Sports News 12:30

BULLETIN SPORTS NEWS 17 January 12:30 pm

Good day, let’s look at the latest sports news and scores:

# We start off with soccer: Bafana Bafana got their Africa Cup of Nations campaign off with a defeat, going down two-nil to Mali in the Ivory Coast. Percy Tau’s first-half penalty miss came back to haunt Bafana as goals from Hamari Traore and Lassine Sinayoko gave Mali the three points, and pushed South Africa to the bottom of Group E. Namibia produced a huge upset as Deon Hotto’s late header secured victory over 2004 champions Tunisia. Bafana Bafana coach, Hugo Broos, says there are two reasons why they lost:

# Rugby: A record number of five women have been included on SA Rugby’s national match official panel for this year. They are Aimee Barret-Theron, Ashley Murray-Pretorius, Sinesipho Foloti, Giana Viljoen and Zoë Naudé. Two men, Eon van Zyl and Daniel Canhenga, were promoted from the academy panel to the national panel. Referees manager Banks Yantolo says their identification programmes in the provincial unions are bearing fruit as they continue to work hard with potential top-level match officials with intensive coaching and enhancement.

# Cricket: Sunrisers Eastern Cape batter Jordan Hermann says reaching personal milestones only matters if the team wins. He led the Sunrisers to their first win of the SA20 second season, by beating MI Cape Town by four-runs at Newlands. The 22-year-old scored an impressive century as the visitors made 202 for two. In reply, the homeside was restricted to 198 for five. Hermann says he is happy with how he performed:

Meanwhile, the South African Jewish Board of Deputies has slammed Cricket South Africa for removing David Teeger as the under-19 men’s squad captain. CSA justified the decision, citing security concerns and potential protests related to the Gaza conflict during the upcoming World Cup. The cricket board claims to have prioritised player safety based on security updates. The organisation’s Karen Milner views this move as antisemitism, asserting that Teeger’s removal raises concerns about discrimination based on religious or cultural background.

# And finally, tennis: Sixth seed and three-time Grand Slam finalist Ons Jabeur and 2018 champion Caroline Wozniacki have been knocked out in the second round of the Australian Open. Sixteen-year-old Mirra Andreeva of Russia stunned Tunisia’s Jabeur 6-love, 6-2 to claim her first top ten victory. Russian qualifier Maria Timofeeva came from a set down to beat Wozniacki of Denmark, 1-6, 6-4, 6-1. World number four Coco Gauff defeated fellow American Caroline Dolehide, 7-6, 6-2, to make the third round in Melbourne.

Stay tuned for more news………….