International Football
UEFA/CAF TOURNEY: EAGLETS SET FOR GUATEMALA AFTER SPANKING HOSTS, TURKEY
Five –time world champions, Golden Eaglets of Nigeria began their campiagn at the UEFA/CAF U17 Tournament by condemning Turkey, host nation to two unreplied goals scored by Olakunle Olusegun and Divine Nwachukwu in each half of the game.
It was an explosive encounter from the blast of the whistle as Turkey tried to unsettle their Nigerian counterparts at the early stage of the game, but the Eaglets stood firm and thereafter asserted their presence by their smooth brand of football which yielded fruit when Olakunle Olusegun found the back of the net in the 10th minute.
The goal gave the Eaglets confidence as they dominanted posssesion with scintillating passes and continous bombardment of their opponents’ vital area for more goals, but the scoreline remained 1-0 at the break.
Turkey tried to fight back on resumption but met a strong resistance in the defence of the Eaglets and just as it happened in the first half, the Nigerian teenagers enforced their superior quality as they controlled the game, creating more goal-scoring opportunities, but failed to increase the tally.
However, the pressure told on the defence of Turkey as it caved in to concede an infringement in the box. The resultant penalty was converted by Divine Nwachukwu.
Manu Garba, Head Coach of the Eaglets said after the game that it was a very difficult encounter despite the victory of his team, adding that the team will continue to improve in its next game.
“It was not an easy game. We played against a very good side and it is a relief that we won. I’m certain that the team will continue to improve in the tournament.” he told thenff.com.
Nigeria will play her next game against Guatemala on Tuesday.
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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