International Football
Mahrez strikes as African champions Algeria set 27-game unbeaten record
Captain Riyad Mahrez scored as Algeria defeated Tunisia 2-0 in an international friendly on Friday (June 11) to create a record 27-match unbeaten run by an African national team.
An Ivory Coast side that included brothers Yaya and Kolo Toure and Didier Drogba set a 26-match benchmark in 2013, and Algeria began their remarkable run by winning 4-1 away to Togo five years later.
Popularly known as the Desert Foxes, the north Africans set the record by winning 20 matches, drawing seven, scoring 58 goals and conceding 17.
They faced 24 opponents from Africa plus Mexico, Colombia and Qatar, played nine matches at home, six away and 12 at neutral venues.
Facing Tunisia away was a huge challenge as reigning African champions Algeria sought to overtake the mark set by the Ivorian “golden generation”.
The Tunisians are ranked second in Africa, two places above Algeria. They had home advantage and took a 12-match unbeaten run into the north African showdown.
But Algerian fears that they might trip at the final hurdle were soon allayed as Qatar-based Baghdad Bounedjah and Manchester City winger Mahrez scored within 28 minutes of the kickoff.
Rattled after conceding twice, there was no way back for the hosts against an Algerian defence marshalled by Aissa Mandi and Djamel Benlamri.
The centre-backs were among eight starters in Rades who also began the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal in Cairo, which Algeria won 1-0 through a Bounedjah goal.
AC Milan midfielder Ismail Bennacer missed the wins over Mauritania, Mali and Tunisia this month due to a foot injury that required surgery.
Right-back Mehdi Zeffane and midfielder Adlene Guedioura were the other absentees and Youcef Atal, Ramiz Zerrouki and Haris Belkebla took their places.
Guedioura did come off the bench during the second half only to be red-carded two minutes from the end of regular time.
The line-up was composed exclusively of Algerians based in Europe and the Middle East, including three playing in France and two in Qatar, with Mahrez the sole English Premier League representative.
Having broken the African record, coach Djamel Belmadi can now adjust his sights to the 36-match world mark set by then world champions Brazil in 1996.
Algeria are scheduled to play back-to-back 2022 World Cup qualifiers in September, October and November in a group that includes Djibouti, Burkina Faso and Niger.
The toughest of the six fixtures should be the visit to Burkina Faso, who defeated Algeria the last time the countries met in a World Cup qualifier in Ouagadougou.
Algeria will then defend the Cup of Nations title from Jan 9 in Cameroon, where they hope to become the first country since Egypt in 2010 to retain the title.
-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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