Month: January 2024

Kamil Conteh pens Bristol Rovers League One deal
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Kamil Conteh pens Bristol Rovers League One deal 

The club is thrilled to announce that Kamil Conteh has signed a contract which runs until June 2027. The 21-year-old midfielder has joined Rovers from League Two side Grimsby Town for an undisclosed fee.

Conteh made 29 appearances in all competitions this season for Grimsby Town. He has eight international caps with Sierra Leone and also has experience with Championship clubs Middlesbrough and Watford.

Conteh spent much of his youth career with Watford before joining Boro in May 2022, following a successful trial period. He started the 2022/23 season with five Premier League 2 appearances before moving out on loan to National League side Gateshead.

During his time at Gateshead, he played 34 times, scoring three goals, including in their FA Cup first-round match against Stevenage. His impressive form in the fifth tier attracted interest from several EFL clubs including the Mariners, who gave him a three-year deal in Lincolnshire.

Conteh was delighted to join Rovers and said: “I’m excited to be here and am looking forward to cracking on and getting playing. In terms of the size of the club, where they are in the table, and the manager’s plans for me, I just really wanted to be a part of it.”

Rovers boss Matt Taylor said, “I’m really pleased. It’s been in the pipeline for a little while, so I’m thrilled to get it over the line and get him down here and have him available for Saturday’s game. He’s a player we’ve admired for a while now. I think he adds something to our midfield. Obviously, on the back of Grant Ward’s injury, and the loan lads going back to their parent clubs, we’ve been a little bit light in that department. So, it’s important we have him here and that we keep adding to it.”

Overall, Kamil Conteh’s addition to the team is expected to improve Rovers’ midfield and contribute positively to the team’s performance.

Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri leaves post after AFCON exit
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Tunisia coach Jalel Kadri leaves post after AFCON exit

Jalel Kadri has resigned as coach of the Tunisian national football team. The team finished bottom of Group E with only two points and failed to progress to the knockout stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Kadri, who led Tunisia to victory against France in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, announced his resignation in a post-match television interview. 

He stated that his mission with the national team had come to an end. 

Tunisia had a disappointing performance in the AFCON, losing their opening match to Namibia and only managing a draw with Mali before being eliminated following a goalless draw with South Africa.

Tunisia failed to secure any victories in their matches against Ivory Coast, ending up last in Group E. This is quite a contrast to their performance 13 months ago when they beat France 1-0 at the World Cup in Qatar.

Hamza Rafia managed to score Tunisia’s 100th goal in the competition during their 1-1 draw with Mali. However, this was their only goal of the AFCON tournament.

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Ivory Coast face holders Senegal in Mouthwatering duel
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Ivory Coast face holders Senegal in a gripping duel 

The Ivory Coast, hosts of the 2023 Cup of Nations, will face off against in-form holders Senegal in an exciting last-sixteen duel at the Stade Charles Konan Banny de Yamoussoukro on Monday. 

Morocco’s 1-0 triumph over Zambia in Group F on Wednesday ensured Ivory Coast finished as the fourth-best third-place team for the knockout stage.

Les Éléphants, who have won the tournament twice before, will be eagerly desperate to improve their performance in front of their home fans. 

A great opportunity awaits the Ivory Coast national football team to showcase their fantastic players. However, they must now display more class after barely making it to the last sixteen.

In their final group game, Ivory Coast suffered a shocking 4-0 defeat by Equatorial Guinea, which led to the sacking of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant due to their unsatisfactory results in the tournament. 

But despite being the underdogs, the host nation should not be ruled out easily in a knockout encounter.

The last time they played was in an international friendly in March 2017 which ended in a 1-1 draw at Stade Charlety in Paris.

Aliou Cissé’s side has progressed to this stage with maximum points by defeating Cameroon, the Gambia, and Guinea, making them the favourites on paper.

Morocco and South Africa will face each other in the Round of 16 of the CAF AFCON Côte d’Ivoire 2023. Morocco, who were semifinalists in the World Cup, are the favourites to win the tournament, but they must first defeat Bafana Bafana on January 30 at the Laurent Pokou Stadium.

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will take on the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon on Saturday, January 27, at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan. Despite Cameroon’s shaky start, they will be confident of their chances against an unpredictable Nigerian side.

Nigeria is hoping to win the AFCON trophy after a decade, and Rigobert Song’s side is determined to make it their sixth AFCON title.

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Sierra Leone striker Augustine Williams joins Indy Eleven
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Sierra Leone striker Augustine Williams joins Indy Eleven

Indy Eleven has announced that they have signed Sierra Leonean striker, Augustine Williams, for the upcoming 2024 USL Championship season.

Williams had an impressive performance last season, scoring sixteen goals for Charleston Battery in the USL Championship.

This will be the 26-year-old’s seventh professional club in the United States since he began his career with Portland Timbers 2 in 2016.

Indy Eleven has not disclosed the terms of the deal, and it is subject to league and federation approval as per club policy. Williams, who scored fifteen goals in 2022 with Charleston, is now embarking on a new adventure.

He was also named in the second-team All-USL honours for his performance last season, which is the second time in his career he has received this recognition.

He spent three seasons (2019-21) as part of the LA Galaxy and In 51 matches as part of the USL Championship’s Galaxy II squad, Williams tallied 20 goals and four assists.

Cup of Nations Ivory Coast hosts Sack Coach Gasset
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cup of Nations hosts Ivory Coast Sack Coach Gasset 

The Ivory Coast, who are hosting the 2023 Cup of Nations, have announced that they have parted ways with their coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, and his assistant, Ghislain Printant, after failing to achieve satisfactory results in the tournament. 

This announcement was made by the country’s football federation (FIF) on Wednesday. “The contracts of coach Jean-Louis Gasset and his assistant Ghislain Printant are terminated due to insufficient results,” the FIF said in a statement.”

The team was defeated 4-0 by Equatorial Guinea in their last Group A match on Monday, which leaves them on the brink of elimination from the tournament. 

Ivory Coast needed favourable results in Wednesday’s final group matches to reach the knock-out phase as one of the four best third-placed teams.

 The team has only failed to progress from the group phase once in the previous nine editions of the tournament, in 2017.

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Chris Hughton has been sacked as head coach of Ghana following their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Chris Hughton sacked as Ghana head coach after AFCON exit

Chris Hughton has been sacked as head coach of Ghana following their exit from the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.  

“The Executive Council has also decided to dissolve the technical team of the Black Stars,” Ghana FA said in their statement.

“The GFA will in the coming days provide a roadmap on the future direction of the Black Stars.”

The Black Stars embarrassingly finished on two points in Group B, drawing 2-2 with both Egypt and Mozambique following a 2-1 defeat by Cape Verde in their opener.

On Tuesday, despite all hopes of progressing as one of the four best-ranked third-placed sides, two late goals from Mozambique stunned Hughtons’ side. 

The former Newcastle United boss, who was appointed in February last year, had failed to guide his team to a single victory in Ivory Coast.

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Mauritania stun Algeria as Angola beat Burkina Faso to reach last 16
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Mauritania stun Algeria as Angola beat Burkina Faso to qualify

Lions of Chinguetti of Mauritania and Palancas Negras of Angola have progressed to the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 knockout stages following wins against Algeria and Burkina Faso, respectively, on Tuesday.

Despite Burkina Faso’s defeat, they qualified automatically as second-best in the group.

Minnows Mauritania stunned Algeria 1-0 at the Stade de la Paixin Bouake in the Group D final match, whilst Angola was through after a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Burkina Faso.

Against all the odds towards Algeria to pick their first win in the, but Mauritania came to play with as determination as they sent the North Africans packing.

Mohamed Yali Dellahi accounted for Muaritania’s only goal to down the 2019 Cup of Nations holders Algeria after his strike deflected to put Mauritania ahead.

Angola – on the other hand, scored through a goal apiece from in each half by Cristovao Paciencia and Ambrosini Salvador on the stroke of full-time, as the Antelopes qualify for the first time since 2010 as hosts.

Mauritania will face surprise Group B winners Cape Verde in the last 16 at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan on Monday as Angola set to battle a third-placed side from Group E or F in the last 16 on Saturday, while Burkina Faso will take on the Group E winners next Tuesday.

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Group D final Standings -Angola, Burkina Faso and Mauritania qualified from Group D
Group D final Standings -Angola, Burkina Faso and Mauritania qualified from Group D
The Gambia head coach Tom Saintfiet exit post
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Gambia coach Tom Saintfiet resigns after Cameroon’s defeat

Following the Gambia national team’s exit from TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, head coach Tom Saintfiet has resigned from his post with immediate effect.

Their 3-2 defeat to Cameroon in their final Group C Cup of Nations encounter at the Stade de Bouaké was the end of the road for Saintfiet on Tuesday. 

Saintfiet, 50, confirmed his decision to quit as the Scorpion’s technical head after failing to pick a single point in the group stage.

Saintfiet took over the Scorpions in 2018 and led the side to the quarter-finals of the 2021 edition of Afcon on their debut, but couldn’t replicate heroics in Ivory Coast.

“Thank you for your service gaffer. Gambia will indeed miss a great tactician,” the Gambia Football Federation said in a message posted on X.

The Gambia were 168th in the world rankings when Saintfiet took charge in July 2018, and the 50-year-old departs after improving their position to 126th.

The Scorpions were the lowest-ranked team at the 2021 finals but beat Mauritania, Tunisia and Guinea on the way to the last eight, where they were beaten 2-0 by hosts Cameroon.

His side suffered a 3-0 defeat by defending champions Senegal in their opening Cup of Nations 2023 opener and then fell to a 1-0 loss against fellow West Africans Guinea.

Saintfiet had previously Namibia, Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Malawi and Togo.

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Equatorial Guinea president awards team €1 million for Afcon victory
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

€1m Euros bonus for Equatorial Guinea AFCON squad 

President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo has rewarded One Million Euros to the Nzalang Nacional’s AFCON team as a bonus for reaching the last sixteen in style and January 23 as a public holiday. 

Equatorial Guinea convincingly hammered hosts Ivory Coast 4-0 with a brace from danger man Emilio Nsue, a 34-year-old right back of the Spanish 3rd Division side based in Alicante and a goal apiece from Pablo Ganet and Jannick Buyla at Ebimpe’s Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium.

“Apart from the participation bonus, for the good match played this afternoon against the Ivory Coast, I promise Nzalang Nacional a bonus of “one million Euros.” they are the #HéroesNacionales,” President Nguema Mbasogo announced. 

“Today’s victory has been a brilliant victory, an excellent victory, and truly, we are all very proud and happy to see how you have won against the host country 4-0”, Teodorín said, also wearing the Nzalang jersey.

The vice president concluded his message with a “Bravo!” while applauding and raising his right fist in the air.”

Group winners Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea is set to face a third-placed side from Group C, D, or E in the last 16 on Sunday.

The best Cup of Nations performance was in the 2015 AFCON when they reached the semi-finals after losing to DR Congo 4-2 as Host in Malabo.

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The Black Stars of Ghana could be eliminated from the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations after a late Mozambique surge saw them held to a 2-2 draw in their final group-stage game at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara on Monday.
by Alie Bittar @bittar32

Cape Verde, Egypt progress, Ghana set for exit after draw

The Black Stars of Ghana are on the brink of being eliminated from the 2023 CAF Africa Cup of Nations after a late Mozambique surge saw them held to a 2-2 draw in their final group-stage game at the Stade Olympique Alassane Ouattara on Monday.

The West Africans were leading 2-0 into second-half injury time as the four-time winners looked destined for a place in the round of 16.

Mozambique staged a fashionable last-gasp comeback that may have dumped Chris Hughton’s Ghana out of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Two penalties from Crystal Palace attacker Jordan Ayew had put four-time champions Ghana on their way to victory. However, late goals from Geny Cipriano Catamo and Reinaldo Isnard Mandava dented hopes.

In the Group’s other matches, Cape Verde and Egypt played to a 2-2 entertaining draw at the Stade Felix-Houphouet-Boigny in Abidjan.

As a result, both sides progressed as the Blue Sharks emerged as group winners, followed by seven-time holders Egypt.

“I take responsibility for this performance,” ex-Newcastle and Ghana boss Hughton said. “As head coach, I have not done well enough in this competition.”

“We’ve played three games and we’ve conceded two goals in each of these games, and we haven’t put ourselves in a winning position where we could score goals.”

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