Ghana hammered Egypt 6-1 in the first-leg of their 2014 World Cup qualification play-off on Tuesday evening.

The hosts took the lead inside five minutes through captain Asamoah Gyan.

Wael Gomaa’s own goal doubled the lead, before Mohamed Aboutrika’s penalty four minutes before the interval gave the Pharaohs hope.

Yet that hope was extinguished almost immediately as Majeed Waris made it 3-1, while a second for Gyan, a Sulley Muntari penalty and a wonderful late Christian Atsu strike wrapped up the scoring in the second period.

The return leg takes place in Egypt on November 19.
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New Maritzburg United coach Clinton Larsen says his goal is to qualify for a Top 8 finish at the end of the season.

Larsen was officially appointed head coach for United after Ernst Middendorp resigned from the team to join Bloemfontein Celtic. Ironically, Larsen joined the People’s Choice after leaving Siwelele.

The former Manning Rangers midfielder says he is excited to be back in his home province and is looking forward to achieve success with his new team.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge. I am KZN person and Maritzburg (United) are a KZN team and I think I returned at the right time to put back into my home province,” says.

“I am looking forward to make Maritzburg a strong force like I did with Celtic in the last few seasons.

“I know they have not been in Top 8 position so I am up for the challenge and my ambition is to qualify the team in the Top 8 at the end of the season,” he adds.
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Brazil got the better of Zambia in their first ever meeting with a 2-0 victory, in a friendly match in Beijing on Tuesday.

The South Americans showed their intentions from the start and had the woodwork shaking in the third minute from a superb free-kick from Neymar and Kennedy Mweene scrambled the rebound clear.

Dani Alves sent a swerving shot wayward moments later before Zambia won a decent free-kick through Chris Katongo but nothing came from it.
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SuperSport United’s versatile defender, Edwin Gyimah, says that he’s learning from his Ghana teammates while in camp with the team.

The 22-year-old recently earned a call-up to the Black Stars, following an injury to John Boye, and he will be hoping to feature in today’s World Cup qualifier against Egypt, though he can only do that from the bench having been left out of the starting XI.
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Orlando Pirates’ players have been preparing for their CAF Champions League semi-finals second leg match and defender Rooi Mahamutsa tells the Siya crew that the Bucs team have been performing well in training.

Bucs’ players were all excused from international duty during the FIFA break, in order for the team to focus on their dream of capturing a second star.

The only exception made was for Kermit Erasmus as the Bucs striker is ineligible to play for his club in the CAF Champions League because of his involvement with SuperSport United in the CAF Confederations Cup.
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Mpumalanga’s head of community safety Thulani Sibuyi resigned on Tuesday following a spate of criminal investigations against him, premier David Mabuza said.

“We received his resignation letter and we have accepted it,” Mabuza said in a statement.

“After having some discussions with the HOD, we felt that he should recuse himself from his position since leadership responsibilities have been compromised by his personal problems.”

Mabuza said initially they wanted to leave the matter to the courts, but recent allegations compelled Mabuza to give him time to clear his name and to reflect.

Sibuyi, 37, who was convicted of drunk driving in 2008, appeared in the Kempton Park Magistrate’s Court on Monday on new charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, impersonating a police officer, and resisting arrest. He is also facing fraud charges involving more than R140 million.

Gauteng police spokeswoman Lt-Col Katlego Mogale said Sibuyi was arrested in the early hours of Sunday after he was involved in an accident in Gauteng. She said his car was fitted with flashing blue lights.

Sibuyi was not asked to plead to the charges and was released on R1000 bail. Sibuyi’s employers did not suspend him after his arrest in August when he was charged with fraud.

He was expected to appear in the Nelspruit Regional Court on November 23 to face the fraud charges. He and his co-accused, Vusi Mashaba, 41, who owns GNT Security, handed themselves to the Nelspruit police on August 8 after a warrant of arrest was issued against them.

According to the State, Mashaba submitted a fraudulent tax clearance certificate on behalf of his company to the department.

The company allegedly illegally benefited from payments of R4m per month for over three years. GNT Security provided security services for the community safety department building.

The two are out on R50 000 bail each.

Sapa

East London – A municipal worker was robbed while on his way to deposit money in a bank in Lusikisiki on Tuesday, Eastern Cape police said.

Four men driving a VW Polo ordered the Ingquza local municipality worker out of his car at gunpoint in Main Street, said Captain Mduduzi Godlwana.

“They took two bags of the municipal money, his car keys and his service pistol before they ran away.”

Police were searching for the men.

Sapa

Pretoria – Miners wounded and arrested during the Marikana unrest were elated about being represented again at the Farlam Commission of Inquiry, Dali Mpofu SC, said on Tuesday.

Mpofu, who represents the miners, said the ruling by the High Court in Johannesburg on Monday compelling Legal Aid SA to pay the legal costs of survivors of the Marikana shooting was a great reprieve.

“The clients are excited. As their lawyers, we are relieved. We have subsequently learnt now that Legal Aid has made an undertaking to provide the necessary legal funding. Indications are that we are back permanently,” he said.
For more http://www.iol.co.za

Police shot dead a housebreaker when he pointed a firearm at them in Orlando East, Soweto, on Tuesday, said Constable Sibusiso Chauke.

“One of the suspects pointed a firearm at the police and police shot him. He got out of the car and tried to run away, fell a few metres away and died at the scene,” he said.

“One of his other accomplices tried to run away and police managed to arrest him. The other suspect was arrested in the car,” he said.

Chauke said a Volkswagen Polo, a plasma television set and an Xbox were stolen in a housebreaking in Stormill, western Johannesburg, on Tuesday morning.

Soweto flying squad members investigating the housebreaking stopped the car with three men inside on the Soweto Highway. Police found the stolen goods inside the car.

The men arrested would appear soon in the Protea Magistrate’s Court.

Sapa

Bredasdorp – Anene Booysen’s injuries were the worst ever seen by the doctor who treated her after her attack, the SABC reported on Tuesday.

The Swellendam Circuit Court heard that Elizabeth de Kok treated 17-year-old Booysen at the Tygerberg Hospital, Cape Town, before she was transferred to a hospital in Swellendam, in the Western Cape.

According to the SABC, De Kok described Booysen’s intestinal injuries as the worst she had ever seen.

Dr Liezl Taylor reportedly attended to Booysen in Swellendam. She said the extent of her injuries meant she would succumb to them.

The two doctors were testifying at Johannes Kana’s rape and murder trial.

Kana has admitted leaving a Bredasdorp pub with Booysen, hitting and raping her, but has denied killing her.

She was raped and disembowelled and died in the Tygerberg Hospital on the afternoon of Saturday, February 2.

The trial continues.

Sapa