International Football
First silverware-eyeing Ghana calls 30 players to camp for Aisha Buhari Cup
Ghana women’s national team which is yet to win any major international honour despite the country’s high profile in African football is leaving no stone unturned in the quest for honours at the Aisha Buhari Cup tournament in Lagos.
The Head Coach Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo has invited 30 players to the camp of the Black Queens in preparation for the maiden edition of the invitational tournament taking place in Lagos, from 13th to 21st September.
Ghana play in Group B of the tournament against Cameroon and South Africa. In the roster, there are 22 home–based professionals and eight foreign-based players, including team captain Elizabeth Addo and Grace Asentawaa of Spanish club, Real Betis.
THE FULL SQUAD
Fafali Dumehasi (Police Ladies), Kerrie McCarthy (Kumasi Sports Academy), Mary Neequaye (Immigration Ladies), Abigail Tawiah Mensah (Berry Ladies), Victoria Antwi-Agyei (Kumasi Sports Academy), Gladys Amfobea (Lady Strikers), Beatrice Sesu (Police Ladies), Jaqueline Asamoah (Kumasi Sport Academy), Ellen Coleman (Lady Strikers), Janet Egyir (Hasaacas Ladies), Linda Eshun (Hasaacas Ladies), Janet Adu Agyemang (Fabulous Ladies), Philicity Asuako (Police Ladies), Nina Norshie (Berry Ladies) Justice Tweneboa (Ampem Darkoa Ladies), Mary Essiful (Soccer Intellectuals), Grace Adams (Berry Ladies), Henrietta Annie (Police Ladies), Monica Addai (Berry Ladies), Rashida Ibrahim (Berry Ladies), Elizabeth Owusua (Sea Lions), Milot Pokua (Hasaacas Ladies), Sophia Agyarkwa (Soccer Intellectuals), Vivian Adjei Konadu (Thunder Queens), Sonia Opoku (Ampem Darkoa Ladies), Veronica Appiah (Hasaacas Ladies), Naomi Animah (Kumasi Sports Academy)
Foreign-Based: Jennifer Cudjoe (Gotham FC), Grace Asentewaa (Real Betis Feminas), Wasila Diwura Soale (LSU), Elizabeth Addo (Djurgaden IF), Portia Boakye (Djurgaden IF), Eunice Beckman Nketiah (FC Cologne), Alice Kusi (ZFK Spartak), Priscilla Adubea (Racing Santander)
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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