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Central African football stars keen to return home

Central African Republic national team stars in South Africa for a World Cup qualifier are keen to return home after the weekend takover of capital city Bangui by rebels.

Team manager William Kongo told AFP that Europe-based footballers intend flying to Paris Monday while locals travel to Cameroon’s second city Douala Tuesday.

“Footballers based in Bangui are determined to return home as soon as possible and are confident the situation will stabilise soon,” said the official.

Central African Republic lost the Group A qualifier against South Africa 2-0 in Cape Town at the weekend, the second loss from three matches for the ‘Wild Beasts’ in a group completed by Ethiopia and Botswana.

South Africa are scheduled to play Central African Republic again during June in Bangui, where 13 South African soldiers were killed and 27 injured in clashes with the rebels.

President Francois Bozize fled to an unknown destination as the rebels entered the capital of the landlocked country with a history of coups and mutinies since achieving independence from France 53 years ago.