AFCON
Algeria Coach Belmadi Tells Players He Quits –
![Algeria Coach Belmadi Tells Players He Quits -](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Algeria-Coach-Belmadi-Tells-Players-He-Quits.jpg)
Algeria coach Djamel Belmadi told his players he was quitting after they were eliminated from the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Tuesday, the state-run Algerie Presse Service reported on Wednesday.
No announcement has come from Belmadi or the Algerian football federation but the news agency reported Belmadi had made the announcement in the changing room after Algeria were beaten 1-0 by Mauritania in Bouake on Tuesday in a shock result at a tournament already rife with sensational upsets.
Earlier, in the post-match press conference, he told reporters who asked about his future: “When we return to the country I will tell you.”
Algeria were due to depart Bouake later on Wednesday.
Belmadi is the third coaching casualty in a matter of hours at the tournament in the Ivory Coast after Gambia’s Tom Saintfiet quit and then Ghana announced the sacking of Chris Hughton.
Belmadi was coach when Algeria won the 2019 Cup of Nations in Egypt but his side have finished bottom of their opening round group for two successive editions since.
They also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, conceding a last gasp goal at home to Cameroon to go out on the away goals rule in a play-off.
Belmadi, famed for emotive gesturing on the touch line and a demonstrative demeanour, has clung onto his job despite the recent setbacks. Algeria were fancied to do well at the Cup of Nations in the Ivory Coast with a formidable squad.
But they were held to draws by Angola and Burkina Faso in their opening Group D games before suffering a first ever loss to Mauritania, ranked 75 places below them.
“The only thing that was missing was a goal. Whenever they got a half chance they scored, whenever we got a chance we didn’t. That’s the mystery of football,” Belmadi told a press conference after the Mauritania match.
The 47-year-old, born in France but who played for Algeria and whose club career included stints at Manchester City and Paris St Germain, lost only seven of 67 matches in charge since being appointed in 2018. He won 43 of his games in charge.
-Reuters
AFCON
Hurray, Super Eagles back to winning ways!
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What a turn-around! After four previous competitive matches without a win, the Super Eagles have regained their winning mentality after a 3-0 defeat of Benin Republic in their opening 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying series.
The win also put the Super Eagles at the top of the Group D after both Libya and Rwanda played 1-1 draw last Thursday.
It is also the biggest win by the Super Eagles since their 2023 6-0 win over Sao Tome & Principe last year September.
Great man Ademola Lookman, he put in two goals straightening the possibility of his emerging as 2024 African Footballer of the Year.
The current title holder, Victor Osimhen proved his mettle coming off the bench in the second half to double Nigeria’s lead after Lookman’s late first half goal.
The Super Eagles will now honour their next fixture against Rwanda on Tuesday with the hope of consolidating their lead.
Benin Republic with no points and a deficit of three goals are rooted at the bottom of the log.
AFCON
‘Oh Come All Ye Faithful!’, Rev Ikpea calls on football fans to rally round Super Eagles
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BY JOSEPH ODOEKWU
The National Chairman of the Nigerian Football Supporters Club (NFSC), Rev. Samuel Ikpea has called on all Nigerians to rally round and pray for the Super Eagles ahead of Saturday’s Morocco 2025 AFCON qualifier against Benin Republic in Uyo.
Ikpea who is mobilizing support for the Super Eagles ahead of the clash in Uyo said that whatever Benin Republic come with both spiritually and physically in the game, we will surely overcome them.
“In the NFSC we have Christians, Muslims as well as those who believe in traditional worship and we respect the rights of freedom of worship of every member and all Nigerians.
“When we are faced with this kind of crucial game, we call on everyone to pray through their various believes because we foresee that Benin Republic are most likely coming to fall back on ‘black magic’ to enable them perfect a back-to-back victory over our Super Eagles after beating us 2-1 in our last meeting in a World Cup qualifier”
“We cannot underestimate the efficacy of the black magic” Ikpea further stressed, “but we believe that when we come together we can neutralize it’s efficacy.
“This is no time to sleep, we all have to rally round and do our best to support our Super Eagles because they cannot do it alone without the prayers and support of all Nigerians.
“While charging Nigerians to be positive with the team, we at the NFSC have done everything positive to overturn whatever plans they are coming with and we enjoin everyone to toe that path through prayers”.
Meanwhile, the Super Eagles camp is bubbling with training in Uyo, as team Coach Austin Eguavoen, has been working hard to perfect tactics with the boys and ensure the Super Eagles soar on Saturday.
AFCON
Will Super Eagles regain their winning mentality?
![](https://sportsvillagesquare.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/06/super-eagles-1.jpg)
The Super Eagles have not won a qualifying match for any competition since their 6-0 defeat of Principe & Sao Tome on 10th September 2023 in Uyo. That was their last qualifying match for Cote d’Ivoire 2023 played in 2024.
Since then, they have played four World Cup qualifying matches without a win despite being the overwhelming favourites at those matches.
A forensic analysis of their World Cup qualifying since that of Qatar 2022 will reveal they had played seven consecutive matches without a win starting from their 1-1 home draw with Cape Verde in Lagos which qualified them for the play off. In the play off with Ghana, the Super Eagles drew the two matches.
In the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, they have gone four matches, getting three draws and a loss. The prospect of their getting a straight qualification from the group is doubtful as they have a mountain to climb by winning the remaining six matches, three of which are away duels of which are most likely to be played in South Africa, the home ground of their main rivals.
Zimbabwe and Lesotho play their home matches in South Africa and Nigeria also still have an away duel with Bafana Bafana.
The qualification series of AFCON 2025 presents the Super Eagles a new beginning. Starting from the semi-finals of the AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, the team has won none of their four competitive matches in regulation time. The players have a date with destiny in Uyo this Saturday to wipe off the sagging image they have had in recent time.
A win will give the team the confidence expected in anticipation for future fixtures.
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