Adebayor worried by death threats

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LOME, Togo -- Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor said he was considering his international future after receiving death threats before Togo's 3-1 win over Sierra Leone in an African Nations Cup qualifier on Saturday.

Adebayor, who scored twice in the match in Lome, is a central figure in wrangles between Togolese players and officials over unpaid money.

He told the BBC that he had received calls threatening his life and warning him to "play in the match or else."

Adebayor had earlier threatened not to play unless he and team-mates received payments which, they claim, are still outstanding after their qualification for the 2006 World Cup finals in Germany.

"I am only trying to put certain things right and correct a few mistakes in Togolese football but it appears some people do not like it," he said.

"Now I am going to go back to Arsenal to think about my future. I have to protect my life and I have a family to look after."

Adebayor opened the scoring eight minutes before half time and also got the last goal of the Group Nine qualifier in Lome late in the second half.

Togo also scored through Belgian-based Adekambi Olufade while Sierra Leone pulled a goal back through Julius Wombay.

At last year's World Cup finals, Adebayor and his teammates rowed with their federation over payment before world body FIFA intervened.

Kanu gives Vogts winning start

A 73rd minute Nwankwo Kanu goal gave Berti Vogts a winning start as Nigeria coach in a controversial 1-0 defeat of Uganda in their qualifier in Abeotuka on Saturday.

Nigeria labored against their underrated opponents before the Portsmouth striker scored from close range with 17 minutes left, after Uganda failed to clear a corner taken by Chelsea's John Obi Mikel.

Uganda had a strike from a goalmouth scramble disallowed in the final minutes, prompting angry protests from their players toward Senegal referee Badara Diatta.

Vogts, previously manager of Scotland and Germany, said Nigeria had played poorly in the first half and overall their performance had been "not very good".

The win kept up Nigeria's 100 percent record in Group Three and took them close to qualifying for next year's finals in Ghana.

Game called off

The qualifying game between Congo and Ethiopia was postponed because of last week's deadly clashes in Congo's capital, officials said on Sunday.

The match had been scheduled to take place on Sunday in Kinshasa, Congo.

"We'll set another date after we're in a more secure situation," said Constant Omari, president of Congo's football association.

Street fighting broke out in Congo on Thursday, between army forces and members of the military guard of a failed presidential candidate -- clashes that aid groups said left more than 100 dead.

Government troops regained control on Friday and calm had returned by Saturday, but it was unclear if the situation had stabilized.

Omari said he expected the match to be held in Kinshasa at a later date.

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