International Football
How Morocco could scale the Group Stage hurdles
The curtain will fall on Group F of the World Cup today as two inter-related matches are on the card.
Morocco will face already eliminated Canada at the Al Thumama Stadium,in Doha.
Similarly, Croatia and Belgium meet for the first time in a tournament setting to contest a place in the knockout phase of the FIFA World Cup 2022.
Croatia will secure a round-of-16 berth if they avoid defeat, while Belgium can only be sure of progressing with a victory.
If Morocco lose to already-eliminated Canada, it is possible that both these European teams could advance.
With defeats in their opening two FIFA World Cup 2022 matches, Canada are already out, but Morocco, who are second in the group on four points, are well placed to seize one of Group F’s two qualifying berths.
A draw will be enough to see them through as group runners-up – as will a defeat for Belgium against Croatia in the group’s other final fixture – while a win could see them secure top spot.
The countries’ respective captains, Atiba Hutchinson and Romain Saïss, are team-mates at Turkish club Beşiktaş.
Japan’s momentous 2-1 victory over Germany in their opening game was offset by a 1-0 defeat by Costa Rica, and they can only be certain of prolonging their stay at the FIFA World Cup 2022 if they win their final Group E fixture against Spain, who will go through if they avoid defeat and are guaranteed top spot if they win.
This is the first competitive meeting between the teams.
Germany, who have failed to win either of their first two FIFA World Cup group fixtures for the first time, prop up Group E, but if they beat Costa Rica by two or more goals, they can only be eliminated if Japan defeat Spain.
Costa Rica will go through if they beat Germany, or with a draw if Spain beat Japan.
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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