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      Who is Afcon 2023 final referee Dahane Beida?

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      THE Africa Cup of Nations final is upon us after a thrilling tournament in the Ivory Coast.And the refereeing team has been decided with a Mauritanian star named as the official for the big one.
      Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida is refereeing the Afcon finalCredit: AFP
      Who is Afcon final referee Dahane Beida?
      Dahane Beida is refereeing the Afcon final between Nigeria and Ivory Coast.
      Beida is a 32-year-old Mauritanian official, and was the referee for Egypt’s thrilling 2-2 draw with Mozambique in the group stage.
      That match saw Mo Salah score a dramatic 97th-minute penalty which Beida gave after a VAR call.
      Beida was also in charge of Angola’s 3-0 win over Namibia in the Last 16, in which a player from either side was sent off inside the first half.
      Angola’s goalkeeper Neblu was red carded in the 17th-minute for handling the ball outside his area, before Namibia’s Lubeni Haukongo was given a second yellow five minutes before the break.
      An Afcon statement read: “Dahane Beida, aged 32, will be the on-pitch referee for this crucial match, marking his third appearance at this year’s TotalEnergies CAF AFCON.
      “Previously, he officiated the match between Egypt and Mozambique, which ended in a 2-2 draw during the group stage, as well as the Round of 16 clash where Angola secured a 3-0 victory over Namibia.
      “Assisting Dahane Beida will be Emiliano Dos Santos from Angola and Diana Chicotesha from Zambia, Morocco’s Bouchra Karboubi will serve as the fourth official.”
      Most read in Football
      Dahane Beida shows a red to Namibia defender Lubeni HaukongoCredit: AFP
      When is Nigeria vs Ivory Coast?

      Nigeria’s big Afcon final clash with Ivory Coast will take place on Sunday, February 11.
      The game will kick off at 8pm UK time.
      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Football and BBC Three in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the NOW TV or Sky Go app, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The game is also available to stream for FREE from the BBC iPlayer, so long as you have a valid TV licence. More

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      Where is Gary Lineker and why isn’t he on Match of the Day?

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      GARY Lineker has been the backbone of the Match of the Day presenting team for almost a quarter of a century.But the former Leicester, Spurs and Barcelona striker wont be appearing on the show on Saturday February 10 — here we take a look at why.
      Gary Lineker was suspended from MOTD in March 2023 for breaking the Beeb’s impartiality rulesCredit: Rex
      Where is Gary Lineker and why isn’t he on Match of the Day?
      Gary Lineker has been forced to pull out of presenting Match of the Day on Saturday February 10, 2024.
      He usually hosts the football highlights show every Saturday night.
      Gary took to X, formerly Twitter, on the afternoon of the show he’s missing to break the news to fans.
      In typical style, he joked: “Some good news for some: I’ve been silenced….with a rotten cold that seems to be lasting forever.
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      “Hate missing hosting @BBCMOTD but I’ll be watching.”
      So instead of being in the studio, he’ll be convalescing at home.
      Fans were quick to wish the former striker well, with one person tweeting: “Get well soon Gary, we need you in strong voice!”
      Another commented: “Get well soon Gary!”
      Most read in Football
      While a Newcastle fan joked: “Get well soon Gary. And you’re doing the right thing. We don’t want Wor Al catching it 🖤🤍.”
      Gary is regularly joined on the show by pundits including Alan Shearer, Ian Wright and Micah Richards.
      MOTD and BBC Sport struck a new four-year agreement with the Premier League in December 2023, meaning the TV programme will continue to show Premier League highlights until 2029.
      Gary is also believed to be set to agree a huge contract extension with the BBC.
      Who has replaced Gary Lineker?
      Mark Chapman will step in to replace Gary while he is ill.
      The Manchester United fan has been a regular on Final Score and Match of the Day 2.
      So although Chappers is BBC Sport’s chief rugby league presenter, he also knows a thing or two about the beautiful game.
      When was Gary Lineker last missing from Match of the Day? 
      The BBC dramatically suspended Gary from Match of the Day in 2023, leading to the programme being broadcast without presenters, pundits or the usual commentary team over the weekend of March 11/12.
      This came after the BBC ruled that a tweet he posted about former Home Secretary Suella Braverman broke impartiality rules.
      Gary took to Twitter to hit out at the Illegal Migration Bill, which bans migrants who arrive on small boats from ever settling in Britain.
      His suspension sparked chaos as scores of his co-hosts launched a mutiny.
      A BBC spokesperson said: “Some of our pundits have said that they don’t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary.
      “We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”
      The show’s commentary also stood down, with commentators usually heard on football broadcasts outside of the UK replacing them.
      Gary and the team returned MOTD to present highlights of the FA Cup quarter-finals on March 18, 2023.
      More recently Gary missed the footy highlights and analysis programme on April 1, 2023.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      It was no April Fool’s Day joke, as he explained in a tweet: “Just so there’s no misunderstanding, I won’t be doing @BBCMOTD tonight.
      “I’m not suspended, just on holiday. Back next week. 😂👍🏻” More

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      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea: Blues look to get back to winning ways in Premier League as pressure mounts on Roy Hodgson

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      CHELSEA travel to London rivals Crystal Palace for a huge Premier League clash on Monday night.The Blues were in action in midweek as they beat Aston Villa 3-1 in an FA Cup replay to secure their spot in the fifth round.
      Chelsea beat Aston Villa 3-1 in the FA Cup on Wednesday nightCredit: GETTY
      Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson is under pressureCredit: GETTY
      Mauricio Pochettino saw a much-improved performance from his side on Wednesday night and will be hoping they can now take it into the league.
      Chelsea have been on the receiving end of back-to-back heavy defeats in the Premier League and find themselves 11th in the table.
      Meanwhile, Roy Hodgson’s position as Crystal Palace boss has reportedly been under threat after the Eagles were thrashed 4-1 by bitter rivals Brighton last time out.
      When is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea?

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will take place on Monday, February 12th.
      Kick off will be at 8pm GMT.
      Selhurst Park will host.

      READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
      What TV channel is Crystal Palace vs Chelsea on and can it be live streamed?

      Crystal Palace vs Chelsea will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event/Premier League.
      Sky Sports customers can live stream the match via the NOW app.
      Alternatively, you can follow SunSport’s live blog to keep up to date with all the action from Selhurst Park.

      Team news
      The hosts have been dealt a major blow after Roy Hodgson confirmed that starman Michael Olise suffered a “serious” hamstring injury during the 4-1 defeat to Brighton.
      Defender Marc Guehi suffered a knee problem last weekend and will miss Monday’s clash with Chelsea.
      Eberechi Eze will also be unavailable alongside long-term absentees Rob Holding, Cheick Doucoure and Jesurun Rak-Sakyi.
      Most read in Football
      For Chelsea, Benoit Badiashile was forced off during the closing stages against Villa in midweek, and it is a doubt for Monday night.
      Fellow defender Levi Colwill could return to the squad after missing the last four matches with a tendon injury.
      Goalkeeper Robert Sanchez has made a partial return to training and could make the bench for Chelsea’s trip to Selhurst Park.
      Long-term absentees Reece James, Romeo Lavia, Marc Cucurella and Wesley Fofana remain out.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Crystal Palace – 18/5
      Draw – 27/10
      Chelsea – 3/4

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      in Boxing

      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk: New date CONFIRMED, UK start time, TV channel, stream, PPV price, undercard for huge fight

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      TYSON Fury is once again set to fight for the undisputed heavyweight titles against Oleksandr Usyk after postponing the original date. Fury suffered a nasty gash above his right eye in sparring earlier this month and saw his clash with Usyk on February 17 go up in smoke as a result.
      Fury and Usyk went head-to-head at a press conference late last year
      Tyson Fury suffered a cut that postponed the Usyk fight on February 17Credit: X @Queensbury
      Usyk revealed he missed the birth of his daughter at the beginning of the year to focus on training camp for Fury, but now he has to refocus on a new date.
      Fury holds the WBC title in boxing’s glamour division, while Usyk is in possession of the WBA, WBO, IBF and Ring Magazine straps.
      The pair have been on a collision course to fight for 18 months, following Usyk’s rematch win over Anthony Joshua in August 2022.
      Fury only just overcame boxing debutant and former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou last October, as he was knocked down in stunning fashion before going on to win the bout on points.

      And Fury’s latest scuffle in sparring with heavyweight Agron Smakici, which saw an 11-stitch cut open up below his eyebrow, will be another confidence booster for Usyk.
      The Ukrainian is looking become the first man in history to win undisputed titles at both cruiserweight and heavyweight – and he’s just one win away.
      A victory for Fury, on the other hand, would set up an all-British mega-bout with Anthony Joshua, who takes on Ngannou himself on March 8.
      When is Fury vs Usyk?

      Fury vs Usyk will now take place on Saturday, May 18 after the original date of February 17 was postponed.
      The Gyspy King has three months to recover from his injury, and if there are any more pull-outs this time around, a £7.9million fee will be paid to the opposing fighter.
      The fight will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
      Expect main event ring-walks to get going from around 11pm BST, with the main card likely to start from 6pm BST.

      Most read in Boxing

      What channel is it on and can it be live streamed?

      Fury vs Usyk will be broadcast on THREE channels here in the UK.
      You can watch the clash on TNT Sports Box Office, Sky Sports Box Office and on DAZN PPV.
      A price for the event has yet to be confirmed.
      You can stream the action from the TNT Sports Box Office app, Sky Sports Box Office app, or the DAZN app, all of which are available onto your mobile, tablet and Smart TV.

      Fury vs Usyk full card
      It has yet to be confirmed whether the original undercard will go ahead on the new date.
      But this is likely to be the scheduled night of fights:

      Tyson Fury vs Oleksandr Usyk – undisputed WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF heavyweight titles
      Joe Cordina vs Anthony Cacace – IBF super-featherweight title
      Jai Opetaia vs Mairis Briedis – vacant IBF cruiserweight title
      Moses Itauma vs Ilja Mezencev
      Sergey Kovalev vs Robin Sirwan Safar
      Bakhodir Jalolov vs TBA
      Isaac Lowe vs Hasibullah Ahmadi
      David Nyika vs TBA

      Fury and Usyk have been in negotiations to fight since December 2022Credit: Reuters
      What has been said?
      “I just smiled,” Usyk said upon hearing of the postponement news.
      “And said ‘OK – I will finish my training and I will do my work stretching my back’.
      “Tyson. Hi, my brother. Don’t be afraid. I will not leave you alone.
      “I’m still happy – things happen, it’s life,” he said.
      “I’m very happy because I now go to Ukraine. I see my two daughters and my wife. I go to my church and pray. A little bit of rest and back to my camp.”
      Fury said of the postponement: “I am absolutely devastated after preparing for this fight for so long and being in such superb condition.
      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      “I feel bad for everyone involved in this huge event and I will work diligently towards the rescheduled date once the eye has healed.
      “I can only apologise to everyone affected including my own team, Team Usyk, the undercard fighters, partners, and fans as well as our hosts and my friends in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” More

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      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast – Afcon 2023 final: Kick-off time, team news as hosts face Osimhen and Co in huge showpiece clash

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      IVORY COAST take on Nigeria in the African Cup of Nations final on Saturday.The host nation reached the final after edging out the DR Congo 1-0 thanks to a goal from Sebastien Haller.
      Sebastien Haller scored the winning goal against DR CongoCredit: AFP
      Nigeria beat South Africa to reach the finalCredit: EPA
      The former West Ham striker volleyed an unconventional strike over and past Lionel Mpasi in the second half.
      The Ivorians held out to seal the win and set up the final against Nigeria.
      They enjoyed their celebrations in the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpé as Chelsea legend Didier Drogba also got involved.
      Nigeria made their own way to the last two after a tense clash with South Africa in the semi-final.
      READ MORE IN AFCON
      The Super Eagles looked to have done the job inside 90 minutes thanks to William Troost-Ekong’s penalty.
      However, extra time was forced as Teboho Mokoena also converted from the spot.
      A penalty shootout was needed to separate the sides as Nigeria scrapped though.
      The matter of the trophy will be decided at the Olympic Stadium.
      Most read in Football
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      Ivory Coast has had an up-and-down tournament, having lost two of their group games.
      They only qualified as one of the best third-placed teams which saw them sack manager Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament.
      Watch Chelsea legend Didier Drogba’s wild celebrations as Ivory Coast storm into Africa Cup of Nations final
      The nation made a loan enquiry to appoint Herve Rennard from the French women’s team.
      He did not take the role and forgotten Premier League flop Emerse Fae took on the job and has had a great impact.
      The tournament has been full of thrills throughout, as former Manchester United flop Bebe and ex-West ham star Arthur Masuaku scoring brilliant free-kicks.
      Meanwhile, Morocco star Youssef En-Nesyri had to celebrate his goal from the bench, and Yves Bissouma playing while suffering from malaria.
      Team news
      Nigeria star Victor Osimhen was passed fit to play against South Africa despite initial concerns over an abdominal injury.
      He should be fine to face Ivory Coast in the final on Saturday.
      Meanwhile Ola Aina, Moses Simon and Calvin Bassey all escaped bookings in the semi-finals and are available for selection.
      Ivory Coast will welcome back trio Serge Aurier, Odilon Kossounou and Oumar Diakite after they complete their suspensions.
      Who will be the star men?
      Sebastien Haller is playing two years on from his cancer diagnosisCredit: AP
      Victor Osimhen is one of the world’s best strikerCredit: AP
      Sebastien Haller will want to play a key role for the Ivory Coast in the final.
      The former Hammer scored the decisive goal in the semi-final to take with his first of the tournament.
      He will have some stern competition, however, as Nigeria has its own attacking talisman.
      Osimhen may have only scored once during his six appearances, but he will be keen to add to that tally.
      The Napoli striker is considered one of the most prolific in Europe and could fire Nigeria to Afcon glory on Saturday.
      What have the managers said?
      Jose Peseiro wants to lead Nigeria to glorlyCredit: AFP
      Emerse Fae was appointed midway through the tournamentCredit: AP
      Nigeria manager Jose Peseiro has always insisted that when he took the job, he had one aim, and that was to win Afcon.
      He told BBC Sport Africa: “When I signed the contract, I said I want to win the Afcon.
      “Either way, I don’t know if everybody believed or not. I have believed since the first moment.
      “We haven’t won nothing until now – we want to win the Afcon.”
      Ivory Coast manager Emerse Faé has claimed that it is a “dream” to have led the team to the final.
      He said: “We are happy, we’re really moved. It’s like a dream, when you go back two weeks to the defeat here against Equatorial Guinea.
      “It was hard then to imagine that we might qualify for the final of our own Afcon.”
      SunSport prediction
      Nigeria 1 Ivory Coast 3
      When is Nigeria vs Ivory Coast?

      Nigeria’s big Afcon final clash with Ivory Coast will take place on Sunday, January 11.
      The game will kick off at 8pm UK time.
      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Nigeria vs Ivory Coast will be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League, Sky Sports Football and BBC Three in the UK.
      You can live stream the action from the NOW TV or Sky Go app, both of which are available for download onto your mobile or tablet device.
      The game is also available to stream for FREE from the BBC iPlayer, so long as you have a valid TV licence.

      READ MORE SUN STORIES
      Odds

      Nigeria – 31/20
      Draw – 19/10
      Ivory Coast – 2/1
      Nigeria to lift trophy – 3/4
      Ivory Coast to lift trophy – 2/1

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More

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      Nigeria vs South Africa – Afcon semi-final: Super Eagles and Bafana Bafana look for final spot – stream, TV, team news

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      NIGERIA will face South Africa in the semi-final of Afcon TONIGHT.The Super Eagles booked their place in the last four with a 1-0 win over Angola on Friday.
      Ademola Lookman was the difference maker against AngolaCredit: GETTY
      Ronwen Williams was the hero for South Africa against Cape Verde with four penalty saves in the shootoutCredit: AP
      Former Premier League star Ademola Lookman was the difference maker with a thumping strike on 40 minutes.
      Nigeria have won the Nations Cup three times, with their last tournament triumph coming in 2013 when they beat Burkina Faso 1-0 in the final.
      The Super Eagles will face South Africa in this year’s semi-final after the latter booked their spot in the last four with a win over Cape Verde.
      Bafana Bafana shot-stopper Ronwen Williams was the hero after he became the first goalkeeper to save four penalties in an Afcon shootout.
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      When is Nigeria vs South Africa?

      Nigeria vs South Africa will take place on Wednesday, February 7th.
      The match will kick off at 5pm GMT.
      The Stade de la Paix in Bouake will host.

      What TV channel is Nigeria vs South Africa on and can it be live streamed?

      Nigeria vs South Africa will be broadcast live on BBC Two and Sky Sports Main Event.
      You can live stream the match for FREE on BBC iPlayer, providing you have a valid TV license.
      Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen was taken off late on against Angola on Friday night with an apparent injury.
      However, the Napoli striker was pictured walking freely away from the stadium after the match.
      Most read in Football
      Hugo Broos will be hoping his South Africa side came through their gruelling 120-minute quarter-final unscathed.
      What are the odds?
      Match result

      Nigeria – 3/5
      Draw – 5/2
      South Africa – 6/1

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and are correct at the time of publication. More

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      Ivory Coast vs DR Congo – Afcon semi-final: Hosts take on underdogs for spot in final – stream, TV channel, team news

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      IVORY COAST are on step away from reaching the Africa Cup of Nations 2023 final on home territory. The Elephants have been brilliant so far but will have to be at their best again to get past plucky underdogs DR Congo.
      Ivory Coast beat Mali to reach the semi-finals of Afcon 2023
      DR Congo’s Arthur Masuaku celebrates with teammates after scoring his side’s third goal against Guinea
      Ivory Coast overcame Mali in sensational circumstances in the quarter-finals to reach the Afcon semis.
      Two goals, once in the 92nd minute and again in the 120th minute sealed their meeting with DR Congo.
      The Leopards, meanwhile, beat Guinea 3-1 and even knocked out Egypt on penalties in the last-16.
      When is Ivory Coast vs DR Congo?

      Ivory Coast’s clash with DR Congo takes place TONIGHT at 8pm GMT.
      The match will be held at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.

      What channel is it and can it be live streamed?

      Ivory Coast vs DR Congo will be broadcast live on BBC Three and Sky Sports Football.
      You can live stream the match for FREE on BBC iPlayer, providing you have a valid TV license.
      Alternatively, you can keep up to date with all the action by following SunSport’s live blog.

      Team news
      Ivory Coast will be without suspended Serge Aurier for their huge semi-final.
      Simon Adingra scored the equaliser against Mali last week and could get a start here alongside Sebastian Haller.
      And Ibrahim Sangare could return to the XI in place one Franck Kessie.
      Most read in Football
      For DR Congo, they could be without former Chelsea man Gael Kakuta, but they’ll ne more worried about Arthur Masuaku’s risk of suspension for the final.
      Odds

      Ivory Coast – 21/20
      Draw – 9/5
      DR Congo – 5/2
      Ivory Coast to qualify – 8/15
      DR Congo to qualify – 27/20

      *Odds courtesy of Ladbrokes and correct at time of publication. More