International Football
Record champions, Flying Eagles set two targets as CAF U-20 Nations Cup gets underway in Cairo
Starting from this Sunday afternoon, Nigeria’s Super Eagles are to truncate a possible four-fold target by Senegal as the Africa Cup of nations for the Under 20 gets underway.
Senegal are the reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions and earlier this month added the CHAN title in Algeria. They are also the seven-time African champions as well as reigning champions in CAF Beach Soccer competition.
Victory in the CAF Under 20 Nations Cup will give the Senegalese a clean sweep of all the African national competitions.
To avert a possible Senegal’s quadruple, the Herculean task begins with the Nigeria Flying Eagles as they face Senegal in Cairo.
They also put at stake, the record seven-time win of the African title in the Group A opener.
The Flying Eagles failed to qualify for the last edition of the tournament in Mauritania, but, according to CAFonline, captain Daniel Daga has his sights on a World Cup berth and a record extending eighth title.
“We are proud to be in Egypt for this great tournament and we want to qualify for the FIFA World Cup and win the tournament,” the Dakkada FC midfielder said.
Nigeria qualified for U-20 Africa Cup of Nations Egypt 2023 by virtue of emerging Champions at WAFU B U-20 regional tournament in May 2022 in Niger.
In the process of team’s qualification, the Nigeria U-20 men’s team defeated 2021 AFCON cup holders, Ghana 2-0 , Cote’d Ivoire 2-1 in the semi final and Benin Republic 3-1 on final day to be crowned WAFU B regional champions.
“Nigeria has experience in major tournaments and we’re in Egypt to compete and we will give our best,” head coach Ladan Bosso said.
The seven time champions are in Group A with host country Egypt, Mozambique and Sunday’s opponents Senegal.
The match between the two West African giants will be the repeat of the 2015 final which Nigeria won in Dakar courtesy Bernard Bulbwa’s goal.
“We received the support of the Nigeria Football Federation as we prepared for tournament with regular camps to be at a very good level,” Bosso added.
Nigeria claimed the first of their seven titles in 1983 and the most recent in 2015. The Flying Eagles have lost only two finals in 1999 and 2007 while finishing third on three occasions in 1995, 2005, 2013 and fourth in 2019.
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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