VOA标准英语2010年-Mourning Togo Football Team Denied Acc

Officials from the Africa Cup of Nations have denied a request by the Togolese Football team to join the tournament in Angola late following a deadly border ambush¹ last week that left three members of their entourage dead.

Ricci Shryock | Dakar 11 January 2010

Angolan policemen patrol outside of Chiazi stadium in Cabinda, 11 Jan 2010

After their bus was ambushed² and three members of their entourage killed, Togo's national football team will not return to Angola to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations. The West African country's sports minister had requested that the team be allowed to enter the tournament late, following three days of national mourning. The request was denied by Confederation of African Football officials.

The team began three days of official mourning on Monday after arriving back in Lome late Sunday. Team captain Emmanuel Adebayor says it was a solemn homecoming.

Adebayor, who plays for Manchester City in the English Premier³ League, said it was difficult knowing the team had left with 33 men, but they were returning with just 30.

Before returning to Togo, Adebayor, and some of his teammates had expressed a desire to stay on and play in the Africa Cup of Nations. But government officials in Togo had convinced them to return home.

The team was on its way to the tournament on Friday, when gunmen attacked their bus as it crossed over from the Republic of Congo into the Angolan province of Cabinda.

It was the most difficult moment of his life, added Adebayor of the 30-minute siege. An assistant coach, the team's media spokesman and the bus driver were killed. Eight others were injured.

On Monday Angolan authorities said they had arrested two of the men thought to have taken part in the attack on the Togolese team.

A separatist group known as the Front for the Liberation of Cabinda, has claimed responsibility for the attack. The team was ambushed in the oil-rich northern exclave, which is separated from the rest of Angola.

 

1 ambush   

n.埋伏(地点)；伏兵；v.埋伏；伏击

参考例句：

• Our soldiers lay in ambush in the jungle for the enemy.我方战士埋伏在丛林中等待敌人。
• Four men led by a sergeant lay in ambush at the crossroads.由一名中士率领的四名士兵埋伏在十字路口。

2 ambushed   

v.埋伏( ambush的过去式和过去分词 )；埋伏着

参考例句：

• The general ambushed his troops in the dense woods. 将军把部队埋伏在浓密的树林里。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The military vehicles were ambushed. 军车遭到伏击。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 premier   

adj.首要的；n.总理，首相

参考例句：

• The Irish Premier is paying an official visit to Britain.爱尔兰总理正在对英国进行正式访问。
• He requested that the premier grant him an internview.他要求那位总理接见他一次。