International Football
AIGBOGUN SAYS FLYING EAGLES LEARNT LESSONS IN LOSS TO SAUDI ARABIA
Head Coach Paul Aigbogun stated on Monday that his Nigeria U20 boys learnt some vital lessons in their 1-2 defeat by their Saudi Arabia counterparts in a friendly in Vienna, Austria on Sunday.
“We were unlucky to have lost against the Saudis. We created a lot of chances but failed to put them away. Our focus will shift to conversion of opportunities because we want to make an impact at the FIFA World Cup.
“There are a few other areas that myself and my assistants noticed and we will work hard at these when we get back to our training camp in Germany.”
A second string side put out by Aigbogun lost 1-2 to the equally World Cup –bound Saudis in a game of few clear –cut chances.
After a goalless first half, Saudi Arabia midfielder Khalid Al-Ghannam put the Asians ahead in the 56th minute beating goalkeeper Detan Ogundare with a low shot.
After some sustained pressure, Henry Offia got the Flying Eagles back on level terms in the 65th minute. Despite creating a couple of chances and looking likely to score, the Flying Eagles did not, and the Saudi Arabians were the ones who eventually did.
Hamed Al-Ghamdi found space in the Nigeria box to slot home with 12 minutes left on the clock and condemn the Flying Eagles to defeat.
The seven –time African champions and two –time FIFA World Cup runners –up have headed back to their base in Bad Goegging Munich, Germany to continue preparation for the FIFA U20 World Cup that starts on 23rd May in Poland.
The team will have further test games against German clubs TSG Hoffenheim and Red Bull Leipzig, as well as Austrian club Red Bull Salzburg, before heading to the Polish city of Tychy where they play Qatar in their opening match of the competition on 24th May.
Nigeria will contest Group D of the biennial tournament alongside Qatar, Ukraine and the United States.
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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