Sports Salad

By Chris George

CHAN and C League – Great action ahead!

CHAN kicks off – Senegal v Tanzania on Sunday

The first edition of the 2009 African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals kicks off on Sunday in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The Championships run up to 8 March 2009. The tournament is only for home based players. Professionals playing abroad are not allowed to compete for their home country.   For the first time, since 1980 in Nigeria, Tanzania’s National team – the Taifa Stars has finally qualified for an International tournament and fans back home will have the privilege of watching the Stars live on television, competing with several other top African teams.

There are eight teams who have qualified and in the “Group of Death”, Group A, Ivory Coast, Senegal, Tanzania and Zambia are pitted together. In Group B are DR Congo, Ghana, Libya and Zimbabwe.

Taifa Stars qualified by beating Rwanda, Kenya, Uganda and Sudan in some hard fought battles. Though the Stars have been knocked out of the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations – the premier tournament in Africa and also are out of the 2010 World Cup, coach Maximo has brought Stars to a new level by qualifying for these Championships. Maximo whose contract expires in April, may not be staying longer. Will he celebrate his swansong, by leading Stars to the finals or by actually lifting the trophy? The answer will be known after a few days. Taifa Stars kick-off their cup aspirations with a match against Senegal on Sunday in Abidjan. This is followed by a tough match against the hosts Ivory Coast on Wednesday. Stars wind up their group campaign against Zambia’s Chipolopolo (the Copper Bullets) the following Saturday.

The top two in each group face each other in the semi finals on Wednesday, 4 March and the finals are on Sunday 8 March 2009. All the best Stars! 

Champions League Returns

After a break of two months, the Champions League, Europe’s most prestigious tournament, is back. 16 top teams are left in the tournament. There are two matches which stand out, English, European and World Club champions Manchester United play Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan. Inter are 9 points clear at the top of the Italian Serie A and United are 5 points clear in the Premiership. Ferguson versus Mourinho – what a matchup of footballing brains that will be! The first match is at Inter’s home ground the Giuseppe Meazza on Tuesday. Then on Wednesday at the Estadio Santiago Bernabeu, the most successful European club ever, Real Madrid host the team which has had most success in Europe, Liverpool. You bet I will be up both nights till the early hours of the morning watching those matches. These are just two amongst the host of great fixtures, Lyon against Barcelona, Chelsea against Juventus, Sporting Lisbon versus Bayern Munich and Arsenal versus AS Roma.  

Its 3 v/s 4 as Villa host Chelsea!

Saturday at 3.45pm is a time to be at your favourite watching spot. Surprise third placed Aston Villa play host to fourth place Chelsea. Chelsea have been reeling of late and will be under new manager, Guus Hiddink. Aston Villa have 51 points and Chelsea have 49. A win for Chelsea will see them back in third spot. A victory for Villa will put them joint second with Liverpool on 54 points and further dent Chelsea’s chances of the title. Runaway leaders should easily win a “formality” match against Blackburn in the late 8.30pm kickoff and Arsenal with Eduardo back, will try and seize some initiative by trouncing Sunderland. 

Wales and Ireland on Course for the Grand Slam

Sports Calendar

2009 African Nations Championships

Group A

28 Feb: Ivory Coast v Senegal (Abidjan)
28 Feb: Zambia v Tanzania (Bouake)  

Group B

English Premier League

Saturday, 21 February 2009

Aston Villa v Chelsea (3.45pm Tanzanian time)

Bolton v West Ham, 6pm

Middlesborough v Wigan, 6pm

Stoke City v Portsmouth, 6pm

Arsenal v Sunderland, 6pm

Man United v Blackburn, 8.30pm 

Sunday, 22 February 2009

Fulham v West Brom, 4.30pm

Liverpool v Man City, 6pm

Newcastle v Everton, 7pm 

UEFA Champions League

All times 9.45pm (Tanzanian time)

Tuesday 24 February, 2009

Lyon v Barcelona  

Wednesday 25 February 2009