Tag: DR Congo

Morocco star Mrabet responds after sucker punch from DR Congo player

This was one of the uglier incidents we’ve seen on a soccer field

Morocco star Yasmine Mrabet has responded after being victimized by a sucker punch from DR Congo‘s Ruth Kipoyi during a friendly on Monday.

Midway through the second half of the match in Berkane, Morocco, the referee showed Kipoyi a straight red card for a reckless challenge on a Morocco player.

Morocco took exception to Kipoyi’s challenge, with defender Zineb Redouani immediately getting in the face of the Congo player.

Mrabet also got involved with a shove on Kipoyi, but would have never anticipated the Galatasaray player’s response: a quick sucker punch to the face that floored the Morocco midfielder.

With Kipoyi likely facing a lengthy suspension, Mrabet released a statement on the incident on her Instagram account.

First of all, I would like to thank everybody for the kind messages I have been receiving after yesterday’s match.

This violent behavior should not be accepted. During competition, disagreements can occur, tensions are bound to build up, but there are lines that must never be crossed.

Furthermore, not only players but, officials and all the professionals involved in women’s football need to take responsibility for the development of the game and the safety and well-being of the players. This situation should have been calmed down in the early stages of the first game.

African football has incredible potential and still a great margin for improvement in all areas of the game. This incident should not overshadow the exponential growth of our football in the last couple of years. African teams are showing up on the world stage, and for a good reason.

The appropriate procedures are underway to report the past events and from now on I’m only looking forward.

Mrabet was part of the Morocco side that made history last summer, becoming the first Arab or North African nation to qualify for the Women’s World Cup, and then the first to advance beyond the group stage.

Morocco edged out second-ranked Germany for a spot in the round of 16, where it fell to France.

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Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga leads DR Congo in points and rebounds vs. Tunisia in FIBA World Cup qualifier

In his second international appearance, Jonathan Kuminga added to his highlight reel for DR Congo with a smooth jumper and an explosive dunk in transition.

After scoring 18 points in his first game representing his country in international play, Jonathan Kuminga was back on the floor for DR Congo in the 2023 FIBA World Cup qualifier in Tunisia.

The former No. 7 overall draft pick for the Golden State Warriors led DR Congo in the second window of African qualifiers against the host-country Tunisia.

Despite DR Congo falling in their second straight contest, Kuminga led all scorers with a game-high 19 points on 5-of-9 shooting from the floor. The 19-year-old forward showed off his long-range shooting, hitting three triples on six attempts from beyond the arc.

Kuminga also recorded a game-high eight boards in DR Congo’s loss to Tunisia, 57-45. The G League Ignite product added two steals to his stat sheet in 35 minutes.

During his second international game, Kuminga added a few moments to his highlight reel. To get open for a jumper from deep, Kuminga shook his defender with a smooth stepback. Kuminga also showed off his bounce, throwing down a vicious dunk in transition.

Watch all the highlights from Kuminga’s performance via @gswcba on Twitter:

Via @swishcultures_ on Twitter:

This post originally appeared on Warriors Wire! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

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“It is good to be with them under this …

“It is good to be with them under this beautiful sun and motivate them because the reality is that I too was once like one of these children…. I believe that they are going to do better than what we are doing to live. They have to do it with our support,” said Biyombo. Biyombo officially handed over a brand-new ground to his fellow countrymen, during the first basketball camp he held in Congo since the COVID-19 outbreak in 2020.