International Football
Bayelsa Queens seek sweet redemption in bronze battle with Simba Queens
Bayelsa Queens are out of the race for the Women’s Champions League title but head coach Domo Okara still feels they can redeem themselves by winning bronze against Simba Queens.
The Prosperity Girls bowed to a slim 1-0 semi-final defeat against hosts ASFAR on Wednesday but the manager believes they can see out their unsatisfying maiden appearance on a high at Stade Moulay Hassan in Rabat on Saturday.
“Unfortunately, we lost the semi-finals game, we were down, but we’ve picked ourselves up and will give a good show on Saturday,” Okara said during the pre-match press conference.
“That is the least we can do, we didn’t bargain for the bronze medal what we came for is to win the trophy, but unfortunately we are in this situation, what we have to do is to redeem ourselves by winning the match, I will call it golden bronze.
“It is difficult not to play in the finals, but that notwithstanding, we can’t cry over this, as that is gone, it will be worse if we don’t be on the podium on Sunday the finals.”
On his strategy against the East Africans, the 45-year-old manager said: “We have watched all their games, we know what to expect, so we are going to change our tactical approach, we are plotting how to defeat them and will do our best on that.”
Bayelsa Queens defender Glory Edet extolled the incredible level of the competition while revealing that her side is in good shape and is looking forward to putting up an inspiring display.
“The level of the competition is very high, and the teams perform well showing the world, this is what African women’s teams are all about,” said the 21-year-old full-back.
“We were down but now we are fine, we thought we will be in the finals and we are not. What will happen in this game against Simba Queens, people will not expect it because now we will be all out to make sure we get the third position for Nigeria.”
-cafonline
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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