International Football
SENEGAL EDGE BENIN OUT OF WAFU CUP CONTEST
Substitute Philippe Paulin Keny scored the only goal against Benin to book hosts Senegal a place in the semifinals of the WAFU Cup of Nations.
Senegalese fans stormed the Stade Lat Dior in Thiés to back their lions who played against a well-structured Benin team.
The Teranga Lions dominated possession against Benin in the opening exchanges.
Ousseynou Niang, Ibrahim Drame and Youssouph Badji led the Senegalese attack and the trio came close to breaking the deadlock.
Tricky winger Drame managed to beat two opponents on the right side of the Senegalese attack before flashing a shot over the goal.
Drame was again involved in another move down the left channel combining with Ousseynou Niang who released Youssoupha Badji but the youngster dragged his effort wide.
Backed by a capacity crowd at the Lat Dior Stadium in the Thies Seringe Saliou Dia’s charges failed to trouble the Benin goalkeeper Sheyi Damilola.
Elhadji Madicke Kane found the back of the net but his celebrations were short-lived after he was flagged offside.
Génération Foot defender Khadim Diaw fired a shot just wide from a free kick as both sides headed into the break all squared.
After the break the hosts continue from were they left off to add more pressure on the Beninoise.
Khadim Diaw crashed the woodwork with a fierce strike from a free kick as Benin continue to hang on.
The hosts broke the deadlock in the 65th minute through Philippe Paulin Keny who was the first to react when Benin goalkeeper Sheyi Damilola fumbled a speculative shot from distance to give Senegal the lead.
-cafonline
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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