International Football
Agbalaka lifts Flying Eagles off the ground at Egypt 2023
It initially appeared only Senegal were licensed to score in the Group A of the on-going Africa U-20 Nations Cup after their 1-0 defeat of Nigeria and another 3-0 crushing of Mozambique and Nigeria and Egypt looking unable to find the back of the net, full back, Solomon Agbalaka rose above all to nod home a decisive goal that catapaulted Nigeria from the bottom to second place on the rung.
That was in the 70th minute and Nigeria flew away with a decisive 1-0 win over hosts Egypt at the scantly filled Cairo International Stadium on Wednesday evening.
And so, the Flying Eagles can dream of a possible quaterfinal slot in the tournament.
It was a cagey game initially as pendulum swung from side to side, especially in the first half. Before then, Senegal had taken a commanding control of the group after battering Mozambique 3-0 to sit comfortably atop.
Both Nigeria and Egypt without any goal were struggling for the second position on the log.
Before the halftime break, Ayuba Abubakar had the glorious chance to find the back of the Egyptian goal after captain Daniel Bameyi desperately carried the ball out of the Nigerian half and found him.
The striker dummied an Egyptian defender rather than hitting the ball at the first time of asking and saw the ball eventually cleared.
The struggle continued. A catalogue of near misses was recorded on both sides. Then came the 73rd minute when a cornerkick from the right flank was nodded in by Agbalaka to decide the game in Nigeria’s favour.
With Senegal registering a 3-0 win over Mozambique in the other Group A match, Nigeria move from last to second with three points.
The Flying Eagles wi advance to the quarterfinals should they avoid a defeat against Mozambique in their last group game.
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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