PICK OF THE SPORT: If there is one sporting event you watch this weekend, Dylan Bettencourt recommends it has to be the opening weekend of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) tournament is finally ready to get underway after being delayed by a few months due to extreme weather conditions in the host country of Ivory Coast.
Because African stars have to take a month’s leave from their clubs to represent their countries in Afcon, the tournament disrupts domestic football fixtures around the world and may be less popular than it should be.
However, Afcon has always been a special showcase that offers a rollercoaster of emotions.
Drama is always guaranteed when it comes to Africa’s major continental trophy. Who can forget the last tournament in 2021 when we had incidents like a referee blowing the final whistle eight minutes before regulation time, only for the game to be resumed hours later with a different referee?
While there are many more moments like this to expect, the football on show always brings a smile to African faces.
In a showcase of African talent, hosts Ivory Coast kick off the tournament against Guinea-Bissau on Saturday at 10 pm.
On Sunday there are three fixtures, starting with Nigeria taking on Equatorial Guinea at 4 pm, Egypt facing Mozambique at 7 pm and the day ending with Ghana taking on Cape Verde at 10 pm.
South Africans must wait until 10 pm on Tuesday to see Bafana Bafana taking on Mali.
All the Afcon action will be live on DStv and SABC.
➤ Only supremely dedicated rugby fans will find a way to watch the avalanche of weekend matches that start on Friday and finish on Sunday. The Investec Champions Cup and the EPCR Challenge Cup alone feature 21 matches!
All the matches featuring South African teams can go either way.
In the Challenge Cup, the Sharks host French team Oyonnax in Durban and they should come away with a win although it is not unfair to ask if they still know how to win because they have slowly fallen apart as a team recently. We’ll find out on Saturday afternoon.
The roaring Gauteng Lions have been playing better rugby than they have for a long time, but they will have to be spectacularly good to beat Montpellier in France. Bank on the team, and especially the halfback pairing of Morne van den Berg and Sanele Nohamba, to give it their best shot.
The Cheetahs play Pau in Bloemfontein and they should be too strong for their French opponents.
In the Investec Cup, the Stormers can be expected to keep “Cape Town smiling” when they host Sale Sharks. Sale have not been at their best and the Stormers have been playing good rugby, but it is still a tough game to call and will probably be the highlight of the weekend.
Sharks vs Oyonnax on Saturday at 3 pm.
Montpellier vs Gauteng Lions on Saturday at 10 pm.
Cheetahs vs Pau on Sunday at 3 pm.
DHL Stormers vs Sale Sharks on Saturday at 7.30 pm.
All these matches can be watched live on DStv channel 211. Many of the other matches will also be screened on DStv.
➤ And if that is not enough, there is still Premier League action, starting with a London derby as Chelsea host near neighbours Fulham at 2.30 pm on Saturday.
Newcastle take on Manchester City at 7.30 pm in what is set to be a blockbuster clash between the two mega-rich clubs.
The action continues on Sunday with two in-form clubs, Everton and Aston Villa facing off at 2.30 pm before the biggest clash of the weekend.
Manchester United take on Tottenham Hotspur at 6.30 pm on Sunday as both clubs look to gain ground on the top four spots.
All the Premier League action will be live on DStv channel 203.
Pictured above: Afcon.
Image source: X
