All the talk about the Euro's, there is also ACN qualification matches going happen. So if Sess stays, and if Benin make it, we'll lose him for a while in Jan. Now the but, but surely it would be better to lose him for a few weeks, rather than for good. ...................................................................................... The Black Cats' Benin playmaker, Stephane Sessegnon was in action against Rwanda on Sunday night. Whilst the football spotlight is shining down on Ukraine and Poland for this summer's European Championships, other quarters of the world are competing to be part of the 2014 World Cup. The African Nations qualifying rounds have already kicked off for the 2014 tournament, with Benin travelling to the Stade Amahoro to face Rwanda in their latest fixture. Benin took the lead through their star striker Razak Omotoyossi, who capitalised on a defensive error to score past stopper Jean Claude Ndoli on the 73rd minute. However, the home side, who had dominated most of the game, grabbed an equaliser with just five minutes to go when substitute Bokota Labama converted from the penalty spot. The result moves Rwanda to third in their group, while Benin remain at the top of the group with four points.
I'm sure it;'s bi-annually now Comm - used to be every year but the football associations agreed bi-annually was better for the world game (or something like that) - will search for confirmation!
Strange! if the 2013 qualifying is still ongoing, why are they already qualifying for the 2014 tournament - unless it's a journo typo! (This is me accepting I'm wrong about something - just don't tell the wife I admitted it!)
We won't mate. Think they changed it so as not to conflict with the world cup or Euro's or some ****e... After next year it goes on to be every two years again.
SUNDERLAND plan to rebuff any approaches for star man Stephane Sessegnon this summer as manager Martin OâNeill works to turn a solid defensive side into a more attacking unit. Manchester City were again linked with an interest in the Black Catsâ Player of the Year over the weekend in France â though at this stage that remains as speculation. But it would be a surprise if successful clubs did not make approaches for the Benin international after the strikerâs excellent first full season in the Premier League. Sessegnon, who turned 26 this month, (and this is the Sunderland echo, and still can't get his age correct )was Sunderlandâs joint top scorer last season with eight goals but his skill and his ability to do the unexpected were also the key source of creativity going forward. And OâNeill is keen to build on what the African offers for next season. He said: âYou can never tell whatâs going to happen over the summer and I donât want to be saying anything categorically at the start of it which will make us look foolish at the end of it. âI donât want to say something now which will be thrown back at me next season with people saying: âWell you said this, or you said that.â âBut having said that, thereâs no doubt that Stephane Sessegnon is a player that we obviously want to keep and weâll be doing everything we can to do so. âHe adds something to our attack that no other player does and our priority is to improve ourselves as an attacking force next season. âIf you want to do that, you have to look at keeping your best attacking players and attracting others. Stephane has been making the right noises about being happy to stay at Sunderland and hopefully that will be the case.â Things might change if Sessegnon submits a transfer request over the summer but the Black Cats will hope their star player wants to remain and help Sunderland progress
