International Football
Confederations Cup: Late Goals Rob Cameroon of Points
Cameroon will have to overcome Australia to have a realistic chance of making it to the semi-finals of the FIFA Confederation Cup.
The 0-2 loss to Chile on Sunday has condemned the African flag bearer to zero option when they take on the Australians on Thursday before a potentially explosive last group match with World Cup champions, Germany next Sunday.
Late goals from Arturo Vidal and Eduardo Vargas gave Chile all three points in a 2-0 win over Cameroon in their opening match in Group B at the Spartak Stadium in Moscow in front of a crowd of 33,492.
It was Chile’s first appearance at the Confederation and thus became the sixth of the 10 South American countries to feature.
The South Americans had a goal disallowed at the closing stage of the first half when Eduardo Vargas’ effort was annulled by the video assistant referee which called it back as the Tigres UANL forward was in an offside position.
Alexis Sanchez came off the bench in the second half, and the Arsenal forward made an impact when his cross found Vidal, who leapt to head in La Roja‘s winning goal in the 81st minute.
Vargas eventually got his goal, when he scored on a second-chance opportunity after Sanchez had weaved around Cameroon’s defence and his shot was blocked and eventually fell to Vargas who made no mistake from close range.
According to a FIFA team reporter’s analysis, “experience made all the difference for the Indomitable Lions.
“Nervous during the first half, making too many fouls and losing the ball too quickly, the Cameroonians had a big fright before half time but were saved by the VAR.
That emotion seemed to free them from the stress during the second half, but ultimately they were punished by two late goals.”
Another view of the match by a Cameroonian reporter, Pascal de Miramon, has it that: “Chile played a solid first match against a very strong, defensive team.
They were in the driving seat throughout most of the game, controlling the ball and creating a quality amount of chances. Coach Juan Pizzi played an important role, as his substitutions helped Vidal offensively, and that paid off near the end when ‘King Arturo’ showed up in the six-yard area to head in the winning goal for a well-deserved win for La Roja.”
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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