Real competition THE FIRST leg of the quarter-final matches of the 2006 African Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup will be played on the weekend of 21, 22, 23 April. The fixtures will see the following teams meeting each other in the first-leg matches of the Champions League: Renacimiento (GEQ) v Ahli (EGY), Port Autonome (SEN) v Asec Mimosas (CIV), Orlando Pirates (RSA) v Al Hilal (SUD), Enyimba (NGR) v St Eloi Lupopo (DRC), CS Sfaxien (TUN) v FAR Rabat (MAR), Asante Kotoko (GHA) v USCAFOOT (MAD), Hearts of Oak (GHA) v Etoile Sahel (TUN), JS Kabylie (ALG) v Raja Casablanca (MAR) or Inter Stars (BUR). The following teams will meet in the Confederations Cup: Nasr A. Hussein-Dey (Algeria) v AS Douanes, Lobi Stars (Nigeria) v OCK )Morocco, Arsenal (Ghana) v Petro Atletico (Angola), Harass Al-Hodod (Egypt) v Iwuanyanwu, Esperance S. de Tunis (Tunisia) v Union Alexandria (Egypt), AS de Bamako (Mali) v El Mereikh, Township Rollers (Botswana) v Inter Clube, USJF Ravinala (Madagascar) v Moro United (Tanzania). The second-leg fixtures of the Champions League will be played on 5,6,7 May and will see Ahli v Renacimiento, Asec Mimosas v Port Autonome, Al Hilal v Orlando Pirates, St Eloi Lupopo v Enyimba, FAR Rabat v CS Sfaxien, USCAFOOT v Asante Kotoko, Etoile Sahel v Hearts of Oak, Raja Casablanca or Inter Stars v JS Kabylie. The second-leg of the Confederations Cup will feature AS Douanes (Senegal) v NAHD, OC Khouribga (Morocco) v Lobi Stars, Petro Atletico (Angola) v Arsenal, Iwuanyanwu (Nigeria) v Harass Al-Hodod Egypt), Union Alexandria (Egypt) v EST, El Mereikh (Sudan) v AS de Bamako, Inter Clube (Angola) v Township Rollers, Moro United (Tanzania) v USJF Ravinala. Bouba is back FULHAM'S Senegal midfielder Papa Bouba Diop has signed a one-year extension to his contract which will keep him at the Premiership side until 2009. The 28-year-old, whose season has been plagued by injury, told the club's website, fulfhamfc.com, that he was very happy to have signed a new deal with Fulham as he enjoys playing his football there. "I have been out for a while because of the African Cup of Nations and injury and I am looking forward to joining the squad, as obviously it has been very difficult for me not to play with the team." Diop joined the Cottagers from Lens nearly two years ago and made an instant impact. The midfielder, who was expected to join the squad to face Sunderland last Saturday, added: "I am determined to help finish the season on a high note by playing my part in the remaining games, and am looking forward to my future being with Fulham." Fulham boss Chris Coleman said he was delighted Diop had committed himself to Fulham. "I have always maintained that Bouba is an important player for this club and I am delighted that he has committed his future to us until 2009 as he is very much part of my plans. "We have five games left and it's important we conclude the season positively with some good performances, and now he is back from injury, I'm glad Bouba will be part of the squad to help us do just that." Rooney gambling ENGLAND boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is set to talk to Wayne Rooney over newspaper allegations that the striker has racked up gambling debts. The claims about the 20-year-old were made by The Sunday Mirror. But the Football Association stressed it was "unaware of any problems in the England team dressing room." And the FA's Adrian Bevington added: "We believe Sven-Goran Eriksson will speak to the players allegedly involved to clarify the facts." According to the newspaper, Rooney, who earns an estimated �50,000 a week on the pitch and millions more a year from sponsorship deals, is one of a number of England players said to be involved in betting on sports other than their own. Rooney's spokesman refused to be drawn on the allegations. "We have no comment to make." England are due to begin their World Cup campaign in Germany in less than two months' time. FA director of communications Bevington said: "Under Sven the England team have enjoyed a fantastic spirit within the camp, a fact that is regularly made by the players publicly. "This spirit has ensured qualification to three consecutive tournaments. "It's important the fans know everyone connected to the FA and the England team is determined to do all they can to achieve success in Germany this summer." But Bevington added: "We should also state there is little the FA can do to prevent any individuals gambling privately on horse or greyhound racing though there are rules preventing betting on any football matches or competitions they are involved in." In coma TUNISIAN courts have handed prison terms to 21 football fans for violent attacks that left a girl in a coma and several others injured. Stone-throwing and club-wielding fans of rival clubs Etoile Sahel and Esperance clashed two weeks ago just outside the capital, Tunis. Both groups were returning home from matches their teams had lost. Police arrested 29 people in the attacks. Of them, 21 have been convicted and sentenced to terms ranging from three to six-and-a-half years in prison. The other eight cases are still under review. Among those injured was a girl who was rushed to a hospital. Reports say she was in a coma but that her condition is improving. The incident sparked widespread anger in Tunisia. Tunisian FA said it was "very concerned" about the clashes. Sports Minister Abdallah Kaabi and the president of the national Olympic committee, Abdel-Hamid Slama, met with the leaders of the football clubs and issued stern warnings to avoid future clashes. Racist deadline FOOTBALL'S governing body FIFA has clarified the deadline they set for the implementation of a new law that punishes clubs whose fans racially abuse players. This comes after the Italian club Inter Milan escaped with a mere fine after some of their fans racially abused Messina's Ivorian Marc Zoro last week. Under the new system, clubs found guilty of failing to prevent their supporters from abusing players on racial grounds could be docked three points for a first offence, six for a second and even relegated in the case of repeated incidents. But last week Inter Milan escaped with a fine of just $31,000 from the Italian football authorities as punishment for the racist behaviour of their fans during a Serie A match against Messina, with no hint of a points deduction. In a statement posted on their website, FIFA said the new ruling would come into effect immediately for those football associations whose regulations already contain a clause setting out the same punishment. But other football associations that have no such rule regarding racial abuse, such as Italy, have been given a 1 July deadline to implement the new law, FIFA said. Zoro was subjected to monkey chants at the San Siro, leading to speculation that Inter may be the first club to fall foul of FIFA's tough new laws. A points deduction would have hit Inter Milan's Champions League qualification hopes but observers around Europe were stunned to see the Italian giants let off with just a fine.
