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Cameroon keep World Cup hopes alive as Zambia thrash Mauritania

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First half goals from captain Vincent Aboubakar and Franck Zambo Anguissa and a late brace from Christian Bassogog handed Cameroon a 4-0 victory over 10-man Malawi in Johannesburg on Saturday as the Indomitable Lions kept their World Cup hopes alive.

 

The victory took them to 12 points and top of Group D pending Cote d’Ivoire’s match against Mozambique later Saturday. The Ivorians are two points behind.

Against Malawi, Cameroon broke the deadlock in the 23rd minute from the penalty spot after John Banda handled Aboubakar’s goal bound shot on the line.

For his mess, Banda was sent off and the Cameroonian skipper stepped up to the spot, calmly converting the penalty.

Earlier, they had come close when Nicolas Ngamaleu’s well curled freekick from 25 yards out went inches over the bar.

Cameroon were dominant especially when they had the advantage of numbers.

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They doubled their tally four minutes to halftime when Anguissa struck a superb goal.

From a short start to a corner, the midfielder set himself up with the first touch before volleying into the bottom right with his second.

Cameroon went to the break two goals up and deservedly so.

Malawi gave a fight in the second half despite their numerical handicap but couldn’t gather enough to get the two goals back.

In their hunt for goals they were hurt further when substitute Christian Bassogog scored twice within two minutes. The forward who had come on for Ngamaleu scored in the 85th and 87th minutes.

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Zambia 4-0 Mauritania

In Zambia, a Fashion Sakala Hatrick adding on to Patson Daka’s opener handed Zambia some hope of qualification.

The victory took the Chipolopolo to seven points, three behind Tunisia who later play Equatorial Guinea.

If the Carthage Eagles lose against the Equatoguineans, Zambia will stand a chance heading to the final round of matches.

The home side were in for business from the onset against Mauritania who had no hopes of progressing to the playoff round.

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They scored thrice within 11 minutes towards the end of the first half. Daka broke the deadlock wi to a connection inside the six yard box off a cross from the left.

Mauritania were undone from width once again as Sakala added the second in the 37th minute with a simple tap in, this time the cross coming from the right.

Sakala added his second at the stroke of halftime, scoring from the penalty spot.

He would complete his hatrick in the 63rd minute as Zambia collected their second victory of the group phase.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

German Thomas Tuchel becomes 3rd foreign manager for England

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 - Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 12, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel looks on before the match REUTERS/Angelika Warmuth/File Photo

Former Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel has been named the new head coach of the England national team, the country’s Football Association said in a statement on Wednesday.

The German, who is England’s third foreign manager, after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello, will be assisted by Englishman Anthony Barry, the statement added.

“We are thrilled to have hired Thomas Tuchel, one of the best coaches in the world and Anthony Barry who is one of the best English coaches to support him,” FA CEO Mark Bullingham said.

Tuchel replaces Lee Carsley, England’s under-21 manager, who has been in temporary charge since the resignation of Gareth Southgate after England’s defeat by Spain in the Euro 2024 final in July.

-Reuters

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Factbox on England head coach Thomas Tuchel

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Champions League - Bayern Munich Training - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 7, 2024 Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel on the pitch during a walk around REUTERS/Juan Medina/File Photo

German Thomas Tuchel has been appointed head coach of the England national team on Wednesday.

Born: Aug. 29, 1973 in Krumbach, Germany.

PLAYING CAREER

* Tuchel played for his local club TSV Krumbach, before moving to FC Augsburg’s academy at the age of 15.

* He never played for Augsburg’s senior side and joined German second division team Stuttgarter Kickers in 1992.

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* After eight league appearances for Kickers, Tuchel moved to fourth-tier SSV Ulm.

* Tuchel made 69 league appearances for Ulm as a central defender before he was forced to retire in 1998 at the age of 25 due to a knee injury.

COACHING CAREER

* Tuchel began his coaching career with a youth team role at VfB Stuttgart in 2000, working with future Germany internationals Mario Gomez and Holger Badstuber.

* He returned to Augsburg and took charge of their reserve team for the 2007-08 season.

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* Tuchel was appointed Mainz 05 manager in 2009, replacing compatriot Juergen Klopp.

* He guided Mainz to Bundesliga stability during his five-year stint at the club, gaining plaudits for his team’s high energy, attacking style of play.

* Tuchel took over from Klopp as Borussia Dortmund coach in 2015.

* He led Dortmund to a 2-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2017 German Cup final. He was sacked by Dortmund three days later.

* Tuchel joined Paris St Germain in 2018 on a two-year contract, replacing Unai Emery.

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* He won two Ligue 1 titles, including a domestic quadruple in his second season, and guided the club to their first Champions League final, where they lost 1-0 to Bayern Munich.

* Tuchel was sacked by PSG on Christmas Eve in 2020, despite the club finishing top of their Champions League group and sitting third in the Ligue 1 table.

* He was named Chelsea manager in January 2021 on an initial 18-month contract following the dismissal of Frank Lampard.

* Tuchel revived the team’s Premier League season and guided the London club to the Champions League final, where they beat Manchester City. Chelsea also won the Super Cup and Club World Cup.

* Chelsea sacked Tuchel in September 2022 following a shock 1-0 defeat at Dinamo Zagreb in their opening Champions League group game.

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* Bayern Munich appointed Tuchel to succeed Julian Nagelsmann in March last year.

* Bayern decided to let Tuchel go at the end of the 2023-24 season despite a contract until 2025. Tuchel steered Bayern to the Bundesliga title in 2022-23, but they finished the last campaign without any silverware for the first time in more than a decade.

* Tuchel will become England’s third foreign manager after Sweden’s Sven-Goran Eriksson and Italian Fabio Capello.

* Tuchel will take over the team in January ahead of the qualification campaign for the 2026 World Cup.

-Reuters

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Portugal call up same player named in England Under-18 squad

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Mateus Mane in England's colour

Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Mateus Mane has become hot property after Portugal named the 17-year-old in their Under-18 squad on Friday, one day after England included him in their squad.

Mane was called up for a second successive England youth camp by coach Liam Bramley before the team travel to Marbella for a four-team tournament this month.

Mane is eligible for both teams having played for the Portugal Under-17 side last season. As the Under-18 team is a non-UEFA age group, both nations are entitled to call the player up.

He made his England international debut last month against the Portugal Under-18 side who have named Mane in their squad for a four-nation tournament this month.

With both tournaments running concurrently, Mane can only play for one team and Wolves and England confirmed he would feature in Bramley’s side.

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Reuters has contacted Portugal’s football association for clarification.

While players with multiple nationalities have played for more than one country if they are eligible, they are not allowed to switch allegiances at senior level – unless they have played only in friendly matches for the first country.

-Reuters

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