African Football League offers gripping contests

With a veritable who’s who of powerful football figures in attendance, like the FIFA president Gianni Infantino, CAF president Patrice Motsepe, and the FIFA Chief of Global Football Development Arsene Wenger, the stage was set for what many hoped would be a gripping football contest between Simba SC and Al Ahly.

Indeed, the two clubs went toe-to-toe with each other in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie last Friday and thankfully, the encounter lived up to expectations.

The perennial juggernauts, Al Ahly, drew first blood in the first half’s injury time and so the Egyptians went into the breather with their noses in front.

In the second half, though, the hosts came out with all guns blazing and restored parity in the 53rd minute via a sterling goal by Denis Kibu.

In the 60th minute, things got even better for the Msimbazi Street outfit as Sadio Kanoute brilliantly handed his team the lead.

Alas, the lead lasted for just a minuscule three minutes as Mahmoud Kahraba struck to equalize for the Egyptian giants.

In the wake of that equalizer, both teams earnestly bent over backwards in their determined efforts to grab the winner but these efforts ultimately proved to be in vain as both teams ended the first leg with two goals apiece.

This result then set up a truly fascinating second leg, slated for yesterday in Cairo, in prospect, especially when one remembers that away goals no longer count double in this brand-new competition.

Let us now sink our teeth into the concluding Rugby World Cup, which has been a fabulous rugby competition in which the great and the good of the sport have produced some utterly thrilling displays.

Ahead of the tournament, many pundits had tipped the in-form Republic of Ireland to overcome all comers and clinch their first Rugby World Cup trophy in history.

Nevertheless, matters sadly did not unfold according to plan for the Irish as in the quarterfinals, they ran into a superlative All Blacks (New Zealand’s nickname) side, who downed the European giants 28-24 in what was a rugby clash for the ages.

Buoyed by that smashing display, the All Blacks completely pummeled Argentina 44-6 in the semi-finals to advance to their umpteenth Rugby World Cup final.

Meanwhile, as New Zealand were impeccably making a mockery of all the nay-sayers, who had predicted doom and gloom for them ahead of the quadrennial championship, the Springboks (South Africa’s nickname) were demonstrating that fearsome inner resolve which they are so renowned for.

After seeing off the hosts France in an exhilarating and close quarterfinal, South Africa faced off against an ascendant English side, which had gone from strength to strength since the outset of the competition.

And, in that semi-final pitting the Springboks against England, the former trailed the latter for large chunks of the match, and at one point, it seemed as if England would prevail.

Nonetheless, in what was a hugely dramatic moment, a long-range last-gasp penalty kick by the South African fly-half Handre Pollard ultimately tipped the scales in the Boks’ favour, which means that rugby fans now have the dream finale which they had always wanted, a meeting between All Blacks and Springboks.

And, it is hoped that that final will prove to be an unquestionable classic.