International Football
GAMBIA ALMOST BLACKOUT BLACK STARS AT WAFU CUP
Joseph Esso’s close range effort was all that Ghana needed to beat Gambia in the WAFU Cup of Nations in Thies.
Tuesday’s game was a repeat of the last edition’s opener in Cape Coast, which Ghana won through a 95 minutes penalty.
The Black Stars B dominated the
early proceedings at the Lat Dior Stadium with their slick moves in midfield
forcing the Scorpions to chase shadows but it was Gibril Sillah who had the
first crack on goal with a fierce left foot effort going wide.
Sillah was again involved in another move down the right channel when he combined with Hamidou Bojang to free Modou Cham who saw his effort blocked midway through the first half.
Maxwell Konadu’s charges up the ante of the game and came close to breaking the deadlock through Abdoul Latir whose effort hit the post on the half hour mark.
Gambia grew in confidence heading into the break as Ghana were left disappointed failing to make their dominance count.
The Black Stars started the second period on a positive note knocking the ball around to try and penetrate the discipline Scorpions who proved to be stubborn opponents.
Defender Sadi Gaye headed Imoro Ibrahim’s inswing cross towards his own goal, forcing goalkeeper Ebrima Jarju into smart one hand save to keep the score goalless.
The Black Stars got their deserved breakthrough on 65 minutes when Gambia forward Gibril Sillah failed to clear his lines allowing Imoro Ibrahim to find Joseph Esso who fired past the helpless Jarju.
The battling Scorpions continued to fight for the equalizer, which they never managed. Mattar Ceesay’s header failed to beat the Ghana keeper from five yards out with 15 minutes to play.
The Gambia were awarded a penalty late on when Muhammed Samba was brought down in the area but Modou Cham missed the resulting penalty which came off the post.
Ghana held their nerves to ease through to book a date with Burkina Faso in the quarterfinals whiles the Scorpions prepare for their match with Mauritania on Friday.
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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