International Football
Côte d’Ivoire beat Malawi to firm up Group D lead
Max Gradel, Ibrahim Sangare and Jeremie Boga scored in either half to hand Côte d’Ivoire a vital 3-0 victory away from home against Malawi to cement their hold on top of Group D in the qualifiers for the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup.
The victory took Les Elephants to seven points, four ahead of Cameroon who face Mozambique later Friday.
Gradel scored in the 36th minute with a well taken shot on the half volley after skipper Serge Aurier’s cross from the right evaded an attempted headed clearance from Malawi defender Stanley Sanudi.
The Ivorians had done well in possession though this was their first shot at goal. Prior to that, Malawi had threatened with Peter Banda seeing his well taken shot saved by the keeper after twisting and turning away from Aurier.
In the second half, Malawi were an improved side and they had good opportunities to draw level. Khuda Muyaba had a shot from the left saved by the keeper two minutes after the restart as The Flames started off faster off the blocks.
Four minutes later, Gabadinho Mhango had a glorious chance when he ran on to a long ball and with the keeper out of his line, lobbed the ball over him. However, the effort could only land on the roof of the net.
Mhango had another chance in the 65th minute with a well taken volley but he shot straight at the keeper.
Towards the end, the Ivorians upped the tempo to seal the game and were denied by the upright in the 79th minute. A well worked move saw Franck Kessie put through on the right but his shot stung the woodwork.
However, five minutes later off the same flank, they were 2-0 up when substitute Gervinho sent Sangare through, the latter striking a decent shot into the net.
They cemented the lead in the fifth minute of added time when Boga did well to find space at the edge of the box and fire a left footed belter past the keeper.
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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