International Football
FOR THE 5TH TIME, SUPER FALCONS BROUGHT DOWN BY CHINA
Nigeria’s women national team, the Super Falcons have again lost to China in a four-nation tournament on Thursday.
The Nigerian side lost 0-3 to their hosts. It was the fifth time in seven encounters that the Chinese have beaten Nigeria. Nigeria only beat china once, a 3-2 win in a 2003 friendly match.
Their last encounter before that of Thursday ended 2-2 nine years ago.
On Thursday, China’s Steel Roses were in front after only 10 minutes and then rocked Nigeria’s net in the 65th and 92nd minutes to condemn the nine –time African champions to defeat at the Huitang Stadium.
Goalkeeper Tochukwu Oluehi, carrying on from where she left off at the Women Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana, made a number of commendable saves, but the onslaughts were relentless from a Chinese squad that played about 10 friendly games in Australia last month.
Zhang Rui got China’s first in the 10th minute, before Li Ying got a brace in the 65th and 92nd minutes to give the 13, 618 spectators joy.
Nigeria clearly missed immediate past African Player of the Year, Asisat Oshoala, as well as left back Ngozi Ebere and power forward Desire Oparanozie who could not make it to the Far East.
Nigeria will now take on Romania, who lost by the same margin to Korea Republic earlier on Thursday, in Sunday’s third place match also at the Huitang Stadium. The match will begin at 3pm China time (8am Nigeria time).
Coach Thomas Dennerby said: “We are here to prepare for the FIFA World Cup and we are learning a lot. I have always said that we need to play as many friendly matches as possible.
“I believe we need to work extremely hard in the next five months before the World Cup.”
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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