International Football
Nigeria’s Super Falconets confident as race to Costa Rica begins in Douala
Coach Christopher Danjuma has expressed confidence in his Nigeria U20 girls as the real race for berths at the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup Costa Rica 2022 begins for Nigeria in Douala on Saturday, with a first round, first leg encounter against the U20 girls of Central African Republic.
A contingent including 23 players of the Falconets flew into the Cameroonian city in the early hours of Thursday, and trained on Thursday ahead of today’s official training at the Stade Japoma de Douala – the match venue.
Nigeria’s U20 girls have appeared at every edition of the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup since it started as FIFA U19 Women’s World Cup in Canada in 2002, making it to Thailand 2004, Russia 2006, Chile 2008, Germany 2010, Japan 2012, Canada 2014, Papua New Guinea 2016 and France 2018. The 2020 edition, planned by FIFA to be co-hosted by Costa Rica and Panama, was scuttled by the global coronavirus pandemic.
Costa Rica will now be sole host nation for the 10th edition in August 2022.
Saturday’s clash was enabled by the withdrawal of Equatorial Guinea’s U20girls from the race, shooting the CAR girls straight to the first round against the highly –successful Falconets of Nigeria.
“We are here to earn a good result that will make the second leg a bit easier for us. We will go all out for victory against our opponents who are also playing on away ground,” said Danjuma.
Central African Republic are playing their home matches in Cameroon as no venue in their country is deemed fit for international matches.
The first round, first leg clash will kick off at 3pm Cameroon time, with the return leg in Nigeria on Friday, 8th October.
FALCONETS IN DOUALA:
Ayomide Bakare, Monle Oyono, Inyene Etim, Oluwatosin Demehin, Omowunmi Oshobukola, Rofiat Imuran, Jumoke Alani, Angela Michael, Oluwabunmi Oladeji, Oluchi Ohaegbulem, Chidinma Ogbuchi, Rashidat Amoo, Deborah Abiodun, Philomena Yina, Anuoluwapo Salisu, Esther Onyenezide, Mercy Kalu, Joy Jerry, Chioma Sebastine, Taiwo Lawal, Mercy Idoko, Blessing Okpe, Precious Vincent
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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