By Greg Evans

So, here we stand. Just one game away from finding out who will win the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations a tournament which stampeded out of the blocks with a thrilling start, but has since turned into something of a pale imitation of itself with a few drab games starting to crop up as the stakes get higher.

The amazing Chipolopolos scored the winning goal in the 77th minute as substitute Emmanuel Mayuka found space and on the turn curled a right footed shot past Adam Kwarsey in goal. It was probably the second chance for the Zambians and very much against the run of play.

The Black Stars should have gone ahead early as Asamoah Gyan missed out on a golden chance when his penalty was stopped by Kennedy Mweene (bringing back painful memories of his World Cup PK miss against Uruguay).

The finalists for the 28th edition of the AFCON are now known after thrilling semi-final fixtures last night. The Ivory Coast will now face Zambia who made it to the final after causing one of the biggest upsets of the entire tournament by knocking out Ghana. The Black Stars however have no one to blame but themselves for their exist after failing to make a host of chances they had count including a missed penalty by Asamoah Gyan.

The finalists for the 28th edition of the AFCON are now known after thrilling semi-final fixtures last night. The Ivory Coast will now face Zambia who made it to the final after causing one of the biggest upsets of the entire tournament by knocking out Ghana. The Black Stars however have no one to blame but themselves for their exist after failing to make a host of chances they had count including a missed penalty by Asamoah Gyan.

The inevitable African Cup of Nations championship matchup between the continent's two powerhouses has made way for a title game involving an underdog side that is a win away from capping off a Hollywood-worthy script.

Upstart Zambia shocked favored Ghana, 1-0, to advance to the tournament final and prevent the Black Stars from seeking redemption for their loss in the 2010 final.

By Greg Evans

Ayew do you do guvnor?

After the entertaining, exciting, exuberant and down-right enthralling set of matches that the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations laid on for us in the group stages, surely it could only get better for the last 8?

"I love underwear...it's as simple as that" David Beckham.

You know those women who can juggle ten things at once?

That's not us.

Saturday

- One of our readers named Patrick made our weekend after sending us a link to this abtastic gallery of 'ballers.

As the curtains draw open for the AFCON tournament, attention will definitely be on a number of players who are set to retire once a winner is revealed on February 12th.

For many it will mark an end to the golden generation of some of the continent's truly brightest talents but also the beginning for a new breed of stars who will look to carry on from where their predecessors left.

This afternoon is a must win game for Chelsea and it really is as simple as that. We cannot afford to drop points over the next few weeks as we need to try and close the gap to the sides above us now in the league.
AVB and his Chelsea players have a job on their hands this afternoon as a rejuvenated Sunderland side under new man-manager Martin O'Neill travel to the Bridge with nothing to lose and everything to gain.

STARTERS
Jamie Trecker of Fox Soccer traveled to London and sat down for a video interview with Clint Dempsey.
-There really isn't anything new here for us diehards, but its great to see the words come out of Clint's mouth. What a talent!
-More great stuff with Clint and members of his family.

With the African Cup of Nations set to begin in about a months time, many Premier League clubs are already starting to prepare for the departure of their players, however, one club Manchester City are delaying the departure of Ivorian duo Yaya Toure and his brother Kolo.

According to the club, they have been granted a special allowance to delay the Toure's departure so that they can take part in the the FA Cup fixture against United and the First leg tie of the League Cup against Liverpool.

Sunderland have wasted no time finding a replacement for the fired Steve Bruce by targeting the best manager available for hire: Martin O'Neil. By all accounts O'Neil is close to agreeing to take over at the Stadium of Light and could be in the stands for Sunday's away match against Wolverhampton.

Sunderland have wasted no time finding a replacement for the fired Steve Bruce by targeting the best manager available for hire: Martin O'Neil. By all accounts O'Neil is close to agreeing to take over at the Stadium of Light and could be in the stands for Sunday's away match against Wolverhampton.

By Alan Duffy

Steve Bruce will have more free time now to feed the pigeons

To be fair to Sunderland, the club had given Steve Bruce a decent amount of money to strengthen his squad over the years. But despite that financial backing, the former Manchester United defender's best showing with the Black Cats was a tenth-place finish last season.

All eyes will be on Asamoah Gyan at the upcoming African Cup of Nations in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea in January as he attempts to help Ghana go one better than their second place finish two years ago.
The Ghanaian striker was voted African player of the year in 2010 and was one of the players to make the biggest impact on the World Cup in South Africa as he helped his side become only the third African country to make the quarter-finals of the tournament.

Ivory Coast are the heavy favourites going into the African Cup of Nations in 2012 in Gabon and Equatorial Guinea next year.
The Elephants will be able to call upon on the service of a number of high profile European players such as the Toure brothers, Salomon Kalou, Gervinho and Didier Drogba.

Key Stats
League Position: 16th, 1 W, 3D, 3L, 9 GF, 8 GA, +1 GD, 6 pts
Away Form: 2 D, 1 L, 2 GF, 3 GA
Last Meeting Arsenal 0-0 Sunderland (March 5, 2011) (Premier League)

Well, we're back to our regular programming.

Long-term Liverpool target Ola Toivonen is being linked with a move to Sunderland.
The Swedish international striker was heavily linked with a move to Anfield whilst the Reds were under the stewardship of Roy Hodgson, who still had connections from his time in Scandinavia.
However, replacement Kenny Dalgish was also thought to be keen on the PSV Eindhoven forward, who impressed Liverpool scouts with his form in the Eredivisie.

By Kaushik Lakshman

Last week we saw a bizarre transfer when Al-Ain announced that they will be signing Asamoah Gyan on a one year loan at ridiculous wages. Gyan obviously took the option. Many questioned the move, accusing him of being a money grabber, accusing him of making a terrible move with respect to his career and what not.

This weekend was turning into something special , after watching Arsenal get Venk-yed and Liverpool being White-washed I knew the United match was going to be something even more special. Deep inside something was telling me Torres was going to score one or get a defender sent off. But all this had to wait for another twenty minutes because when I turned on the TV guess what I saw?

Steve Bruce has hit out at Asamoah Gyan after the Ghana striker left Sunderland to join United Arab Emirates side Al Ain on loan.

Wenger cashes in on his rep, Gyan's no Loyd Grossman and Scunny's killjoy tannoy announcer

He's famous for not seeing incidents and not listening to fans begging him to spend some money. So does this advert in easyJet's in-flight shopping mag mean Arsene is finally cashing in on his reputation?

Nepalifootball.comKathmandu, 25 August 2011
Both the matches of the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull B Division League on Thursday ended in draws. Boys Union was held to a 1-1 draw by Kumari Youth Club, while Gyan Bhairav Club and Samajik Youth Club shared a point each after playing a goalless draw.

Nepalifootball.comKathmandu, 25 August 2011
Both the matches of the Martyrs Memorial Red Bull B Division League on Thursday ended in draws. Boys Union was held to a 1-1 draw by Kumari Youth Club, while Gyan Bhairav Club and Samajik Youth Club shared a point each after playing a goalless draw.

Nepalifootball.comKathmandu 17 August: ANFA is all set to start Martyrs Memorial B Division League Football Tournament from 24 August 2011. After metting with the representative of all B Division Club today, the date has been confirm. 15 B Division teams are participating in round-robin league that would be held in Kathmandu.

Liverpool's Strikeforce: Luis Suarez & Andy Carroll

I should have spent more time on Sunderland in my preview of their match versus Liverpool, but I didn't want to make it a season preview. They definitely need to add attacking options and put a leash on Lee Cattermole. But Stéphane Sessègnon is impressive; Ahmed Elmohamady, Kieran Richardson & Gyan are all big factors, and their back line was well organized, essentially making Andy Carroll irrelevant.

Colin Randall from Salut! Sunderland, who we've talked to plenty of times before when yet another United player signs for his club, has spoken to us about hopes for next season after all their spending.

Scott the Red: Were you happy with Sunderland's performance last season?

Colin Randall: Pleased until the drubbing at St James' Park, ecstatic after Stamford Bridge, despondent during the slump, moderately satisfied with 10th finish.

Quick Reminder, Real Life What started brightly with a forward line of DBent, Gyan, and Campbell came closer to the relegation zone than anyone who watched the first half of the season or looked at the final standings would ever have guessed. February, March, and the first half of April were an unmitigated disaster with the club earning exactly 1 point between Feb 1 and April 16.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on the cutting-edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season to become fit as butchers'...

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on the cutting-edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season to become fit as butchers'...

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on the cutting-edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season to become fit as butchers'...

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on the cutting-edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season to become fit as butchers'...

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on the cutting-edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season to become fit as butchers'...

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.

Mirror writer Simon Bird straps on cutting edge gizmos that show how much pain footballers suffer during pre-season fitness drills

Steve Bruce is chiding Asamoah Gyan to run harder, and asking what he's been eating all summer. There is banter, jokes and serious sweat as he powers the length of the pitch fast, then jogs across it.