International Football
IT’S NIGERIA V SOUTH AFRICA AGAIN AS SUPER FALCONS START TITLE DEFENCE
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
About 24 hours after their men national teams squared up in Johannesburg, the women squads of Nigeria and South Africa will face off in another continental duel.
This time at the Cape Coast Stadium, it is Matchday 1 of the Africa Women’s Champions where both teams are pitched in Group B.
The Super Falcons have always prevailed over Banyana Banyana. Pre-African Women’s Cup of Nations (AWCON), Nigeria humiliated South Africa 11-2 aggregate (4-1 in Ibadan and 7-1 in Johannesburg) in 1995, which determined Africa’s single qualifiers for the FIFA Women’s World Cup later that year in Sweden.
Both teams then met in the final of the 2002 AWCON in South Africa with the host team abandoning the match in the 73rd minute having conceded two goals.
The Super Falcons stopped South Africa in the semi-finals of the last two editions; 2-1 in Namibia 2014 with both goals by Asisat Oshoala, and a Desire Oparanozie’s thunderous free kick two years later in Cameroon.
Oparanozie, the EA Guingamp of France star, says the Super Falcons will not underrate their opponents as they are focused on a good start and ultimate title defence.
The 24-year-old striker attributes the confidence to the cordial team spirit on and off the pitch.
Equatorial Guinea will come in later in the day to face Zambia in the other match of the group.
The only other team apart from Nigeria to have won the trophy (2008 and 2012), Equatorial Guinea are expected to challenge the Super Falcons. But
the central Africans will first have to handle Zambia, who are in the finals for only the third time. Quarter-finalists in 1995, Zambia did not qualify again until 2014. And they could not go beyond the group stage of that edition.
The AWCON finals also double up as a FIFA Women’s World Cup qualifying campaign, as the top three finishers will book a ticket to France 2019.
Fixtures…
Group B: Nigeria v South Africa (4:30pm), Zambia v Equatorial Guinea (7:30pm)
International Football
Two Moroccan football players lost at sea, says club official
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Abdellatif-Akhrif.png)
Two Moroccan players from top-flight soccer side Ittihad Tanger have been missing at sea since Saturday after strong currents drifted their small yacht, a club official said on Sunday.
They were in a group of five players from the club who went cruising off the northern city of Tangier when strong currents and heavy winds drifted their yacht away as they were swimming in deep waters, club deputy president Anass Mrabet told Reuters.
“Three players have already been rescued on Saturday, while research is still ongoing for the missing Salman Harraq and Abdellatif Akhrif,” he said.
The players did not have buoys on them when they jumped from the small yacht to swim, he said citing recounts by rescued players.
While Akhrif, 24, is already a full member of the squad, Harraq, 18, was about to move up to the senior team this year, Mrabet added.
Ittihad Tanger have been in the Moroccan top flight since 2015 and won the league title for the first and only time in their history in the 2017-18 season. However, they have struggled in the lower half of the standings in recent years.
-Reuters
International Football
FIFA launches ‘Football Manager’ World Cup with $100,000 in prize money
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/arsene-wenger.jpg)
FIFA will host its first ever FIFAe World Cup of Football Manager this year to crown the best virtual manager on the highly-popular video game, world soccer’s governing body said on Thursday.
FIFA is partnering with Sports Interactive, the developers of the game that has sold millions of copies and has also been used by several football clubs to scout players and opponents thanks to its extensive database.
Players will compete for $100,000 in prize money in the final event from Aug. 29 to Sept. 1.
“This competition requires participants to demonstrate a profound understanding of football strategy and tactics,” said former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who is the ambassador for the esports event.
“Success demands not only mastery of game mechanics but also in-depth football knowledge, making this format a fascinating blend.”
FIFA said in the inaugural year of the event, selected member associations will be invited to be represented at the final event.
Member associations from all six confederations are expected to be invited while players can sign up on FIFA’s website.
-Reuters
International Football
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio robbed at gunpoint
![](https://www.sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/baggio.jpg)
Former Italy international Roberto Baggio was assaulted and robbed at gunpoint at his home in northern Italy while watching his country’s match against Spain in the Euro 2024 tournament on Thursday, local police said.
Burglars broke into Baggio’s house near Vicenza, hit him on the head with a gun butt and locked him and his family in a room while they stole jewellery, watches and cash, daily Il Corriere della Sera reported. It said he suffered a deep wound.
“Luckily, the violence I suffered only resulted in a few stitches, bruises and a lot of fear. Now it is to overcome the fear,” Baggio was quoted as saying by Italian news agency ANSA.
Baggio, 57, played for clubs including Juventus (JUVE.MI), opens new tab, AC Milan and Inter Milan. He also played 56 times for Italy, scoring 27 goals, and is widely seen as one of his country’s all-time greats.
After the robbery, Baggio, widely known as the “divine ponytail”, was treated at a local hospital where he received stitches for the head wound, Italian media reported.
Italy lost to Spain 1-0 on Thursday and now must avoid defeat by Croatia to guarantee progression in the tournament.
-Reuters
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