The coach of Mozambique’s senior national football team, Abel Xavier has been sacked by the country’s football federation (FMF).
It follows the Mambas’ poor results and consequent failure to qualify for the just-ended Africa Cup of Nations.
FMF said in a statement on Monday that it had parted ways with the Mozambican-Portuguese former professional player who played as a full back for clubs in Portugal, Italy, Spain, the Netherlands, England, Turkey and Germany before retiring from Major League Soccer’s LA Galaxy in 2008.
FMF Chairman Alberto Simango Junior said the FMF and the national team coach, Abel Xavier, have reached a joint agreement to amicably terminate the contract between them.
FMF has appointed Victor Matine as the Mambas’ caretaker coach.
Matine, who was part of Xavier’s coaching staff, will be tasked with guiding Mozambique in Friday’s 2020 African Nations Championship qualifier against Madagascar in Antananarivo.
Abel Xavier has been Mozambique national coach since 26 January 2016.
Xavier was unable to lead the Mambas to a first AFCON appearance since 2010, finishing the 2019 AFCON qualifiers in third place with eight points, behind Guinea-Bissau and Namibia, Group K winners and runners-up respectively.
Guinea-Bissau and Namibia had qualified for the AFCON tournament in Egypt.
CM/as/APA