By NDINAWE SIMPELWE –
ZESCO United look to have been handed a free passage to the quarterfinals of the CAF Confederation Cup following the suspension of theSudanese Football Association by FIFA.
FIFA on Thursday evening confirmed the suspension of the SFA due to government interference and stated that the country including itsclubs had been disqualified from taking part in all internationalgames.
Zesco was scheduled to face Sudanese side Al Hilal Abeid in the finalgroup C match on Sunday looking for a win to seal their passage to thequarter final of the Confederation Cup.
But the match has since been cancelled despite Abeid Arriving in Ndolaon Thursday in readiness for the game.
In a letter signed by FIFA acting general secretary Essam Ahmed, thematch would not be played because of the ban on the SFA.
“The aforementioned match is hereby cancelled and will not take placeas scheduled. The final situation of Group C of the competition will be announced soon,” the CAF letter read in part.
Zesco United confirmed in a statement that the match would not beplayed and asked fans to visit the club secretariat to claim theirrefunds for the match day tickets.
The disqualification of Obeid could leave Zesco on top of the group withseven points followed by Smouha of Egypt on four points while Angola’sRecreativo do Libolo now has three points.
With these standings Zesco would be guaranteed a place in the quarter-finaleither as runners-up or group winners depending on the result of thematch between Smouha and Libolo.
Before the disqualification, Obeid was leading the group with 10points but all their points may not be counted anymore.
However, CAF announced that the final standings of the group will becommunicated soon to determine the correct positions of the threeremaining teams.
And Obied coach Ibrahim Hussein said he was not happy with thesuspension as it had denied his side a chance to challenge for thetitle.
He said a lot had been put in the team that was playing in the topdivision of Sudanese league just for a second year and it wasdisappointing that Africa was at the end of a FIFA ban again.
He wondered why Africa was always on the receiving end sayingconflicts and bans should be left to politics and not football.
“For sure I’m not happy. Sometimes you see the face is not crying butI can tell you my players have cried. The people in my country are angry about this,” Hussein said.
Hussein said it was a pity that Africa was always caught in suchissues even when there was a chance to avoid it adding that clubs would now lose most of their foreign players who want to compete in CAF championships.
He hoped that the SFA would sort out the issue with FIFA so that teamscould compete in international matches.
“The problem is not about the governments. The problem is Africa. WhyAfrica all the time, why? Every time we have this problem in Africa,recently it was Mali. We fight so much on politics but now it isfootball,” Hussein said.
He said he did not know what to do next because he was still in shock following the disqualification adding that he was considering takingup a job with South Sudan national team who have been pursuing him for some time.