International Football
GOLDEN EAGLETS OFF TO TANZANIA; SET TO FACE EMMANUEL AMUNEKE’S TEAM AT U17 AFCON
Five –time world champions, Nigeria flew out of Abuja on Wednesday on their way to Tanzania to take part in the 13th Africa U17 Cup of Nations taking place in that country, 14th – 28th April.
At the competition, the team will face Tanzania, which is being handled by Emmanuel Amuneke, the last successful Golden Eaglet’s coach.
Acting President of NFF,
Seyi Akinwunmi, who charged them to do the nation proud by lifting the U17
AFCON trophy in Dar es Salaam on 28th April, saw off the players and
officials at the airport.
The Golden Eaglets secured their ticket to Tanzania after winning the WAFU B U17 Tournament in Niger Republic in September last year, and will be aiming to be one of Africa’s four flag-bearers at the FIFA U17 World Cup finals now scheduled for Brazil later this year.
Nigeria, Africa’s U17 football powerhouse, edged fellow juggernauts Ghana on penalties in Niamey to secure their slot in Tanzania, and are in the same Group A as hosts Tanzania, Uganda and Angola.
Tanzania made their way into the draw automatically as hosts, while Uganda won the Central East zonal finals held in Tanzania in August last year, and Angola triumphed at the COSAFA U17 Tournament in Mauritius a month earlier.
Nigeria is making her 9th appearance in this competition, having won it twice previously (Seychelles 2001 and Togo 2007), while Tanzania is making a second appearance. Angola is making a fourth appearance, but it is a first –ever appearance at this level for Uganda.
Cameroon, Guinea, Senegal and Morocco make up Group B. Both Cameroon and Guinea are appearing for the 7th time at the U17 AFCON, while Morocco and Senegal are both appearing for the second time.
The Eaglets will take on their Tanzanian counterparts in Sunday’s tournament opener at the National Stadium, Dar es Salaam. An interesting variable in Sunday’s equation is the fact that Nigeria legend Emmanuel Amuneke, who is head coach of the Tanzania National Team, Taifa Stars (and recently qualified the Stars for a first –ever AFCON finals after 39 years) also oversees the other National Teams of Tanzania and would be involved in their technical preparation.
Amuneke is highly familiar with the Nigeria bench, which has Manu Garba as head coach and Nduka Ugbade as one of the assistants. When Manu Garba led the Golden Eaglets to win the FIFA U17 World Cup for the fourth time in the United Arab Emirates in 2013, Amuneke and Ugbade were his assistants.
Two years later, in Chile, Amuneke was the head coach as Nigeria won a fifth title at that level.
After Sunday’s encounter, the Eaglets will tackle Angola on Wednesday, 17th April and confront Uganda on Saturday, 20th April.
21 EAGLETS FOR U17 AFCON FINALS
Sunday Stephen, Shedrack Tanko, Ogaga Oduko, Samson Okikiola Tijani, Clement Chigozie Ikenna, David Akulo Ishaya, Olakunle Junior Olusegun, Mayowa David Abayomi, Wisdom Ubani, Adrian Akande, Mubaraq Gata Adeshina, Shuaib Abdulrazaq, Akinkunmi Ayobami Amoo, Olatomi Alfred Olaniyan, Charles Etim, Suleman Shaibu, Peter Agba, Divine Nwachukwu, Ibraheem Olalekan Jabaar, Fawaz Abdullahi, Ayomide Oluwabusola
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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