For more than a decade, Robert Eziakor has been with Hougang United as a player, general coordinator, youth coach, assistant coach and head of youth development.

On Dec 24, the 38-year-old Nigerian landed the biggest assignment of his professional coaching career when he was named interim coach for the Cheetahs, replacing Marko Kraljevic, who has been redesignated as the Singapore Premier League (SPL) side’s head of youth development.

Eziakor told Singapore’s The Straits Times: “I’m excited, having been involved in different roles at the club, and in terms of my personal development, it’s like climbing a ladder all the way to the top.

“I’m thankful I have had the opportunity to learn from the different roles rather than staying put in one position. This makes things very interesting for me and it made sense for me to continue with Hougang.

“It’s easier for me to step up as coach knowing the players and how things are run but at the same time it is a big challenge and there are big shoes to fill.”

In his new role, Eziakor has hit the ground running, signing 1.92m Montenegrin centre-back Jovan Mugosa to shore up the defence of seventh-placed Hougang, who have conceded 49 goals in 20 matches, the fourth worst in the nine-team league.

He has also released underperforming imports – forward Petar Banovic, and defenders Faris Hasic and Ensar Bruncevic. In addition, club hero Kristijan Krajcek, who will be remembered for his 2022 Singapore Cup final hat-trick, has returned to Croatia for ankle surgery as his professional playing days could be over.

Eziakor said: “Defence is primarily where we have a problem. We need to improve in this area so we have made the necessary changes to concede less as we try to create more positive results when the league restarts on Jan 19 for us (against Balestier Khalsa).

“We are able to score goals (Hougang’s 37 goals have come in all but one league games this season), but we are not able to defend properly. We want to tighten our defence and scoring will come naturally for us.”

Bigger things were expected of perennial underdogs Hougang after winning the 2022 Singapore Cup for their first major silverware, but their displays since have been underwhelming.

In 2023, another run to the Singapore Cup final masked a disappointing sixth-placed finish in the SPL. In 2024, they failed to register a single win in the first round of eight league matches before they rebounded with three wins and three draws in the second round.

In the first three games of the third round, two narrow losses to top-half sides Albirex Niigata and Geylang International sandwiched a 6-0 win over bottom club Tanjong Pagar United before the Cheetahs decided on the coaching switch with 12 games remaining.

Eziakor arrived in Singapore in 2006 to join African side Sporting Afrique, but never got to play in the then S.League before the team were dissolved. The forward then went on to play in the National Football League (NFL) with Katong FC, Singapore Recreation Club and Tiong Bahru before he signed for Hougang in 2013.

After scoring once in eight games, he retired and joined the Cheetahs’ backroom staff. From 2015 to 2024, he was also coach of Tiong Bahru and led them to the NFL Division 1 titles in 2018 and 2019.

He also took up permanent residency in the Republic, where his son Uchenna plays for the Singapore Under-15s.

He said: “Singapore means everything to me because my son and I are all about football and this country has given us all our opportunities. Our football journeys are rooted here.”

In his 18 years in Singapore, Eziakor has scored in the professional league, won titles at the amateur level, and seen his son represent the country. Now, he hopes to mark his professional coaching career with another milestone.

He said: “We believe it is possible for us to finish in the top half and go on another good run in the Singapore Cup. I just want us all to put in the work and performances we can look back on and be proud of at the end of the season.”

-The Strait Times

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The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) wrapped up an extraordinary year of football in 2024, with major milestones in men’s, women’s, youth, and club football. 

From Côte d’Ivoire’s historic AFCON victory to landmark performances in CAF competitions, here’s a comprehensive look at the year in African football.

Côte d’Ivoire triumphs at AFCON 2023

The year began with the culmination of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Côte d’Ivoire, where the hosts stunned the continent by lifting their third AFCON title. Despite a shaky start, a managerial change mid-tournament reinvigorated the Elephants. Emerse Fae’s side edged Nigeria 2-1 in a dramatic final in Abidjan, in front of over 57,000 fans. The tournament dubbed the “AFCON of the century,” saw emerging teams like Cabo Verde, Mauritania, and Equatorial Guinea make impressive runs.

2025 AFCON Qualifiers Provide Thrills

The qualification campaign for the 2025  Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) delivered high-octane drama. Twenty-four nations secured their spots for the tournament to be hosted by Morocco. Powerhouses like Nigeria, Senegal, and Egypt booked their tickets, while Botswana, Zimbabwe, and Comoros made exciting comebacks to the continental stage. The qualifiers featured thrilling narratives, including Botswana’s unexpected draw against Egypt to qualify and Zimbabwe’s resurgence after missing recent editions.

Diaz was the top scorer in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers

World Cup qualifying Excitement

In the FIFA World Cup 2026™ qualifiers, African teams made a strong start, with Côte d’Ivoire emerging as top scorers and Sudan and Tunisia topping their respective groups.

Ghana’s Jordan Ayew dazzled with a hat-trick in a thrilling 4-3 win over the Central African Republic, while Mohamed Salah and Trezeguet kept Egypt’s hopes alive with stellar performances. These early stages underscore Africa’s growing ambitions on the global stage.

Al Ahly and Zamalek Shine in CAF Club Competitions

Al Ahly reaffirmed their dominance in African club football, claiming their record-extending 12th CAF Champions League title with a 1-0 win over Tunisia’s Esperance. The Egyptians also went unbeaten throughout the campaign, underscoring their supremacy.

Meanwhile, Egyptian rivals Zamalek dramatically clinched the CAF Confederation Cup, overturning a first-leg deficit against RS Berkane to secure a 2-1 aggregate victory. Zamalek followed this up by defeating Al Ahly in the CAF Super Cup via a penalty shootout, sealing a stellar year for the club.

TP Mazembe Crowned Queens of Africa 

In women’s football, TP Mazembe from DR Congo lifted their maiden CAF Women’s Champions League title with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Morocco’s AS FAR in the final. A first-half penalty from Marlene Kasaj proved decisive as Mazembe displayed resilience against the former champions. This triumph capped a remarkable journey for the Congolese side after their earlier group-stage exit in 2022.

Women’s Football Growth

The  CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) draw revealed a highly competitive tournament scheduled for 2025. Host nation Morocco finds itself in a challenging group alongside Zambia, Senegal, and DR Congo, while defending champions South Africa will face Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania. Nigeria, aiming to reclaim their dominance, will battle Botswana, Tunisia, and Algeria.

CHAN 2024 Final Qualifiers

The final round of qualifiers for the 2024  African Nations Championship (CHAN) featured intense rivalries, including the much-anticipated “Jollof Derby” between Ghana and Nigeria. The tournament, set for January in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, promises to spotlight Africa’s domestic football talents.

Youth Football: Tanzania and South Africa Celebrate

The CAF African Schools Football Championship showcased the continent’s rising stars. Tanzania won the boys’ competition on home soil, while South Africa clinched the girls’ title after a thrilling penalty shootout victory against Morocco. The championship highlighted CAF’s commitment to nurturing grassroots talent.

Futsal and Beach Soccer Success

Morocco claimed their third consecutive CAF Futsal AFCON title with a commanding 5-1 win over Angola. On the beach soccer front, Senegal retained their CAF Beach Soccer AFCON title, defeating Mauritania 6-1 in the final. Both teams will represent Africa at the upcoming FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Seychelles 2025.

-CAF

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Morocco at the Olympics

African teams and athletes showcased their talents on the world stage in 2024, achieving significant milestones across various global competitions.

At the Paris Olympics, Morocco’s men’s football team earned a historic bronze medal, defeating Egypt 6-0 in the third-place match. The result marked Africa’s first Olympic football medal since Nigeria’s triumph in 1996, with Soufiane Rahimi emerging as the tournament’s top scorer with eight goals. In women’s football, despite early exits for Nigeria and Zambia, Zambia’s Barbra Banda etched her name in the history books with a stunning hat-trick against Australia, becoming the first player ever to score three hat-tricks in Olympic history.

At the FIFA Junior World Cups, African teams displayed their potential.

Nigeria’s U-17 women’s team reached the quarter-finals of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in the Dominican Republic, led by 16-year-old sensation Shakirat Moshood.

Meanwhile, Cameroon’s Naomi Eto shone at the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup in Colombia, scoring four goals in four matches. Kenya’s U-17 women’s team achieved a historic milestone with their first-ever FIFA tournament victory, defeating Mexico 2-1.

Beach Soccer

Africa’s representation at the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Dubai and the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan faced hurdles, with Senegal, Egypt, Angola, and Libya unable to progress past the group stages. 

Despite the glitch, this year demonstrated the potential of African teams to compete and excel on the global stage, reflecting the continent’s rich talent and relentless determination to make a mark on world football.

Individual Honours at CAF Awards

The CAF Awards 2024 celebrated Africa’s finest talents. Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman was named Men’s Player of the Year, while Zambia’s Barbra Banda took the women’s accolade. South Africa’s goalkeeper Ronwen Williams emerged as a double winner, claiming both the Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year and Interclub Player of the Year awards. Emerse Fae was honoured as Men’s Coach of the Year for leading Côte d’Ivoire to AFCON glory.

Morocco and Angola Lead Rankings

Morocco ended the year as Africa’s top-ranked team in the FIFA rankings, despite a slight global drop to 14th. Angola, however, stole the spotlight with a meteoric rise of 32 places, reflecting their strong performances in 2024.

CAF 2024: A Year of Excellence

From Côte d’Ivoire’s AFCON triumph to Al Ahly’s dominance in club football and emerging youth talents, 2024 was a banner year for African football.

With the upcoming 2025 AFCON in Morocco and CHAN 2024, the stage is set for even greater moments in African football.

-CAF

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