Egypt coach Javier Aguirre became the first casualty of the Africa Cup of Nations, as he was sacked on Saturday just hours after the hosts were bundled out of the tournament by South Africa in the round-of-16.
Hosts Egypt lost 1-0 to an 85th minute goal from Thembinkosi Lorch at the end of a lackluster display in which their talisman Mohamed Salah looked out of sorts and they produced few chances on goal.
Egypt Football Association president Hany Abo Rida announced the firing of the Mexican coach — and his own resignation — less than three hours after the game, as a stunned host nation digested the defeat.
Photo: Reuters
Abo Rida also called on his board members to step down, calling his resignation a “moral obligation, although the soccer association had given the national team full material and moral support.”
Aguirre told reporters after the defeat that he took sole responsibility, but was proud of all of his players.
“The game was open and saw many chances. The only difference was that South Africa managed to score,” he said.
Aguirre, 60, departs after less than a year in the job, but not before setting a unique record by coaching at four different continental championships.
He won the CONCACAF Gold Cup with his native Mexico in 2009, took them to the final of the Copa America and was in charge of Japan four years ago when they went out in the Asian Cup quarter-finals.
Also on Saturday, it was:
‧ Nigeria 3, Cameroon 2
ADVANTAGE ATLETICO: Well off the pace in La Liga, the Copa del Rey represents Atletico Madrid’s best chance of silverware this season Atletico Madrid on Thursday hammered Copa del Rey holders Barcelona 4-0 in the first leg of their semi-final. After an Eric Garcia own-goal sent Diego Simeone’s side ahead early on, Antoine Griezmann, Ademola Lookman and Julian Alvarez struck to give Atletico a landslide lead by halftime. Barca defender Garcia was sent off in the final stages, with Atletico maintaining their significant advantage on the record 32-time winners, which they take into the second leg at the Camp Nou on March 3. Both sides missed good chances in the second half, with Barca’s Pau Cubarsi having a goal disallowed before Garcia was sent off
Stade Rennais, four days after firing coach Habib Beye, stunned Paris Saint-Germain 3-1 on Friday, snapping the defending champions’ seven-match winning run in French Ligue 1. Second-placed RC Lens could leapfrog the champions and retake top spot last night after press time if they beat Paris FC in the capital. PSG started brightly, with Ousmane Dembele and Desire Doue carving openings to no avail. Rennes fired Beye on Monday and promoted his assistant Sebastien Tambouret, and the same players who had lost four games on the bounce seemed transformed. Jordanian forward Mousa al-Tamari bagged the opener, unleashing a fierce strike
Dasun Shanaka hammered the fastest half-century by a Sri Lankan in T20Is as the cohosts thrashed Oman by 105 runs at the World Cup yesterday in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, for their second win in Group B. The 2014 champions piled up 225-5, the highest total of the tournament, before restricting an outclassed Oman to 120-9. The 43-year-old Mohammad Nadeem waged a lone battle for Oman, compiling an unbeaten 53 to become the oldest player to score a 50 in T20 World Cups. Having promoted himself up the order and under pressure to deliver, Sri Lanka skipper Shanaka smashed a 19-ball half-century. It has been
Manchester City FC halved Arsenal FC’s lead at the top of the Premier League with a 3-0 home defeat of Fulham FC, and Aston Villa FC stayed in the frame with a late 1-0 victory at home to Brighton and Hove Albion FC on Wednesday. Nottingham Forest FC squandered a chance to put some distance between themselves and the bottom three as they drew 0-0 at home to bottom club Wolverhampton Wanderers FC. Second-from-bottom Burnley FC pulled off a remarkable 3-2 comeback win over Crystal Palace FC to boost their slender survival hopes. City have little margin for error in their pursuit
RSS