Group A – Cote D’Ivoire V Guinea Bissau: Facts & Figures –
The 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday with hosts Cote d’Ivoire taking on Guinea Bissau.
Ahead of the tricky match, CafOnline.com takes a look at some interesting facts and figures of the two sides.
- This will be the first encounter between Côte d’Ivoire and Guinea-Bissau at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
- Côte d’Ivoire are taking part in their 25thCAF Africa Cup of Nations; only Egypt have made more appearances in the continent’s premier competition (26). They will be attempting to win the trophy for the third time, after 1992 and 2015.
- Côte d’Ivoire are hosting the CAF Africa Cup of Nations for the second time, 40 years after it was initially held in the country, in 1984. Cameroon won the title whilst Côte d’Ivoire were knocked out in the group stages.
- The hosts/co-hosts of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations have systematically reached the knockout stages of the tournament in all bar one of the last 14 editions – the exception was Gabon in 2017. However, no host has won the AFCON since Egypt in 2006.
- Côte d’Ivoire are unbeaten in their last 12 opening matches at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (W7 D5) – the last time they lost their first match in an edition of the tournament was in 1996 (0-2 v Ghana). Their opening match will be their 100thin the AFCON, becoming the third team to reach that tally after Egypt and Ghana.
- This is Guinea-Bissau’s fourth Africa Cup of Nations appearance after making their debut in the competition only six years ago in 2017 – they have finished bottom of their group in each of their three previous participations, with a total of three draws and six defeats.
- Only Benin (14) and Mozambique (12) have played more matches than Guinea-Bissau (9) at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations without ever winning one.
- Guinea-Bissau have failed to score in their last seven matches at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations, a record for any team in the history of the competition. In total, it’s been over 11 hours since they last found the net (707 minutes), a goal by Piqueti against Cameroon on 18 January 2017.
- If Max Gradel plays, this will be his seventh CAF Africa Cup of Nations, equaling Boubacar Barry, Siaka Tiéné and Kolo Touré as the Ivorians with most AFCON appearances. He was part of the winning squad in 2015.
- The duo of Zinho Gano and Jorginho scored 55% of Guinea-Bissau’s goals in the qualifiers for the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (3 goals each, out of a total of 11 team goals).
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
They have been knocking since Season 2021-2022 when they finished third on the log.
In the following season, they were just a goal short of becoming the Nigerian champions.
Last season, they finished second again. But now, the door has finally opened, and on the club owner’s birthday!
Remo Stars have emerged as the Nigeria Premier Football League champions, even with three matches to spare! After a hard fought battle, they beat Niger Tornadoes 1-0 to attain an unassailable 10-point lead which confer the Nigerian championship to them.
The trailing team, Rivers United can only close the gap with nine points if they win all the remaining three matches and if Remo Stars fail to win theirs.
What a turnaround for a team that had twice been relegated in the past eight years. Perseverance, good planning and good structure have seen them taste the good wine.
What a feat! They become the first Nigerian champion to have come from a small town, the previously sleepy urban village of Ikenne.
Tension all the way!
And so, records come tumbling down. Ikenne is not just known for the production of eminent politicians and jurists, it is staking a claim to be the new destination of not just football, but sports generally.
A large proportion of the events of the 22nd National Sports Festival will be held in the ‘little’ town, which has become the smallest town to produce a Nigerian champion.
Roll out the drums in the 33 towns and settlements that make up Remo. Let the voices sing all over Ogun State, which is producing its first Nigeria League winners since the state was created on February 3, 1976.
Let the celebration start all over the federation as a model club with proper structure has finally emerged as Nigeria’s champions!
History still beckons to them. With nine more points obtainable from their remaining three matches, Remo Stars can still exceed the 77-point mark established by the current worthy runners-up, Rivers United, who in the 2021-22 season set a record of 77 points in a season since the 20-team format was institutionalised 21 years ago.
Remo Stars still have more records to assail. Their 1-0 defeat of Niger Tornadoes is their 21st win this season. They need two more wins to equal the 23 established by Port Harcourt sides, Dolphins in 2009/2010 and Rivers United in the 2021/22 season.
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The Under-20 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt 2025 gets underway today, with hosts Egypt facing South Africa in the tournament’s opening match in Cairo.
The competition, which runs from 27 April to 18 May, brings together 13 nations battling for continental supremacy and four coveted places at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in Chile later this year.
Egypt head Group A alongside Zambia, Sierra Leone, South Africa and Tanzania. In today’s other Group A fixture, Zambia will take on tournament debutants Sierra Leone in Ismailia.
Egypt, three-time champions and one of the most successful nations at this level, are eager to reclaim the title they last won in 2013. Coach Osama Nabih believes his young Pharaohs are ready to rise to the occasion.
“Our players are focused and have the desire to achieve an honorable result at the start of the competition. They have a high spirit that was evident in training,” Nabih said at Saturday’s pre-match press conference.
Nabih, a former Egyptian international, also warned that the margins are slim at this level. “African football is developing significantly and there is no big team and another small one. The tournament is difficult, and all levels are close together. Football only believes in giving and effort,” he stressed.
The coach revealed that his technical staff has extensively studied Egypt’s group opponents, acknowledging that every team arrives with ambition and modern tactical approaches.
“We are confident in our players,” Nabih added. “They are well aware of the challenge and determined to honour Egyptian football.”
This year’s U-20 AFCON promises a high level of competition. Record seven-time champions Nigeria headline Group B alongside Morocco, Tunisia and Kenya. Defending champions Senegal open their campaign against Central African Republic in Group C, where they are joined by Ghana and DR Congo.
The tournament boasts a proud history of producing some of Africa’s biggest football stars, including Yaya Touré, Mohamed Salah, Patson Daka, and Benni McCarthy. Many more are expected to announce themselves on the big stage this year.
Beyond continental glory, the four semi-finalists will book their tickets to the FIFA U-20 World Cup, continuing Africa’s proud tradition of producing global stars.
Egypt’s match against South Africa is expected to draw a large crowd in Cairo, with local fans eager to see the next generation of talent. Meanwhile, Zambia will look to assert their pedigree against a spirited Sierra Leone side making their tournament debut.
With history, pride, and World Cup qualification at stake, the stage is set for an unforgettable edition of Africa’s premier youth competition.
-CAF
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The president of the Confédération of African Football, Dr. Patrice Motsepe, has announced five new CAF Vice Presidents. They are:
- CAF First Vice President: Mr Fouzi Lekjaa (Morocco)
- CAF Second Vice President: Mr Kurt Okraku (Ghana)
- CAF Third Vice President: Mr Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
- CAF Fourth Vice President: Ms Bestine Kazadi Ditabala (Democratic Republic of Congo)
- CAF Fifth Vice President: Mr Feizal Sidat (Mozambique)
In addition, the CAF President has co-opted Yacine Idriss Diallo, President of Fédération Ivoirienne de football, into the CAF Executive Committee.
The CAF Executive Committee also approved the names to fill vacant positions on several CAF Committees.
Organising Committee for the African Nations Championship (CHAN)
- President: Pierre-Alain Mounguengui (Gabon)
CAF Technical and Development Committee
- President: Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
- Vice President: Malouche Belhassen (Tunisia)
CAF Medical Committee:
- President: Dr. Mohammed Bouya (Mauritania)
- Vice President: Dr. Thulani Ngwenya (South Africa)
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