International Football
Ghana-Nigeria World Cup matches likely to headline discussion as Dudu-Orumen hosts Eguavoen at Sportshaq 
Sixteen days to the epic confrontation of Ghana and Nigeria in Cape Coast Ghana, Nigeria’s rescue manager, Austin Eguavoen will be talking at a sports session being hosted by former Edo State Sports Commission boss, Godwin Dudu-Orumen at his sports bar, Sportsshaq on Sunday.
According to Dudu-Orumen, sports fans and members of the Nigerian football family are in for exciting moments during the hosting of the Super Eagles coach, Augustine Eguavoen, the Nigeria’s premier sports lounge SportsShaq.
Godwin Dudu-Orumen, Sportshaq’s founder and Chief Executive Officer(CEO), said Eguavoen, fondly called Cerezo, was being hosted among many reasons for the sprite, class and purpose he had brought to the Super Eagles since he was appointed Interim Manager of the team in late 2021.
Eguavoen was the on-field captain for the Super Eagles when the team first won the Africa Cup of Nations outside Nigeria’s shores.
“The Eagles were a shadow of their erstwhile rugged and purposeful selves under the German, Gernort Rohr.
“Their play was listless and uninspiring but that changed with the coming of Eguavoen.
“As we saw at the last Nations Cup, Eguavoen rejuvenated the Eagles imbuing them with the confidence and zeal that the team lacked for years under Rohr”, said Dudu-Orumen, one of Nigeria’s sports administrators and repository of football knowledge, which earned him the moniker, Football Aficionado.
Speaking further on the hosting of Eguavoen, himself a former captain of the Eagles, Dudu-Orumen said the event will attract leading members of the Nigerian sports fraternity including Barrister Seyi Akinwumi. First Vice President of the Nigerian Football Federation, Chief Segun Odegbami, former Chairman of the board of the National Institute of Sports and one-time captain of the Eagles, Dr. Larry Izamoje, one of Nigeria’s most respected journalists and founder of the country’s first sports radio station, Mitchel Obi, President of African Sports Journalists Union(ASJU) and other top journalists like Tayo Balogun, Gboyega Okegbenro and Godwin Enakhena.
He added that in addition to the personalities above, other guests to grace the occasion includes communication industry captains and brand custodians like Gamaliel Ese Onosode, Ehi Braimah, Tony Agenmomen, Igbo Amadi-Obi, Nnanke Harry-Willie, Chidi Okoro; Corporate Executives, Chidi Anadozie, Ohimai Unuigboje, legal luminaries- Chief Charles Umwensuyi-Edosomwan SAN, Kemi Pinheiro SAN, Hrm Babatunde Ogala SAN, Adedapo Tunde-Olowu SAN, Chijioke Okoli SAN, Ikenna Okoli SAN, Biriyai Dambo SAN, Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Bayelsa State, Sola Aiyepeku , Chairman Lagos State Sports Commission and Hon Gbenga Elegbeleye former Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC).
The Football Aficionado disclosed that the event, which will commence by 6pm will afford the Super Eagles coach the opportunity to feel the pulse of the many football fans who daily throng Sportshaq to savour the best of football and other sports.
“It promises to be an interesting time this Sunday at Sportshaq. It will be an evening to remember”, Dudu-Orumen said.
Eguavoen himself is looking forward to the event as it will afford him opportunity to connect with football fans in Lagos where for many years he titillated them with his deft marking skills as a defender with the Eagles.
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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