Africa Cup of Nations winners and losers

Guinea-Bissau winning a gathering in which they were relied upon to complete last was the greatest stun of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying rivalry that finished at the weekend.

The small Portuguese-talking west African nation achieved the finals interestingly to the detriment of previous champions Zambia and Congo Brazzaville and Kenya.

They will be at the 16-group competition in Gabon amid January and February while outstanding non-attendants incorporate past title-holders Nigeria and South Africa.

AFP Sport picks five victors and five failures after a disposal procedure that traversed 16 months and delivered 363 objectives at a normal of 2.5 for every match.

Champs

Guinea-Bissau

Have no stars and mentor Baciro Cande is for all intents and purposes obscure, yet home and away wins over Kenya and a 3-2 triumph over Zambia in Bissau on account of a stoppage-time Toni Silva objective secured top spot with an apparatus to save.

Uganda

After a string of close misses in qualifying rivalries, Uganda are setting off to the finals surprisingly since 1978 with a restricted home win over the Comoros securing one of two spots held for the best runners-up.

Senegal

The main qualifiers to complete with a 100 percent record, after home and away triumphs over Burundi, Namibia and Niger, is declaration to the association and consistency mentor and previous star Aliou Cisse has created.

Egypt

A stoppage-time equalizer from Mohamed Salah in Nigeria against the keep running of play demonstrated urgent as record seven-time champions Egypt won the arrival match in the 'gathering of death' to end a keep running of three fizzled qualifying effort.

Zimbabwe

A disorderly begin prompted by a deficiency of assets constrained the squad to make a 24-hour transport excursion to Malawi, however they won 2-1 to set in movement a five-match unbeaten run that secured top spot while top choices Guinea slumped.

Washouts

Nigeria

The withdrawal of desperate Chad transformed the matches against Egypt into gathering deciders and in the wake of being held at home in a match they ruled, the Super Eagles tumbled to a Ramadan Sobhy objective in Alexandria and were wiped out.

South Africa

Rather than challenging ahead of everyone else with consequent gathering champs Cameroon, Bafana (The Boys) never recouped from a grievous begin in which they were held by Gambia and lost to Mauritania and completed a mortifying third.

Zambia

A descending turn by Chipolopolo (Copper Bullets) since stunning Ivory Coast to win the 2012 last proceeded subsequent to drawing three and losing one of four qualifiers this year to end third in a gathering won by no-hopers Guinea-Bissau.

Cape Verde

A group positioned No. 1 in Africa for one month this year required a home triumph over unassuming Libya to seal a third back to back Cup of Nations appearance, however lost to a stoppage-time objective in an amusement hindered by a canine meandering around the pitch.

Congo Brazzaville

The focal African nation have been not able maintain progress subsequent to achieving the 2015 quarter-finals regardless of vanquishing gathering victors Guinea-Bissau home and away. A stun misfortune in Kenya demonstrated lethal.

Barcelona spend $136 million on summer transfers

Barcelona spent a sum of $136 million amid the exchange window simply shut, the Spanish champions affirmed on Thursday.

"We expected to give more youth to the squad, and youthful players of value to continue giving results on the field," Barca's executive of expert games Albert Soler told a question and answer session.

The Catalan club spent more cash than some other Spanish club over the late spring, acquiring six new confronts through and through.

French universal safeguards Samuel Umtiti, 22, and Lucas Digne, 23, were marked from Lyon and Paris Saint-Germain individually, while Portugal midfielder Andre Gomes, 23, joined from Valencia for an underlying 35 million euros.

Dutch universal goalkeeper Jasper Cillessen, 27, joined from Ajax a week ago for an underlying 13 million euros, with Spain forward Paco Alcacer, 23, landing from Valencia for 30 million euros just before the window close this week.

Likewise, 22-year-old midfielder Denis Suarez came back to the club from Villarreal after Barca enacted a purchase back condition.

In the meantime, various players left the club, with Brazilian full-backs Dani Alves and Adriano moving to Juventus and Besiktas individually.

Youth items Sandro Ramirez and Martin Montoya likewise left alongside Cameroon midfielder Alex Song and Croatian starlet Alen Halilovic, while a few others withdrew on credit.

Soler conceded that Barca had separated with around 30 million euros more than they had wanted to spend, however demanded this was for the most part in light of the fact that the club needed to grab the chance to enlist Gomes.

"We have made vital signings who will give us numerous conceivable outcomes," said specialized secretary Robert Fernandez.

Previous Aston Villa star Dalian Atkinson kicks the bucket after Taser shot

Dalian Atkinson bites the dust subsequent to being shot by a police Taser close to his home in Telford – He was professed dead not long after touching base at the therapeutic office – The previous Aston Villa star won the primary Premier League Goal of the Season prize Former Aston Villa player Dalian Atkinson has been affirmed dead in the wake of being shot with a Taser by police in Shropshire town. As per a report on Sky Sports, officers were called to a home in Meadow Close, Telford in the early hours of Monday morning, August 15, in the midst of worries "for the wellbeing of a person". Upon entry Taser was sent and a 48-year-old man, who accordingly got therapeutic consideration, was hit just to be affirmed dead at around 3am. The 48-year-old man was Dalian Atkinson. An emergency vehicle representative said while he was being taken to Princess Royal Hospital in the Shropshire town his condition weakened and he endured a heart failure. He was declared dead not long after touching base at the medicinal office.
Police said in an announcement: "West Mercia Police can affirm that officers reacted to a report for the sympathy toward the security of a person at around 1.30am at the beginning of today at a location in Telford. "Upon entry Taser was conveyed and a 48-year-old man, who hence got therapeutic consideration, was affirmed dead at roughly 3am. "West Mercia Police can't remark any further as the episode has been alluded to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) as is typical method, and will help the IPCC with their request." Aston Villa tweeted their sympathies, saying: "The musings of everybody at Wednesday are with the loved ones of Dalian Atkinson at the beginning of today. Tear." Atkinson is best associated with scoring Villa's opening objective in their 1994 League Cup last win over Manchester United at Wembley. He likewise won the principal Premier League Goal of the Season prize for his performance objective in the shades of Villa against Wimbledon in the 1992/93 crusade. Despite the fact that he was never topped by England, Atkinson played in one B global and scored his group's objective in a 4-1 annihilation to the Republic of Ireland in Cork in 1990. He likewise played for other club which included Ipswich, Sheffield Wednesday, Real Sociedad, Fenebahce and Manchester City.