International Football
Messi’s goal not enough as Chile hold Argentina in World Cup qualifier
Lionel Messi scored a penalty but Argentina missed out on the chance to take over the top spot in South American World Cup qualifying from rivals Brazil after a 1-1 draw with Chile on Thursday (June 3).
Messi also clipped the woodwork and forced three impressive saves out of Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo but Alexis Sanchez earned the dogged visitors a point in Santiago del Estero.
The draw leaves Argentina a point behind Brazil, the only remaining side with a perfect qualifying record, who host Ecuador on Friday.
Chile are down in sixth, still two points off the qualification places having won only one of their five matches so far.
Argentina captain Messi said he was happy with the result, despite failing to win.
“The team had a good dynamic, it wasn’t easy playing again after so much time,” he said. It was more than six months since the last round of qualifiers after two match days were postponed in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.
He added: “It was a special match given it was the first without Diego.”
Diego Maradona, the legendary 1986 World Cup-winning captain, had died in November.
Sanchez ends Argentina jinx
The visitors, who were missing veteran midfielder Arturo Vidal – hospitalised with Covid-19 – had the first clear sight of goal on 15 minutes but Eduardo Vargas fizzed a low effort narrowly wide from 20 metres.
Argentina were on top, though, and the hosts were awarded a penalty following a VAR check when Guillermo Maripan recklessly brought down Lautaro Martinez in the box.
Messi casually rolled the ball low to the left of former Barcelona and Manchester City ‘keeper Bravo, who dived the wrong way on 24 minutes.
The lead lasted only 12 minutes before Inter Milan forward Sanchez tapped home into an empty net from four metres out after a stretching Gary Medel turned Charles Aranguiz’s free kick back across goal.
“I was missing a goal against Argentina, I’d never scored one before so I’m very happy,” Sanchez said after the game.
In first-half injury time, Messi came close to restoring Argentina’s advantage with a free kick from 20 metres that was heading for the top corner until Bravo leapt to tip the ball away one-handed.
The hosts continued to carve out the better opportunities in the second period but Bravo saved comfortably from Angel di Maria and Martinez.
At the other end, Sanchez fired over the bar with a long-range free kick.
His Inter team-mate Martinez was a livewire in the box and lashed a shot wide before coming inches from turning in a devilish cross into the danger zone.
Bravo denies Messi
Ten minutes from time, from an identical position to his first-half free kick, Messi went even closer to scoring but rattled the corner of bar and post with Bravo beaten.
The Barcelona magician came to life in the closing stages and forced Bravo into a sprawling save down to his left and then a minute later, a leaping block high to his right.
On Tuesday, Argentina travel to Colombia while Chile host Bolivia.
Without the suspended Edinson Cavani, whose partner gave birth to his fourth child earlier in the day, Uruguay laboured to a 0-0 draw with Paraguay that kept the two sides locked on seven points and battling for the final automatic qualification spot.
In a game of few clear chances, Uruguay actually had the ball in the net through Jonathan Rodriguez in the first half in Montevideo but it was controversially ruled out for an offside against Matias Vina.
Marcelo Moreno scored a brace as Bolivia climbed off the bottom of the table with a 3-1 win over Venezuela in La Paz.
Jhon Chancellor had equalised for Venezuela in the first half after Moreno’s early opener but Diego Bejarano put Bolivia back in front on the hour mark before the hosts’ hero sealed the victory late on.
Having lost their previous two games by an aggregate score of 9-1, Colombia reignited their push for Qatar 2022 with a 3-0 victory over Peru, who had Miguel Trauco sent off, in Lima.
Both sides finished with 10 men as goals from Yerry Mina, Mateus Uribe and Luis Diaz gave Colombia victory, despite Daniel Munoz’s dismissal.
-AFP
International Football
Again, it is #DestinationMorocco as FIFA takes Women’s Series 2025 to the Kingdom
By Kunle Solaja
FIFA has officially confirmed that the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, with the opening matches scheduled to kick off on Sunday, October 26.
The event marks yet another milestone for Moroccan football, further cementing the kingdom’s growing stature as a global hub for the sport.
The upcoming tournament promises historic firsts for women’s football. The Afghan Women United team—formed from Afghan players living in exile—will play their first-ever international match, while Chad and Libya will make their FIFA/Coca-Cola Women’s World Ranking debuts at the conclusion of the round-robin competition.
In a statement, FIFA expressed gratitude to the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FMRF) for its collaboration and reiterated its commitment to advancing women’s football globally. The world football governing body also reaffirmed its support for Afghan women footballers, no
ting that the FIFA Strategy for Action for Afghan Women’s Football, approved by the FIFA Council in May 2025, continues to guide the federation’s inclusive efforts.
“FIFA looks forward to working closely with the FMRF to host a successful and symbolic tournament that showcases the unifying power of football,” the organization said.
As part of that effort, FIFA confirmed that Afghan Women United was selected as the team’s new official name following consultations with players—a symbolic gesture reflecting unity, resilience, and identity amid global challenges.
Morocco: A Flourishing Football Destination
Morocco’s selection as host comes at a time when the North African nation’s football profile is soaring. The country is currently hosting the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and, just this week, celebrated another historic milestone as its U-20 men’s team clinched the FIFA U-20 World Cup title—a triumph widely viewed as the fruit of a long-term national sports vision.
A Victory Rooted in Royal Vision
The Lion Cubs’ success is no accident. It stems from a deliberate and structured sports policy championed by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who has consistently positioned sport as a catalyst for human, social, and territorial development. Since the National Sports Conference of 2008, the King’s leadership has inspired a generation of athletes and administrators to see football as both a unifying national force and a tool for youth empowerment.
The Mohammed VI Football Academy: Cradle of Excellence
Central to Morocco’s football renaissance is the Mohammed VI Football Academy (AMF), inaugurated in 2010. The academy epitomizes the royal vision of using sport as a means of education, personal growth, and international competitiveness. Five players from the victorious U-20 squad—Yassir Zabir, Othmane Kountoune, Fouad Zahouani, Houssam Essadak, and Yassine Khalifi—are proud graduates of the academy.
Investing in Infrastructure and Inclusion
Morocco’s nationwide expansion of local playing fields, regional training centres, and modern football facilities has created a fertile ground for nurturing young talent. This democratization of access to sport has shaped a new generation of Moroccan youth—disciplined, skilled, and confident on the global stage.
The success of both the Atlas Lions at the 2022 FIFA World Cup and the Atlas Lionesses, who reached the knockout stages of the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, reflects the depth of this comprehensive strategy.
A Beacon of African and Arab Football
With the hosting of the FIFA Unites: Women’s Series 2025 and the country’s string of international achievements, Morocco continues to position itself as a pioneer in African and Arab football. Its success is more than athletic—it is symbolic of a nation where sport drives progress, unity, and pride.
As the Afghan Women United, Chad, and Libya prepare to make history in Morocco this October, the Kingdom once again proves that its football journey is not only national but inspirational—anchored in vision, excellence, and the unifying power of the beautiful game.
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Brazil will round off their 2025 calendar with two friendly matches in Europe next month, taking on Senegal and Tunisia as part of their preparations for the 2026 World Cup, the Brazilian FA (CBF) announced on Thursday.
The five-time world champions, managed by Carlo Ancelotti, will face Senegal on November 15 at Emirates Stadium in London and, three days later, they will meet Tunisia in Lille, France.
The CBF announced that these fixtures were designed to “provide the team with valuable experience against African opposition” ahead of next year’s tournament in North America.
After the conclusion of the South American qualifiers, the choice of opponents follows October’s encounters against Asian teams, which saw Brazil beat South Korea 5-0 but suffer a stunning first defeat to Japan.
With coach Ancelotti facing limited preparation time after arriving in May from Real Madrid, the matches form part of a broader plan to expose Brazil to a variety of playing styles in preparation for next year’s the World Cup.
Looking ahead to March 2026, the CBF has indicated that Brazil’s next set of friendlies will likely be against top-level European nations, with the U.S. as the expected venue.
Ancelotti has been steadily implementing his vision for the squad and has emphasised the importance of adapting to diverse tactical challenges, particularly against teams from other continents.
CBF sources indicated that the plan for the three remaining international breaks would be to make final observations regarding players and tactical adjustments in November, lock in the starting line-up in March and strengthen ties with Brazilian fans with a final friendly at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana before departing for the tournament.
The upcoming friendlies against Senegal and Tunisia will provide an opportunity to test Brazil’s readiness against two of Africa’s strongest sides.
Senegal boast a formidable squad featuring Sadio Mane, Nicolas Jackson and Kalidou Koulibaly. They shocked Brazil 4-2 in their last encounter, a friendly played in Lisbon two years ago.
Tunisia, meanwhile, are known for their defensive organisation and have consistently performed well in African competitions.
Back in September they were the second African team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup with two games to spare.
-Reuters
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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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