International Football
Britain kick off Tokyo 2020 women’s football tournament with 2-0 win against Chile
Great Britain got off to the perfect start in Group E as they beat Chile 2-0 in the first game of the Tokyo 2020 women’s football tournament early this morning (Nigerian time).
The Lionesses began brightly, with Ellen White having a goal ruled out for offside after a Georgia Stanway shot from outside the area fell kindly to her in the box.
However, the 32-year-old Manchester City player was not to be denied her moment of glory, as a Lauren Hemp cross was headed back across goal for White to bundle home in the 18th minute.
Chile, making their debut at this year’s Games, were largely pinned back in their own half in the first period, with Britain registering 12 shots to Chile’s two.
However, the tight scoreline gave the South American team a glimmer of hope as they headed into the second 45 minutes.
The second half continued in the same manner as the first, with White again squandering a gilt-edged chance when she shot wide under pressure from a Chilean defender in the 55th minute.
However, White only had to wait until the 73rd minute to double her tally, as a Lucy Bronze cross found her free in the middle of the penalty area and she made no mistake in firing the ball past Chile’s goalkeeper Christiane Endler to make it 2-0.
White, who was the joint top scorer in the 2019 World Cup with six goals with US superstars Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan, looks in ominous form as she spearheads a Great Britain attack hoping to improve upon the quarter-final appearance they made at London 2012 – the last time a British football team competed at an Olympics.
They continue their campaign on 24 July when they play Olympics hosts Japan before their final group game against Canada on 27 July.
Chile fought bravely throughout the match and will need to regroup before their next fixture against Canada – bronze medallists at the last two Olympics – on 24 July. Their final group game will be against Japan on 27 July at Miyagi Stadium
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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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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