Everton lose Pienaar for Cup tie as South Africa dig heels in

Mark Gleason
Monday 07 January 2008 01:00 GMT
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Steven Pienaar will not be allowed to play for Everton in tomorrow's League Cup semi-final against Chelsea after being ordered to report for South Africa's African Nations Cup preparations.

The midfielder had hoped to join up after the match but the South Africa coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, has insisted that all players report by tomorrow, enforcing the rule that stipulates that all players are available 14 days before the start of a continental championship. South Africa's first game is against Angola on 23 January.

As it was in England, so in France it was also a weekend of cup upsets. Toulouse of Ligue 1 were knocked out of the French Cup by third division Paris FC yesterday, losing 2-1 at home.

Lens had been the first Ligue 1 side to be eliminated when second division Niort beat them 1-0 on Friday night. On Saturday, Caen, lying fourth in Ligue 1, bowed out 3-2 to second division Sedan, who reached the final in both 1999 and 2005.

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