies in Ethiopia, Cameroon, Ghana, Senegal, Tunisia and Zambia and emphasise youth development.

Pay us more, insist Zambian professionals

LUSAKA: Zambian professionals based in Europe want larger match fees than local players to compensate for club salary losses when they travel to Africa for international engagements.