Ighalo leaves Watford for China

Watford have sold Odion Ighalo to Chinese Super League club Changchun Yatai.

The 27-year-old striker leaves after two-and-a-half years at Vicarage Road for an undisclosed fee.

Ighalo scored 39 goals in 100 appearances for the Hornets including 20 as Watford secured promotion to the Premier League in 2014/15, and 17 during the club's first campaign back in the top-flight last season.

The Nigeria international initially arrived on loanfrom Granada in July 2014, a move which was made permanent three months later.

Ighalo was also linked with a move to West Brom but that would have only been as a direct swap for Saido Berahino, who did not want to move to Watford.

The Baggies were not keen to buy the striker outright.

In January, Watford have signed two forwards in AC Milan striker M'Baye Niang on loan and Argentinian forward Mauro Zarate on a permanent deal from Fiorentina.

Gabon 1- 1 Guinea Bissau Aubameyang goal CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2017

Juary Soares scored a 91st minute equaliser as Guinea-Bissau held Gabon to a 1-1 draw in the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations opener at the Stade de l'Amitié in Libreville on Saturday evening. 

The burly centre-back rising highest from a set-piece to stun the home crowd after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang had opened the scoring.

Following what was a rather forgetful first-half with both teams battling to find their feet, the game sparked into life in the second, with Djurtus securing what was a deserved point in the dying exchanges of the clash. 

Malick Evouna and Zezinho saw their respective chances wide of goal in the first-half with neither goalkeeper tested in the opening 45 minutes of the tournament. 


Denis Bouanga forced Jonas Mendes into a save four minutes after the interval as the Panthers went in search of the opener - something they would succeed in doing with 52 minutes on the clock. 

Aubameyang poking home from close range following good work by Bouanga who put the ball on a silver platter for the Borussia Dortmund forward. 

The Gabon captain went close to doubling the hosts lead in the 69th minute, but he was unable to direct his volley attempt from a Mario Lemina cross on target. 

The missed chance ignited a succession of chances for Guinea-Bissau and after Toni Silva and Frédéric Mendy sent their respective efforts straight into the grateful arms of Didier Ovono - Soares struck. The towering defender guiding the ball home from a perfectly weighted free-kick as the home fans were stunned to silence. 

Gabon (0) 1 (Aubameyang 52')

Guinea-Bissau (0) 1 (Juary Soares 90+1')

Gabon: Ovono; Palun, E.Manga, Appindangoye, Obiang - Tandjingora (Poko 84'), Lemina (Kanga 73'), Ndong - Evouna (Aboué 88'), Aubameyang, Bouanga

Guinea-Bissau: Jonas; Dabo, Juary, Rudinilson, Soares - Zezinho, Santos (Aldair 75'), Nanissio, Brito - Camara (F.Mendy 66'), Mario (Piqueti 62')

AFCON 2017:Ivory Coast and Togo drew 0-0 in their opening Group C match

Defending champions Ivory Coast and Togo drew 0-0 in their opening Group C match at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Jonathan Kodjia came close for Ivory Coast but his toe-poke was well saved by goalkeeper Kossi Agassa.

At the other end, Sylvain Gbohouo rushed out of his goal to save smartly at the feet of Mathieu Dossevi.

Late on, Ivory Coast defender Serge Aurier headed wide from an unmarked position in a rare clear-cut chance.

Neither side found their fluency - not helped by a poor pitch - and even from early on the game had the look of a stalemate.

Wilfried Zaha, making his competitive debut for Ivory Coast after switching international allegiance from England, looked just about the liveliest player on show.

Switching wings regularly, he cut in off the right to send a shot just over and later ended a good run from the left with an effort that was well blocked.

Both sides were guilty of wasting set-piece opportunities. Togo's corners left a lot to be desired, while Ivory Coast fared no better from a series of free-kicks.

Aurier should have snatched a winner for the Elephants but nodded wide from six yards.

Four of the five games at the tournament have now been drawn.

• Line-ups

Ivory Coast

• 16Gbohouo
• 17Aurier
• 21Bailly
• 5Kanon
• 18Traoré
• 11Kessié
• 20Serey Dié
• 6Seri
• 9Zaha
• 14Kodjia
• 8Kalou

Substitutes

• 1Mande
• 2Pepe
• 3N'Guessan
• 4Koné
• 7Angban
• 10Doukoure
• 12Bony
• 13Sio
• 15Gradel
• 19Deli
• 22Bagayoko
• 23Sangaré

Togo

• 16Agassa
• 17Gakpe
• 15Romao
• 13Ouro-Akoriko
• 21Dakonam Ortega
• 7Dossevi
• 10Ayité
• 18Atakora
• 22Bebou
• 19Fo-Doh Laba
• 4Adebayor

Substitutes

• 1Mensah
• 2Atchou
• 3Ouro-Sama
• 5Akakpo
• 6Mamah
• 8Agbégniadan
• 9Bossou
• 11Kouloum
• 12Boukari
• 14Segbefia
• 20Eninful
• 23Tchagouni

Referee:

Eric Arnaud Otogo-Castane

AFCON 2017: DR CONGO HOLD ON TO BEAT MOROCCO

DR Congo put their difficult Africa Cup of Nations build-up behind them to beat Morocco in their Group C opening fixture, despite finishing with 10 men.

Florent Ibenge's side, who went on strike over unpaid bonuses on Friday, almost trailed early on at Stade d'Oyem when Mbark Boussoufa struck the bar.

Junior Kabananga put them ahead before substitute Lomalisa Mutambala was booked twice in 16 minutes.

Morocco's Youssef El-Arabi missed with two headed chances late on.

The substitute glanced wide from a set-piece delivery and then met a cross cleanly to force a parry from DR Congo keeper Ley Matampi.

The Leopards were down to nine men for several minutes in the closing stages when they lost defender Gabriel Zakuani to injury having made all of their substitutions.

The Northampton Town player returned for six minutes of injury time, as Ibenge's side saw out pressure to ensure Kabananga's guided finish from 10 yards put them top of their group.

Morocco - managed by two-time Cup of Nations winner Herve Renard - are bottom of the group after the first round of fixtures, as defending champions Ivory Coast and Togo drew 0-0 earlier in the day.

Renard, who guided Zambia to the title in 2012 and Ivory Coast in 2015, has been told by the country's FA that reaching the quarter-finals is a minimum requirement.

But despite managing 62% of possession and 15 shots against a side eight places above them in Fifa's rankings, they were unable to turn their numerical advantage into a positive start.

• Line-ups
• Match Stats
• Live Text

Home TeamCongo DRAway TeamMorocco

Possession

Home38%

Away62%

Shots

Home4

Away15

Shots on Target

Home2

Away2

Corners

Home1

Away9

Fouls

Home26

Away17