International Football
Nigeria beat Mozambique to reach U20 AFCON quarter-finals
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria beat Mozambique 2-0 in Ismailia to qualify for the quarter-finals of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations on Saturday night.
Ladan Bosso’s charges scored two sumptuous goals in the first half through Samson Lawal and Ibrahim Muhammad to secure second place in Group A.
The record seven time champions of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations have 6 points while Senegal top the group with 9 points following their 4-0 thumping of host nation Egypt in Cairo.
The Nigerians dominated possession at Suez Canal Stadium in Ismailia.
Ibrahim Muhammad tested the Mozambican keeper with a speculative shot from distance after five minutes.
Kimiss Zavala was well positioned to gather the effort as the Young Os Mambas weathered the early Flying Eagles pressure.
Ladan Bosso’s charges continue to pile pressure on Mozambique with Haliru Sarki and Ibrahim Muhammad providing width to the Nigerian attack.
The Nigerians created half chances through Haliru Sarki whose half volley came off a Mozambican defender after 20 minutes.
Kimiss Zavala pulled a smart one handed save to deny Ayuba Abubakarr from giving the Flying Eagles the lead in Ismailia.
The lively Ibrahim Muhammad played in Abubakarr who controlled the ball with his back to goal before firing straight at Kimiss who made himself big.
Nigeria broke the deadlock through Samson Lawal on 32 minutes with a stupendous strike from distance to beat the helpless Kimiss Zavala.
The PRO Success Football Academy forward latched on to a quick interchange of passes between fullback Augustine Njoku and Haliru Sarki before beating Kimiss with a powerful strike.
The Flying Eagles doubled their lead four minutes before halftime through Ibrahim Muhammad’s sumptuous strike from outside the area.
Muhammad Aminu cut in from the left to release the Cartagena FC striker who had a touch to set himself before beating Kimiss to make it 2-0.
The second half was an even contest with Mozambique playing on the break while Nigeria ring changes to give playing time to other members of the squad.
Substitute Jude Sunday saw his ferocious effort turned over by the busy Kimiss Zavala ten minutes into the second half.
Another Nigerian substitute Olamilekan Adams forced a save from Kimiss as Ladan Bosso’s charges pushed more men forward.
The Young Os Mambas’ only real opportunity came late on through substitute Jose Rabelina Zavala close range effort.
The Flying Eagles join Senegal in the quarter-finals of the U-20 Africa Cup of Nations while Egypt and Mozambique crash out.
Representatives from four national players’ unions on Thursday launched a new global organisation in Madrid, which they say will strengthen footballers’ rights and improve dialogue with governing bodies.
Opening a new front in the battle over who speaks for players, the International Footballers’ Association (AIF) was unveiled, with David Aganzo, president of Spain’s Association of Footballers (AFE) and a former head of the global union FIFPRO, appointed to lead the organisation.
Players’ unions from Brazil, Mexico and Switzerland were also represented.
The initiative drew a swift rebuke from FIFPRO, which said in a statement that Aganzo was acting out of self-interest and aligning himself with organisations linked to football governing bodies, as well as groups expelled from FIFPRO over alleged mismanagement.
Aganzo rejected the criticism, saying he “will not seek confrontation with FIFPRO”.
The launch comes amid strained relations between players’ unions and football authorities, particularly over the expanding international match calendar.
Relations between FIFA and FIFPRO deteriorated in 2024 after the union lodged a complaint with the European Commission, arguing that the global governing body was abusing its dominant position by adding competitions without sufficient consultation.
Aganzo denied suggestions that the new initiative was backed by FIFA president Gianni Infantino, but said “direct dialogue with FIFA” was essential.
AFE’s Extraordinary General Assembly approved the initiative in February with 99.8% of votes cast in favour of spearheading the creation of the AIF.
The same assembly also backed AFE’s withdrawal from FIFPRO, citing what it described as a “complete lack of transparency, as well as its total lack of dialogue with international bodies.”
“We represent over 30,000 footballers, and we come here with a new model aimed at safeguarding players’ rights and facilitating direct communication with all international bodies,” Aganzo told reporters.
“We are in contact with 15 to 20 unions already who were very aware of this moment and waiting for this announcement to make their move and join our initiative.”
He declined to identify any unions beyond those present.
Asked about a report that a senior envoy to U.S. President Donald Trump had urged FIFA to replace Iran with Italy at the upcoming World Cup, Aganzo urged caution.
“These are more political issues; on April 30th, I’ll be speaking to Gianni (Infantino) at the FIFA Congress, and we will discuss those things,” Aganzo said.
“People who want to go to the World Cup have to earn their place on sporting merit.”
-Reuters
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A new trial over the death of Argentine soccer legend Diego Maradona will begin on Tuesday, with seven members of his medical team charged with negligent homicide nearly a year after a previous case collapsed in a mistrial.
An enduring presence in Argentina – from towering murals to tattoos, opens new tab – Maradona died on November 25, 2020, at 60, after a heart attack while he was recuperating from brain surgery to remove a blood clot.
A court in San Isidro, near Buenos Aires, will hear testimony from just under 100 witnesses as it tries Maradona’s medical team over alleged negligence in the death of the 1986 World Cup champion.
His medical team has denied wrongdoing. The defendants are psychiatrist Agustina Cosachov, neurosurgeon Leopoldo Luque, psychologist Carlos Angel Diaz, physician Nancy Edith Forlini, nurse Ricardo Almiron, head nurse Mariano Ariel Perroni, and physician Pedro Pablo Di Spagna. An eighth defendant, nurse Dahiana Madrid, will be tried in a separate jury trial, with no date yet set.
Two months into the first trial, which started last March, a mistrial was declared when one of three judges, Julieta Makintach, resigned after video surfaced showing her being interviewed by a camera crew in the corridors of the courthouse and in her office as part of a documentary, in breach of judicial rules.
The retrial will require both prosecutors and defense lawyers to reassess their strategies after the first trial aired photographs, videos, audio recordings and forensic evidence. Many witnesses, including Maradona’s children and his former wife, Claudia Villafane, have already testified.
Prosecutors argued in the initial trial that medical professionals broke treatment protocols and that the home where Maradona was recovering from surgery amounted to a “theatre of horror,” where necessary care was not provided.
The defense countered that his death was inevitable given his longstanding health problems. Maradona struggled for decades with cocaine and alcohol addiction.
The negligence charges emerged in 2021 after prosecutors appointed a medical board to investigate Maradona’s death. The panel concluded his medical team acted in an “inappropriate, deficient and reckless” manner.
-Reuters
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Aliou Cisse has been named coach of the Angola national team, the country’s football federation (FAF) announced on Thursday, 24 hours after the Senegalese left his post in Libya.
The 50-year-old coach, who led Senegal to their maiden Africa Cup of Nations title in 2022, ended his short stint with the Libyan national team on Wednesday, after taking charge in March 2025.
“Welcome, Aliou Cisse, head coach of the Angola national team,” the FAF said on Facebook. Angola, which failed to reach this year’s World Cup, will start their 2027 AFCON qualifying campaign in September.
-Reuters
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