International Football
WAFU U20: COTE D’IVOIRE FORCE FLYING EAGLES TO 1-1 DRAW
Defender Christopher Nwaeze was sent off as Cote d’Ivoire forced Nigeria to a 1-1 draw in the 2020 WAFU B U20 Cup of Nations group B game at the Stade Charles de Gaulles on Sunday. Ousmane Traore’s stoppage-time strike earned the Baby Elephants a share of the spoils in Port Novo, Benin Republic.
In a keenly contested game, the Flying Eagles put up a very determined performance despite the red card picked up by Nwaeze. Nwaeze’s goal appeared to have put Ladan Bosso side on course for an opening Group B win, but the Baby Elephants levelled late on.
Both sides created chances in an entertaining first half, with Peter Olawale and Nwaeze coming close for Nigeria. The contest continued was evenly balanced in the opening 45 minutes, although Nigeria was having more joy in cutting out Cote d’Ivoire attacks.
The curtain raiser eventually arrived on the hour mark. Crafty forward Wisdom Ubani sent an excellent delivery to the box and Nwaeze showed gratitude with a brilliant header beyond the keeper.
The Flying Eagles were in complete control of the game until Nwaeze was sent to the showers for a second bookable offence on 71 minutes.
Despite playing with a man down, the determined Flying Eagles maintained their discipline and tactical awareness. But, in the first minute of added time, Traoré struck the equaliser and it ended 1-1 in Port Novo.
The Ladan Bosso wards showed great strength in the opening game and will be looking at positives ahead of the clash with Ghana.
The tournament in Benin Republic will serve as qualifiers for the 2021 Africa U20 Cup of Nations in Mauritania, which will, in turn, determine Africa’s representatives for the 2021 FIFA U20 World Cup in Indonesia.
The Flying Eagles who are in Group B will continue their campaign against Ghana’s Black Satellites on Wednesday at the Stade Charles de Gaulles in Porto Novo.
Well-travelled Portuguese coach Paulo Duarte has been named as Guinea’s new coach, less than a month before their next round of World Cup qualifiers.
Duarte, 56, has twice previously coached Burkina Faso and taken charge of Gabon and Togo, while also coaching at clubs in Portugal, France, Tunisia, Angola and Saudi Arabia.
Guinea’s football federation gave no contract details when they made the announcement on Monday, but said they would be looking for Duarte to “restructure their national team”.
Guinea trail leaders Algeria by eight points in their World Cup qualifying group with four games remaining, leaving them with only a slim chance of qualification.
They play Somalia away on September 5 and then Algeria at home on September 8 in their next two qualifiers although a stadium ban means Guinea have moved their home game to Casablanca, Morocco.
-Reuters
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Veteran coach Louis van Gaal says he has been cured of cancer and is keen for a return to the higher levels of the game.
The 73-year-old announced three years ago that he was suffering from prostate cancer, but told a Dutch television talk show, “I’m no longer bothered by cancer.”
When he announced his illness, Van Gaal was the coach of the Dutch national team, but he has not worked since the last World Cup in Qatar in 2022.
“Two years ago, I had a few operations. It was all bad then. But it all worked out in the end. I have check-ups every few months, and that’s going well. I’m getting fitter and fitter,” he said.
Van Gaal, whose career has included stints at Ajax Amsterdam, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester United, reiterated a lack of interest in returning to club management but said becoming the national coach of a top-tier country could tempt him back.
He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.
-Reuters
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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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