International Football
Women’s Afcon 2022: Twenty countries face crucial qualifiers
The final 10 qualifiers for the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will be decided this month – and 10 sides will be eliminated from Women’s World Cup qualifying as a result.
Uganda, who were given a bye after Kenya withdrew, and hosts Morocco are already assured of a place at the finals, which will be played from 2-23 July this year.
Africa’s representatives for the 2023 Women’s World Cup will be decided at the Nations Cup, with the semi-finalists all booking spots in Australia and New Zealand.
Twenty countries face two-legged play-offs to qualify for the tournament in Morocco, with the first legs taking place 16-18 February and the returns between 21-23 February.
Nigeria have won the past three editions but face a difficult tie against Ivory Coast, the fifth-highest ranked side on the continent.
The Lady Elephants previously knocked Nigeria out of the qualifiers for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, while the Super Falcons narrowly saw off West African rivals Ghana in the first round last October.
“We obviously know what’s at stake,” Nigeria coach Randy Waldrum said.
“We know the history with the Ivory Coast and we have a lot of respect for their side.”
Elsewhere South Africa, runners-up at the last Nations Cup in Ghana in 2018, face Algeria.
“This is a step that we really need to focus on,” Banyana Banyana captain Andile Dlamini said.
“You have to qualify for the Women’s Afcon. When we get there, we have to make sure we perform to our level best to qualify for the World Cup.”
Women’s Afcon second-round play-off first leg ties
Wednesday, 16 February
- Burundi v Djibouti (Ngozi, 13:00 GMT)
- Zambia v Namibia (Lusaka, 13:00 GMT)
- Guinea-Bissau v Burkina Faso (Bissau, 15:30 GMT)
- Senegal v Mali (Thies, 16:30 GMT)
Thursday, 17 February
- Togo v Gabon (Lome, 15:00 GMT)
Friday, 18 February
- Zimbabwe v Botswana (Harare, 13:00 GMT)
- South Africa v Algeria (Johannesburg, 14:00 GMT)
- Tunisia v Equatorial Guinea (Solimane, 14:00 GMT)
- Cameroon v The Gambia (Yaounde, 14:30 GMT)
- Nigeria v Ivory Coast (Abuja, 15:00 GMT)
Dates and kick-off times of return legs to be confirmed.
-BBC
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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