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Kanu’s brace hands Nigeria’s Super Falcon advantage against Ghana

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Nigeria made a bright start to their quest to qualify for Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2022 after a 2-0 victory over eternal rivals Ghana in Lagos on Wednesday.

Reigning African champions bounced back from September’s Aisha Buhari Cup loss to South Africa in a style thanks to a double from Uchenna Kanu in the first round, first leg match at Mobolaji Johnson Stadium, Onikan.

For Ghana, they were seeking to avoid a second-ever absence from the continental showpiece, after failing to qualify for the 2012 edition of the competition staged in Equatorial Guinea but stumbled.

The 18th competitive fixture involving two of the continent’s giants lived up to its billing although the hosts enjoyed the bulk of ball possession in the opening 15 minutes of the encounter.

The anticipated breakthrough came for the Super Falcons when Francisca Ordega’s set up Kanu to spilt the Black Queens defence and gave the lead to Randy Waldrum’s side in the 22nd minute.

The nine-time winners maintained their pouring attack on the visitors and were rewarded with the second through Kanu’s second of the match from a fine assist from Toni Payne four minutes later.

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The Ghanaians threatened the hosts before the break through Grace Asantewaa and Princella Adubea but could not break the solid defence marshalled by Onome Ebi and Osinachi Ohale plus goalkeeping brilliance of Chiamaka Nnadozie.

With a first-leg advantage victory, Nigeria recorded their 11th win over their West African rivals in 18 meetings and will aim to consolidate on their home lead to ensure their passage to the next round.

On the part of Ghana, coach Mercy Tagoe-Quarcoo’s ladies will hope to overturn the two-goal deficit in the return leg at the Accra Sports Stadium on Sunday, October 24.

The winner of the high-profile doubleheader after the Accra second leg showdown will set up a second-round date with either Niger or Cote d’Ivoire.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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International Football

Guinea names Portugal’s Duarte as new national coach

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African Cup of Nations - Semi Finals - Burkina Faso v Egypt- Stade de l'Amitie - Libreville, Gabon - 1/2/17 Burkina Faso coach Paulo Jorge Duarte Reuters / Amr Abdallah Dalsh Livepic/File Photo

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.

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-Reuters

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Veteran coach Van Gaal says he is cured of cancer

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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.

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He now serves as a special advisor to Ajax.

-Reuters

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Like father like son, Davide Ancelotti becomes Brazil’s Botafogo manager

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Davide Ancelotti, son of Brazil's Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, has been appointed coach of Botafogo, the Rio de Janeiro club announced on Tuesday.

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.

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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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