International Football
‘Marrakech battle’ is World Cup qualifying dress-rehearsal for Nigeria and Ghana
Nigeria and Ghana will clash in a prestige international friendly match in Morocco on Friday with the minds of players of both teams attuned to their Matchday 3 and 4 encounters in the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifying campaign in the first week of June.
The Super Eagles, with only two points from a possible six in their first two matches, entertain South Africa’s Bafana Bafana in Uyo before squaring up to the Cheetahs of Benin Republic away in the Matchday 3 and 4 games.
Ghana’s Black Stars, with three points from beating Madagascar and losing away to Comoros, are up against Les Aigles of Mali in Bamako before hosting Central African Republic during the same international window.
While Nigeria are in Group C of the FIFA World Cup race alongside South Africa, Benin Republic, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Lesotho, Ghana are housed in Group I with Mali, Madagascar, Central African Republic, Comoros Islands and Chad.
Both teams, with seven AFCON titles between them, will duel without their top-impact players. Reigning African Player of the Year Victor James Osimhen, Nigeria’s major fear-carrier to the opposition, has had to scratch the big game due to an injury, same as his opposite number in the Black Stars camp, Mohammed Kudus.
The Black Stars will also play Uganda’s Cranes in Morocco, while the Super Eagles are up against Ghana’s group mates Mali on Tuesday.
Both Nigeria and Ghana were tied 0-0 in their last friendly game – played in London in October 2011.
Just as Thomas Partey’s first-half strike that went past Francis Uzoho’s flailing arms sent Ghana to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in a 1-1 draw with Nigeria in Abuja on 29th March 2022, Asamoah Gyan’s header that flew past Vincent Enyeama in Luanda on 28th January 2010 sent Ghana to the AFCON final and Nigeria to the third-place match.
The Super Eagles have not beaten the Black Stars in an official match since the latter fell to a well-taken free-kick by Taye Taiwo in an AFCON group phase encounter in Port Said, Egypt 18 years ago.
On Friday, opportunity arises for new heroes to emerge as Nigeria bank on AFCON 2023 stars Ademola Lookman and Moses Simon, as well as Kelechi Iheanacho and Sadiq Umar at the fore to light up the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
Italy-based Lookman’s three goals sent Cameroon (two) and Angola (one) packing from the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire and sent Nigeria to the last four.
Cyriel Dessers, who scored a delight against Mexico in a friendly in Dallas in the summer of 2022, and Nathan Tella are also available to Coach Finidi George.
At the rear, George is likely to stick to AFCON 2023 number one Stanley Nwabali in goal, and perhaps Chidozie Awaziem, Kenneth Omeruo, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Jamilu Collins behind a midfield of Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka or Alhassan Yusuf.
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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