AFCON
Bafana Bafana Coach Sets Timeline to Frustrate Eagles
Bafana Bafana coach, Stuart Baxter, has identified two key periods in Saturday’s match that he wants his players to pay special attention to.
Sports Village Square gathered that the coach is focusing on the first 20 minutes in which he wants his players to put pressure on the Super Eagles.
That way, he believed the crowd at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium will be silenced. Analysing the past matches of South Africa, he said he discovered the team conceded late goals. He therefore wants the team to show some composure in the critical phases of Saturday’s match.
A report in Timeslive of South Africa reveals that conceding late goals‚ or letting slip a lead‚ has been a feature for the South African team. Some instances were cited.
“They held a 2-0 lead in Uyo in 2014 thanks to Tokelo Rantie’s brace but conceded late goals for a 2-2 draw in an Afcon 2015 qualifier.
“Bafana held a 1-0 lead in a World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou‚ conceding in the 91th minute for a draw.
“Now‚ in the opening match on the path to Cameroon 2019‚ new coach Baxter has worked on defending a final 10-minute period in the build-up to the match against South Africa’s nemesis team the Super Eagles.
“Yes‚ we’ve spoken about it. I think it’s looking at the clock and you stop playing to a degree‚” Baxter was quoted to have said.
“You start hoping and stop believing. I think we’ve just got to be braver and say‚ ‘Look‚ how do we deal with this game‚ how do we manage it?’
“There are certain things you can do. But what you don’t want to do is just be there on the field and not have a plan. We have dealt (in training) with a situation where we are leading.
“Yesterday (Tuesday) we put on a scenario where we were playing XI v XI in the afternoon and I sent one of the players off. And I said‚ ‘Right‚ you’re leading 1-0‚ what do you do’.
“We’ve approached that and they did it very well yesterday. We’ve approached how we would kill the game off if we were leading‚ and we’ve approached what we would do if we were chasing the game.
“So we’ve got a couple of ‘what if’ scenarios‚ and one of them is that last critical phase.”
Bafana and Nigeria are drawn with Seychelles and Libya in their Afcon qualifying Group E.
AFCON
Nigerians, other nationals can apply, as CAF and Morocco Launch Volunteer Programme for AFCON 2025
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Morocco have launched the official Volunteer Programme for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, billed to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
According to CAF, more than 4,000 volunteers will be recruited to play a central role in ensuring the success of Africa’s most prestigious football tournament, which will be staged across six cities and nine stadiums in Morocco.
Applications are now open at volunteers.cafonline.com and will close on 8 October 2025. The opportunity is open to anyone above the age of 18.
Volunteers will be deployed across multiple functional areas, including media operations, spectator services, accreditation, hospitality, and fan engagement. Selected individuals will receive professional training ahead of the competition and work behind the scenes to deliver a memorable AFCON.
CAF stated that the programme is designed not only to support tournament operations but also to create an alumni network of skilled Africans who can contribute to future sporting events across the continent. Successful applicants will benefit from:
- Training and skill development.
- Official uniforms and certificates of participation.
- Networking opportunities with peers and professionals.
- The chance to contribute to Africa’s football legacy.
Volunteer registration opened on 17 September 2025. Selection and training will take place in October and November, with operations commencing in mid-December through to the tournament’s conclusion on 18 January 2026.
CAF described the initiative as an “exciting opportunity” for Africans to contribute to the growth of the continent’s flagship sporting event, which is expected to draw millions of visitors to Morocco.
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AFCON
CAF Security Chief, Nigeria’s Emeruwa, Leads Inspection of Tangier Stadium Ahead of Major Tournaments
Nigeria’s Dr. Christian Emeruwa, President of the Security and Safety Division of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), on Thursday, September 18, led an inspection visit to the Grand Stade de Tangier as preparations intensify for upcoming continental and global football events.
Emeruwa, who heads CAF’s continental security architecture, was joined by CAF Secretary General Véron Mosengo-Omba, senior Moroccan officials, and executives of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
The delegation also included managers of operational companies at the Grand Stade and SONARGES executives.
According to Le 360, the Nigerian official expressed satisfaction with the stadium’s facilities after touring key operational areas, including the main control room with its giant surveillance screen, as well as spectator, player, and VIP access zones.
The inspection was bolstered by the presence of Morocco’s top security and administrative officers—the regional commander of the Royal Gendarmerie, officials of the Auxiliary Forces and Civil Protection, the Wali of Security, the governor in charge of Internal Affairs, and representatives of the National Agency for Public Equipment (ANEP).
A technical meeting followed the tour, where engineers presented recent safety and security upgrades. Among the highlights was the planned installation of a FIFA-standard tarpaulin roof to enhance the venue’s compliance with global hosting requirements.
For Nigeria, the spotlight on Dr. Emeruwa underscores the country’s growing influence in African football administration, particularly in the critical areas of safety and security management for CAF competitions.
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Morocco has received 723 high-end buses from Chinese manufacturer Yutong as part of preparations for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off on December 21.
Yutong said on social media that the fleet “has officially rolled off the production line” and will provide “comprehensive transport services and reliable operational support” during the tournament.
An official handover ceremony was held on Friday at the company’s facility in Zhengzhou, Henan province, attended by Moroccan representatives and Yutong executives.
The buses were designed to cope with Morocco’s terrain and climate, including steep slopes, heat and sandstorms. They feature an independent front axle suspension to navigate narrow city streets and Yutong’s in-house “Blue Core System” for fuel efficiency.
The delivery is the largest single order of Chinese buses in Africa. Yutong will station more than 100 technicians in Morocco to provide training, maintenance and round-the-clock support during AFCON.
The deal is part of Morocco’s broader transport strategy, which includes plans to purchase 7,000 new buses by 2030—half of them electric—as the country prepares to co-host the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
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