International Football
Full house in Eagles’ camp in Constantine as team looks forward to big clash
The Super Eagles’ camp at the Marriott Constantine hit the hundred per cent mark on Wednesday afternoon with the arrival of goalkeeper Francis Uzoho and defender Ebube Duru.
Nigeria champions Rivers’ United left-back Duru was called up following injuries to a number of players including defender Leon Balogun, and joined the team on Wednesday after returning from Liberia where the Pride of Rivers reached the penultimate stage of this year’s CAF Champions League group phase.
Team captain Ahmed Musa and forwards Henry Onyekuru and Samuel Chukwueze are the others knocked out by injuries.
Head Coach José Santos Peseiro has approved that the three-time African champions have a training game against Algeria’s ‘B’ squad on Saturday in order to see a number of new and returning players in action, ahead of the official game against the Fennecs (Algeria’s ‘A’ team) in Oran on Tuesday evening.
The match against Algeria’s ‘B’ squad will start at 5.30pm on Saturday while the official game on Tuesday will commence at 8pm.
Goalkeeper Maduka Okoye, defender Kevin Akpoguma, midfielder Wilfred Ndidi and forward Chidera Ejuke are returning to the squad after some period out, while midfielder Richard Onyedika and forward Godwin Saviour are joining up with the big boys for the first time.
Israel –based goalkeeper Adeleye Adebayo was in the squad for summer’s AFCON qualifying matches against Sierra Leone and Sao Tome and Principe but did not see action.
Tuesday’s clash will be only the second-ever friendly match between the Fennecs and the Super Eagles, with the two-time African champions edging a clash in Austria in October 2020 by the odd goal.
When both teams clashed in a 2006 FIFA World Cup qualifying match in Oran in September 2005, the Super Eagles ran out 5-2 winners.
ALL THE PLAYERS:
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Maduka Okoye, Adeleye Adebayo
Defenders: William Ekong, Kenneth Omeruo, Chidozie Awaziem, Olaoluwa Aina, Calvin Bassey, Zaidu Sanusi, Kevin Akpoguma, Valentine Ozornwafor, Ebube Duru
Midfielders: Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka, Alex Iwobi, Richard Onyedika
Forwards: Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Godwin Saviour, Ademola Lookman, Taiwo Awoniyi, Chidera Ejuke, Cyriel Dessers, Terem Moffi
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
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.
Join the Sports Village Square channel on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Vaz7mEIGk1FxU8YIXb0H
Gara-Gombe Hosts Team Nigeria to Dinner in Tunis, Boosts Morale at ITTF-Africa Championships
Troost-Ekong: Super Eagles Ready to Give 2026 World Cup Play-Off Their All
Flamingos Edge Paraguay 3–2 to End World Cup Preparations on a High
- U20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Flying Eagles Bank on ‘Magic of October 8’ to overcome Argentina
- World Cup5 days ago
CAF Rule Change May Boost Nigeria’s World Cup Qualification Hopes
- U-20 FOOTBALL1 week ago
Nigeria, Argentina Renew Rivalry as Flying Eagles Target Quarter-Final Spot in Chile
- World Cup5 days ago
BREAKING! Lookman Suspended for Crucial Benin Clash
- World Cup18 hours ago
Victor Osimhen qualifies South Africa for World Cup as Super Eagles go for Play-Off
- World Cup4 days ago
Judgment Day Beckons in Group C: Only One Ticket, Three Contenders, Infinite Drama
- World Cup4 days ago
Super Eagles Stranded in Angola After Aircraft Suffers Cracked Windscreen
- World Cup1 week ago
Logistics reduce Super Eagles 23-man squad