International Football
Live coverage: Ghana 0-0 Nigeria
A penalty was given against Idrissu Baba for handball in the Ghana area – but subsequently the referee looked at the replay and seems to have decided that Idrissu was fouled in the build-up.
77th minute: VAR controversy Referee initially signaled penalty for Nigeria but VAR overruled
73rd minute. Substitution by Nigeria: Simon out for Lookman
73rd minute. Substitution by Nigeria: Simon out for Lookman
58th minute. Substitutions by Nigeria . Aribo out for Frank Onyeaka ; Simon Moses out for Emmanuel Dennis.
Half time. no goal to either side. Ghana dominated play for most of the time, especially with a packed midfield which was able too cut off passes intended for Victor Osimhen up front. Nigeria too had some anxious moments . Meanwhile in the other match in Cairo, Egypt are leading Senegal, 1-0.
Kick off by Nigeria. The game under way
Players are on the pitch. The anthems rendered. Fever-pitch excitement.
For the records, both teams have met at different occasions, both finals and qualifying series – friendlies, Africa Cup, World Cup, Jalco Cup, Africa Games and bilateral festivals.
But this is the one with the highest stake – qualification for the World Cup
Clock is ticking down to the zero hour. Ghana hosting Nigeria – an epic confrontation. Eguavoen has made public his stating XI. That of Ghana is still being expected.
Nigeria: Francis Uzoho, Ola Aina, Zaidu Sanusi, Leon Balogun, William Troost-Ekong; Innocent Bonke Samuel Chukwueze, Joseph Aribo; Kelechi Iheanacho, Moses Simon, Victor Osimhen.
At the same time, Egypt will be hosting Senegal in Cairo,#Egypt’s coach Carlos Queiroz made two changes to his regular line-up fielding right-back Omar Gaber and winger Mahmoud Trezeguet instead of Omar Kamal and Omar Marmoush Starting
Egypt (4-3-3): Mohamed El-Shenawy – Omar Gaber, Mahmoud El-Wensh, Mohamed Abdel-Moneim, Ahmed Fattouh – Hamdi Fathi, Mohamed Elneny, Amr El-Soulaya – Mahmoud Trezeguet, Mohamed Salah, Mostafa Mohamed
Senegal (4-3-3): Edouard Mendy – Bouna Sarr, Kalidou Koulibaly, Abdou Diallo, Saliou Ciss – Idrissa Gueye, Cheikhou Kouyate, Nampalys Mendy – Ismaila Sarr, Famara Diedhou, Sadio Mane.
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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