Goading an opponent is rare among Africa Cup of Nations coaches but Kenya’s Sebastien Migne did his best on Sunday to spice up the pre-match rhetoric by questioning the mental state of their next opponents Senegal.

“We know that they have never won an Africa Cup of Nations despite having the same qualities of players as the Cameroonians and Ivorians, who have already been crowned champions several times.

“For that, we have to question their mental strength,” he told a news conference on the eve of the Group C meeting between the two countries at Cairo’s 30 June Stadium on Monday.

“I hope they will not find it against us because given their qualities they can hurt,” said the Frenchman, who is taking charge in his first major tournament.

He said Senegal, among the favourites to take the title in Egypt, had struggled with the high pressing game and tough physical approach from Algeria in their last game.

Algeria won 1-0 to upset Africa’s top-ranked team and leave Senegal with three points from two games in the group, the same as Kenya.

“We have nothing to lose and everything to gain against a team of the quality of Senegal, who have players of the highest level,” added Migne.

“We will play our football with great enthusiasm and knowing that it is possible to qualify for the second round if we get the right result.”

Migne’s comments did not sit well with his counterpart Alou Cisse, who held a news conference of his own soon after.

Cisse suggested Migne might like to have a go at coaching the Senegal side before reminding him they had been “the top ranked team in Africa for a long time now and our first defeat on this continent in four years came last Thursday against Algeria”.

Coach Aliou Cisse believes Senegal will back up their status as the continent’s top-ranked side after a stuttering start to their bid for a first Africa Cup of Nations title.

Senegal began their campaign in Egypt with an easy 2-0 win over Tanzania but were far from their best in a 1-0 loss to Group C rivals Algeria.

A draw against Kenya in their final match in Cairo would send the Teranga Lions through to the last 16 where they would face the runners-up from Egypt’s group, in which all four teams are in still contention.

“I’m not the type to call everything into question in four days, I’m someone who is very balanced. There are things which haven’t worked but that’s no reason to start a revolution in the space of four days,” Cisse told reporters on Sunday.

“We’ve been No 1 in Africa for three years and we went to the 2018 World Cup. It’s our first defeat in four years on the continental stage. I don’t think a team that lacked mental strength would have achieved such a run.”

Cisse, the captain of the side that lost the 2002 final to Cameroon on penalties, snapped back at comments from Kenya coach Sebastien Migne suggesting Senegal had a tradition of buckling under pressure when the stakes are high.

“I think my counterparts have a tendency to speak about us. Take care of themselves, take care of their own teams. What does he know about the Senegalese mentality? What does he know about our people? How can he say we don’t have the mental strength?” Cisse countered.

He also slammed the performance of Zambian referee Janny Sikazwe in the wake of the Algeria defeat, in which Sadio Mane had a strong penalty appeal dismissed.

“I don’t want to come back to the refereeing which I found, today I will say it, really catastrophic and unacceptable,” said Cisse.

“There are things I don’t want to say about the refereeing because I would be suspended, but there comes a point when you have to protect the integrity of our players.”

🔰 Cameroon and Ghana, two of the most successful teams in Africa Cup of Nations history with nine titles between them, cancelled each other out in a forgettable 0-0 draw on a day of three stalemates.

Ghana nearly snatched the points in the 88th minute when Kwabena Owusu intercepted a dreadful Jean Armel Kana Biyik pass, charged forward and fired a ferocious shot against the bar.

Highlights 📹 http://v.duta.us/bjTlpQAA

🔰 Angola and Mauritania drew 0-0 in Group E, leaving both sides facing a battle to advance to the knockout stages. It was a second draw for Angola, while Mauritania, making their tournament debut, picked up their first point.

Highlights 📹 http://v.duta.us/IeLVxwAA

🔰 Benin and Guinea Bissau completed a hat-trick of goalless draws with a stalemate that left both teams waiting for their first-ever win at the competition. The teams rarely looked like breaking the sequence of blanks in a scrappy match short of clear chances.

Highlights 📹 http://v.duta.us/HBDhwwAA

Read more: http://v.duta.us/2MGJUwAA

Arsenal will have to pay Crystal Palace to 100 million pounds to capture Ivory Coast striker, Wilfred Zaha, 26.
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– But the chairman of The Eagles, Steve Parish is afraid that selling Zaha could threaten his plans to get new club owners … He is afraid of shaking the club to decline, for Zaha is a great help for them in the Premier League.
#EPLTransfersUpdates

Luis Suarez missed a spot-kick as Peru beat Uruguay on penalties in Salvador on Saturday to reach the Copa America semifinals, where they will play Chile.

Edison Flores scored the decisive penalty as Peru, who were thrashed 5-0 by Brazil in their previous match, qualified for the semifinals for the third time in the last four editions of the Copa.