International Football
FIFA U17 WOMEN’S CUP KICKS OFF WITH NIGERIA MISSING IN ACTION
BY APESIN ADEMOLA.
The FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup kicks off in Uruguay with Nigeria’s Flamingoes missing in action for the first time in the tournament which is in sixth edition..
In February, the Nigerian team fell at the last continental qualifying stage to Cameroon, forcing 2-2 draw in Benin City and coming behind in the reverse fixture to end it 1-1. The away goal rule counted against the Nigerian girls.
Apart from Cameroon, Africa is being represented in Uruguay by Ghana and South Africa.
The Ghanaians, who open their campaign against host nation Uruguay, are the most achieving African side at the global stage. They beat Germany to third place in 2012 in Azerbaijan and were quarterfinalists in the last two editions.
Like Nigeria’s Flamingoes, the Black Maidens have participated in all previous five FIFA U17 Women’s Cups and have now beaten their Nigerian counterparts in terms of the number of times at the mundial.
South Africa, who will start their Uruguayan experience against Mexico also today, are attending the tournament for the second time. First time in 2010 in Trinidad and Tobago, the South African exited at the group stage.
Cameroon, who will start against United States on Wednesday, are making back-to-back appearance in the tournament – 2016 in Jordan being their first time. They lost at the group stage.
Korea DPR, twice winners of the competition, will aim at a record-extending third. But they first have to emerge from a group of heavyweights, which include United States and Germany.
The Americans reached the final in 2008 losing to Korea DPR, while Germany won the bronze medals in that edition hosted by New Zealand.
The Cameroonians have a tough battle ahead in this group.
Japan and Korea Republic are the other former champions in Uruguay.
The Japanese, winners in Costa Rica 2014 and runners-up in 2010 and 2016, are in the same group with South Africa and Mexico.
Korea Republic leads Group D and will face Spain (runners-up in 2014 and twice bronze medallists), Canada and Colombia.
The top two teams in each of the four groups will progress to the quarterfinals
The competition runs from November 13 to December 1.
Fixtures…
Group A: New Zealand v Finland (8pm), Uruguay v Ghana (11pm)
Group B: Brazil v Japan (6pm), Mexico v South Africa (9pm)
Group C: United States v Cameroon (6pm), Korea DPR v Germany (9pm)
Group D: Korea Republic v Spain (8pm), Canada v Colombia (11pm)
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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