International Football
Big Names Stumble in CHAN Qualifiers’ First Leg
Nigeria’s home based Super Eagles are not the only side to fail to secure a win in matches against relatively weaker teams at the weekend’s fist leg matches of the African Nations Championship.
The Super Eagles had held grimly and appeared would be able to scrape a point from the duel until barely three minutes to end the match when a penalty kick was conceded and Benin’s skipper, Mama Seibou converted it to give Nigeria’s western neighbours their first victory in 58 years since both first clashed.
The Nigerian side will be looking forward to avoid a repeat of what Northern neighbours, Niger Republic did seven years ago by denying the Super Eagles a place in CHAN after having lost the first leg in Niamey. Benin will be looking forward to the decider in Kano this weekend to realise their dream of qualifying for CHAN for the first time as Nigeria will need a two goal margin win in Kano as escape route.
Just as it happened to Nigeria, so also it was for another African giant, Cote d’Ivoire. It was about the same time Benin scored from the penalty spot against Nigeria that Halidou Idrissa scored for Niger Republic to earn the side a 2-1 win over visiting Cote d’Ivoire.
Seyni Imrana had shot the home side ahead in the 41st minute before Fabius Dosso leveled for the visiting Cote d’Ivoire two minutes before break.
In North Africa, Morocco came from behind to hold debutants Egypt to a 1-1 draw in Alexandria. The Pharaohs depleted by the absence of key players from notables clubs such as Al Ahly, Zamalek and El Masry survived several onslaughts from the Moroccans who missed a second half penalty after Abdelilah Hafidi was denied Mohamed Awad.
Makassa midfielder Ahmed Sayed powered the Pharaohs into the lead from the spot after only three minutes, with Badr Benoun drawing parity seven minutes after the break with a header.
In the South Zone, Comoros accounted for Namibia 2-1 in Moroni. ‘Les Coelecantes’ led by two goals at the interval courtesy strikes from Faouz Ali Attoumane and Ali Simba, but Hendrik Somaeb pulled one back for Namibia on 71 minutes.
In Antananarivo, surprise packets Madagascar were held to a barren draw by visiting Angola. Comoros took a 2-1 lead over Namibia in a clash of countries seeking a first appearance at the Nations Championship, which is scheduled for Kenya next January and February.
A Chadouli Mradabi tap-in and a Mohamed Youssef header gave the east coast islanders a two-goal half-time advantage in Moroni that was halved when Hendrik Somaeb converted a penalty.
Ethiopia came from behind to draw 1-1 with Sudan in Hawassa and Madagascar extended an unbeaten run in all competitions to 11 matches after a 0-0 stalemate with visiting Angola.
Results
Central Zone
• Friday: Brazzaville Congo 0-0 DR Congo
• Saturday: Malabo Equatorial Guinea vs Gabon
• Saturday: Sao Tome Sao Tome 0-2 Cameroon
Central-East Zone
• Saturday: Kampala Uganda 3-0 Rwanda
• Sunday: Hawassa Ethiopia 1-1 Sudan
North Zone
• Saturday: Constantine Algeria 1-2 Libya
• Sunday: Alexandria Egypt 1-1 Morocco
South Zone
• Saturday: East London South Africa 2-2 Zambia
• Sunday: Antananarivo Madagascar 0-0 Angola
• Sunday: Moroni Comoros 2-1 Namibia
West A Zone
• Saturday: Nouakchott Mauritania 2-2 Mali
• Tuesday: Pikine Senegal vs Guinea
West B Zone
Saturday: Ouagadougou Burkina Faso 2-2 Ghana
• Sunday: Cotonou Benin 1-0 Nigeria
• Sunday: Niamey Niger 2-1 Cote d’Ivoire
International Football
BREAKING – Video: Osimhen accepts to join Galatasaray
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/osimhen-jubilates.jpg)
At last, Nigeria’s striker Victor Osimhen is out of the limbo. He has accepted to join Galatasaray on loan.
He is now asking for a release clause at Napoli to become €75m instead of €130m
He also wants a break clause for January in case top clubs approach him over move.
The final points are being discussed. He has been videoed celebrating with the Turkey club’s fans.
International Football
Uruguay striker Suarez to play last international match on Friday
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/GettyImages-2161934515-scaled-e1725270615569-1024x683-1.jpg)
Uruguay striker Luis Suarez announced his international retirement on Monday, ending a 17-year career with his national team as their top scorer with 69 goals.
The 37-year-old, who has 142 caps for his country, made his international debut in 2007 and was key in the squad that reached the semi-finals of the 2010 World Cup and won the Copa America a year later.
“Friday will be my last match with my country’s national team,” an emotional Suarez told a press conference.
“The fact that is my decision to retire and that I’m not retired because of injuries or that they stop calling me for one thing or another, that gives me a lot of comfort, it helps me individually.
“It’s difficult but it gives me peace of mind that until the last game I have given my all, and that flame has not been extinguished little by little,” the striker added.
Uruguay take on Paraguay at the Centenario stadium in Montevideo on Friday in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup before facing Venezuela four days later.
Suarez scored the stoppage-time goal against Canada that secured third place at the Copa America in July and the striker added that one of his aims was to show he could continue to contribute to the national team.
“My dream was for my children to see me win something important with the national team … that last goal was very nice for them and even though it wasn’t a trophy to take home, it was very nice for them,” he said.
“I wanted to show people again that I can continue to contribute to the national team and, well, I had the Copa America and yes, I could have done it (retired) perfectly after that, but having analysed the situation, I want to do it with my people, in my stadium.
“I want my children to live this experience. Saying goodbye with the people here is something that I don’t know if many have done.”
Suarez has already said Inter Miami will be his last club after joining the Major League Soccer side last year to reunite with former Barcelona teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba.
-Reuters
International Football
Quitting Portugal never crossed my mind, says Ronaldo
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/34P2HEWYWJOKBFGYISOZT244ZE.jpg)
Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo dismissed suggestions he had considered ending his international career in the near future, adding that post-Euro criticism did not worry him.
Portugal host Croatia in their Nations League opener on Thursday before welcoming Scotland in League A Group One on Sunday.
“That’s all from the press. It never crossed my mind that my cycle (with Portugal) had come to an end. Quite the opposite: it gave me even more motivation to continue to be honest,” Ronaldo told a press conference on Monday.
“The motivation is to come to the national team to win the Nations League … We’ve already won it once and we want to do it again. I might say the same thing over and over again, but I don’t think long term, it’s always short term.”
Ronaldo captained Portugal to success in the opening edition of the Nations League in 2018-19, three years after they became European Champions for the first time in France.
“Until the end of my career, I will always have the mindset that I will be a starter,” Ronaldo added.
“What I feel at the moment, and the coach’s (Roberto Martinez) words also demonstrate this, is that I continue to be an asset to the national team and I will be the first (to admit it) if that isn’t the case.
“When I’m (no longer) an asset I will be the first to leave. But I will go with a clear conscience, as always, because I know who I am, what I can do, what I do and what I will continue to do.”
The 39-year-old appeared untroubled by criticism he faced for failing to score at the 2024 European Championship.
“Criticism is great because if it doesn’t exist there’s no progress. It’s always been like this. Is it going to change now? It won’t,” Ronaldo said.
“So I try to follow my path, be as professional as possible, help in the best way possible with my professionalism and not just with goals, assists, discipline, and example, because football is much more than just playing well or scoring a goal.
“The people who give their opinions have never been in a locker room, and I often laugh because it’s the same thing as me talking about Formula 1.
“How can I give my opinion on Formula 1 if I don’t know anything about tires, rims or the weight of the car … It’s normal and that’s why for me criticism is good and part of it, it’s no problem at all.”
-Reuters
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