International Football
World Cup qualifiers: Hard fighting Namibia down Togo in Lome
Namibia clinched a precious 1-0 victory on Sunday, beating Togo at their backyard in Lome in their quest for a first ever qualification to the FIFA World Cup, with the Road to Qatar 2022 gathering pace.
Having started their campaign with a draw against Congo, Namibia were in good motivation heading away to Togo who started their journey in the qualification matches with a loss against Senegal.
At the Kegue Stadium in Lome, the first few minutes were fairly balanced, although Namibia created the best chances. The Southern Africans had a brilliant opportunity to break the deadlock after 31 minutes when Peter Shalulile broke through on goal, but couldn’t beat Togolese keeper Malcom Barcola one on one.
The home side struggled to create many chances infront of goal but came close a minutes to the break but Kodjo Laba’s well angled header couldn’t go past keeper Lloyd Kazapua.
After a goalless opening half, the second stanza was always going to be tensely competitive. It was the Namibians who would go for goal first, breaking the deadlock after 54 minutes through Elmo Kambindu’s brilliant effort.
Kambindu rifled in a bicycle kick past the keeper after picking up a freekick delivered by Deon Hotto, which was deflected before falling brilliantly into the box.
Stunned by the goal, Togo began to play with more urgency. Elom Nya-Vedji had an effort for the Togolese Sparrow Hawks, but his eventual shot from the right foot went over the bar.
Namibia almost suffered a second goal but had the frame of goal to thank in the 74th minute when Shalulile put Absalom Limbondji through on goal but the latter was denied by the woodwork.
Namibia were almost made to pay for that missed opportunity just four minutes on the turn but their keeper made a brilliant save to deny Laba, who had been Togo’s biggest threat on goal all game.
Paulo Duarte’s Togolese side kept the push to try and get something off the game and starve off a second consecutive defeat. However, their efforts went to nothing as they couldn’t find the back of the net for the second consecutive game.
With the result, Namibia moves top of Group H with four points pending Senegal’s match against Congo on Tuesday. With no points and no goals, Togo sits bottom of the group.
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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In a compelling twist of football destiny, Davide Ancelotti is stepping into his own spotlight as he begins his first head coaching role at Brazilian club Botafogo—just months after parting ways with his legendary father, Carlo Ancelotti, at Real Madrid.
The 35-year-old has been appointed as Botafogo’s new manager, the club announced on Tuesday, following the sacking of Renato Paiva. Davide, who has spent the last decade working alongside his father at some of Europe’s top clubs—including Bayern Munich, Napoli, Everton, and Real Madrid—has signed a one-year deal with the Rio-based team.
This marks a significant milestone for the younger Ancelotti, whose career has long been shaped by his father’s influence, but who now faces the challenge of carving his own identity on the touchline.
The move comes shortly after both father and son departed Real Madrid at the end of last season, with Carlo taking over the Brazilian national team. Now, in a poetic alignment, father and son find themselves on different paths within Brazilian football—one leading the Seleção, the other steering the fortunes of a storied domestic club.
Botafogo’s decision to appoint Davide follows a controversial parting with Paiva, who was dismissed just days after their exit from the Club World Cup. Though he oversaw a stunning win over Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain, a 1-0 extra-time loss to Palmeiras in the round of 16 proved to be his final act after just four months in charge.
As Davide Ancelotti begins this new chapter, all eyes will be on whether the son of one of football’s most decorated managers can step out from his father’s shadow—and perhaps, in time, build a legacy of his own.
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