International Football
Unity Cup Tournament: Super Eagles edge Black Stars in London thriller
The Super Eagles continued their unbeaten streak against the Black Stars. The Ghana Black Stars last beat the Nigeria Super Eagles in 2010.
Both teams again ignited an electric atmosphere at the Gtech Community Stadium in Brentford on Wednesday, with the Super Eagles coming out top in a sweet 2-1 victory that sent them into Saturday’s final. It made it five times in a row that Ghana have been unable to secure a victory over their West African rivals.
A rapturous evening in West London began at a frenetic pace, with Cyriel Dessers asking hard questions of the Ghanaian defence, and it was not long before he got his reward.
In the 14th minute, defender Sodiq Ismaila darted to the right wing and sent the ball into the box, and Dessers took full advantage of a defender who slipped while trying to clear the ball, chested down brilliantly and fired past goalkeeper Benjamin Asare.
Five minutes later, another audacious move resulted in another goal. Samuel Chukwueze sent the ball into the box from a free-kick 25 yards out, and defender Semi Ajayi’s header saw the ball deflected off the body of a defender to wrongfoot Asare for Nigeria’s second.
Now in the ascendancy, the Super Eagles could have increased the tally two minutes later, but the exciting Dessers saw his cross into the box begging for connection.
A roar went out from the large Ghanaian population in the stadium when goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali made a mistake while trying to kick the ball to defender Igoh Ogbu, but the South Africa-based safe hands made a one-handed save to parry the resulting effort away from goal.
Asare denied Sikiru Alimi in the 32nd minute, and at the other end, the Remo Stars’ forward was on hand to head the ball to safety as Ghana launched with a free-kick from the left.
Skipper Jordan Ayew was a thorn in the Eagles’ flesh throughout the second half, with deft touches that left the Super Eagles’ defenders flummoxed at times, and his combination with Christopher Bonsu Baah and Brandon Thomas Asante eventually produced the Black Stars’ only goal with 20 minutes left. Ayew came pretty close to netting the equaliser in the 77th minute but missed the target.
Nigeria will square up to Jamaica’s Reggae Boyz in Saturday’s final, while the Black Stars take on the Soca Warriors of Trinidad and Tobago in the third-place match starting at 12.30 pm.
Jamaica edged another thrilling game on Tuesday, beating the Soca Warriors 3-2 with a penalty kick in added time, and will file out against the Super Eagles at 5 pm on Saturday.
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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